In June 1957, under the care of the Royal Air Force, I spent one month on the Island. A stay under canvas. I was from HQ Nr. 40 Group, based at RAF Bicester; and part of Maintenance Command. Duties, setting up a Station HQ and assisting the CO. Why the RAF, you may question? The object was managing, 5004 Squadron Air Field Construction Unit, who were tasked with building infrastructure for the MOD's continuing presence on the Island of St Kilda. Several of staff also taken there where Civil Servants with Civil Engineering degrees, wearing Air Force uniforms, appropriate to their grade. Life with an Airfield Construction Unit was far removed from my own experience of air force life. Nevertheless, huge care was taken, by all of us, to preserve the Island's fragile nature and remaining archaeology... in many ways their work was and is a testament to the brilliance of the RAF and its attention to detail; it brought 20th century civilisation to the Isle, for all. Posted for Historic purpose.
We visited the island some years ago from a 2 mast sailing ship Bessie Ellen. Scotland Heritege had someone on site for the summer. He told us that by 1930 of the 37 inhabitants there were only 6 able bodied men to do all the labour so they asked to be relocated to the mainland.
That's not Cyrrilic, but a very old Gaelic (Airilic) calligraphy. Gaelic originally wasn't a written language, but purely a spoken one. If you freeze the video and look closely, the letters are very similar to those used by the early Irish Monasteries, like Kells and Iona. Very difficult to read with our eyes used to modernized Roman alphabet. The Gaelic alphabet consists of only 18 letters, and they weren't written as we write now, which was replaced with the more modern Gaelic alphabet in the first half of the 20th century. So it's not surprising that the St. Kildans would use a more primitive alphabet. I took lessons in Gaelic from a lady who emigrated from the Aran Islands. When she wrote out lessons, she used an older form of writing than what's usually printed in books. Her daughter often stopped by the classes she gave, and would often complain about her mom's archaic writing.
I found this place when I was randomly browsing through Google Earth. Most of my questions were answered in this video, but I am still wondering what was the purpose of the wall around the settlement? What were they defending against? Sheep? Also, the monarch of the country shouldn't have been visible in the end of the video, it makes it obvious :)
It might have been protection against the sheep. The islanders used to grow a limited amount of crops around their homes. Stopping the sheep eating them would have been necessary. The wall would also provide the animals with some shelter from the winds.
A supply boat visited St Kilda twice ayear, so the people wwere NOT completely sef sufficiant. The boats brought foods and supplies and took back Tweed that was made on St Kilda. IMPORTANT NOTE. Not all of the footage is from St Kilda. You show storks on nests with a chick a few times. Storks are not found on ST kilda.
St Kilda was in fact all ready somewhat christian when the methodist minister arrived in the 1820s , they had a mixed - syncretic catholic / Druidic religion .
my ancestors came of the island in the early 1870's and migrated to Australia. family rumour is that they were dragged off the island kicking and screaming, but I'm not sure the truth of that.
An informative and touching story, thank you. I'm amused by the stock footage at 8:54, though. I somehow doubt the islanders wrote out their petition in some kind of Cyrillic (Russian, maybe?) calligraphy.
It's tragic to see ancient culture once cherished by it's people destroyed by modernity. I just hope the descendants of the cleat-builders and druids are happy living in the world as we know it. And ideally making their ancestors proud.
Pagan-ish. In 1705 Reverend Alexander Buchan was the first recorded missionary to go to eradicate the Popish/Pagan customs, but it failed to take hold. Due to the location and difficult living conditions on St Kilda it was difficult to keep any sort of permanent religious institution on the island. It wasn't until 1822 when Reverend John MacDonald really took to the task of establishing a permanent modern day religion at St Kilda. Seeing to the construction of a church, manse and provisions for regular, consistent Christian religion. Sadly though it is considered that religion was one of the things that contributed to the decline of St Kilda. A strict minister called John MacKay had arrived in 1865 and over a 24 year period pretty much singlehandedly destroyed the St Kildan's culture and way of life.
It's not Saint Kilda or St. Kilda, it's just St Kilda. There is no sainted person named Kilda for the archipelago to be named after. It's possibly a mistranslation for a Norse work for shields
Why make a video to tell such a lie ? The people fought against leaving the island, it was a government plan to depopulate the island as it was with many islands in Britain and Ireland
This is not true. The islanders voted to leave and requested the government repatriate them in Scotland. Some of them did not want to sign the letter, so not all were agreed, but they went with the majority
@@shaneshankly4518 really, why don’t you produce them. I have been to the island as much as you. I have read a lot about it. Some islands did suffer what you are talking about, this one had different circumstances.
Commenting and liking, hopefully the algorithm blesses this amazing channel 😁
Very much appreciated 😀
Fantastic video, you’re channel will explode in popularity one day!
Hope so, thank you 🙌
Great video, I've always wanted to visit there.
thank you for watching :)
In June 1957, under the care of the Royal Air Force, I spent one month on the Island. A stay under canvas.
I was from HQ Nr. 40 Group, based at RAF Bicester; and part of Maintenance Command.
Duties, setting up a Station HQ and assisting the CO.
Why the RAF, you may question?
The object was managing, 5004 Squadron Air Field Construction Unit, who were tasked with building infrastructure for the MOD's continuing presence on the Island of St Kilda.
Several of staff also taken there where Civil Servants with Civil Engineering degrees, wearing Air Force uniforms, appropriate to their grade.
Life with an Airfield Construction Unit was far removed from my own experience of air force life.
Nevertheless, huge care was taken, by all of us, to preserve the Island's fragile nature and remaining archaeology... in many ways their work was and is a testament to the brilliance of the RAF and its attention to detail; it brought 20th century civilisation to the Isle, for all.
Posted for Historic purpose.
sounds awesome
So nice video. Thank you for making so much quality content ❤️.
Very much appreciated 😀
Well done. This was a fascinating story and your presentation was very good.
Doha, Qatar! Awesome channel! super high quality content!
Bingo, your on top of the leader board!!!
Great video, somewhere I’ve always been interested in for some reason.
We visited the island some years ago from a 2 mast sailing ship Bessie Ellen. Scotland Heritege had someone on site for the summer.
He told us that by 1930 of the 37 inhabitants there were only 6 able bodied men to do all the labour so they asked to be relocated to the mainland.
That's not Cyrrilic, but a very old Gaelic (Airilic) calligraphy. Gaelic originally wasn't a written language, but purely a spoken one. If you freeze the video and look closely, the letters are very similar to those used by the early Irish Monasteries, like Kells and Iona. Very difficult to read with our eyes used to modernized Roman alphabet. The Gaelic alphabet consists of only 18 letters, and they weren't written as we write now, which was replaced with the more modern Gaelic alphabet in the first half of the 20th century.
So it's not surprising that the St. Kildans would use a more primitive alphabet.
I took lessons in Gaelic from a lady who emigrated from the Aran Islands. When she wrote out lessons, she used an older form of writing than what's usually printed in books. Her daughter often stopped by the classes she gave, and would often complain about her mom's archaic writing.
I found this place when I was randomly browsing through Google Earth. Most of my questions were answered in this video, but I am still wondering what was the purpose of the wall around the settlement? What were they defending against? Sheep? Also, the monarch of the country shouldn't have been visible in the end of the video, it makes it obvious :)
Hai, can't answer your questions but thanks for watching to the end :)
#
It might have been protection against the sheep. The islanders used to grow a limited amount of crops around their homes. Stopping the sheep eating them would have been necessary. The wall would also provide the animals with some shelter from the winds.
me too and the isla of staffa awsome watch this was
@@scottydogxyup crop protection. Separates the inbye from the outbye.
A supply boat visited St Kilda twice ayear, so the people wwere NOT completely sef sufficiant. The boats brought foods and supplies and took back Tweed that was made on St Kilda. IMPORTANT NOTE. Not all of the footage is from St Kilda. You show storks on nests with a chick a few times. Storks are not found on ST kilda.
St Kilda was in fact all ready somewhat christian when the methodist minister arrived in the 1820s , they had a mixed - syncretic catholic / Druidic religion .
Good job. Thank you.😊
Fascinating video! I wonder if the islanders' descendants still try to keep their ancestral identity in some fashion?
my ancestors came of the island in the early 1870's and migrated to Australia. family rumour is that they were dragged off the island kicking and screaming, but I'm not sure the truth of that.
Wonderful video thank you..
Very good channel! Keep up your excellent work!
Greetings from 🇩🇪
Thank you
An informative and touching story, thank you. I'm amused by the stock footage at 8:54, though. I somehow doubt the islanders wrote out their petition in some kind of Cyrillic (Russian, maybe?) calligraphy.
Thanks for watching 😀 yes, probably not Cyrillic. I'm just working with what footage I have access too.
heb re dides lol , this is going to be fun , i knew someone whos father came from there
I have collected most of the material from St. Kilda, 142 vids : ua-cam.com/play/PL0YOWePxaaEH9sLmKmTh_wbJktb36y7O7.html&si=sIZZQpsHYoJZtWWP
It's tragic to see ancient culture once cherished by it's people destroyed by modernity.
I just hope the descendants of the cleat-builders and druids are happy living in the world as we know it. And ideally making their ancestors proud.
fascinating place.
There is a suburb of Melbourne that’s called St.Kilda. Apparently that is as far as the St Kilda diaspora reached.
I wonder if they knew of Rockall?
Funny, I just had the HAI video on Rockall recommended to me and watched it. I'm guessing no.
Kocham wyspe świętej Kildy!
Why didn’t they just breed chickens?
Hebrideedees and " the lack of medical care was sorely missed "?
Must do better..
Been there twice. You wouldn't want to be there during winter.
Ahhh did he mention fresh water?
5:06 Pagan until 1822?? For real?
Pagan-ish. In 1705 Reverend Alexander Buchan was the first recorded missionary to go to eradicate the Popish/Pagan customs, but it failed to take hold. Due to the location and difficult living conditions on St Kilda it was difficult to keep any sort of permanent religious institution on the island. It wasn't until 1822 when Reverend John MacDonald really took to the task of establishing a permanent modern day religion at St Kilda. Seeing to the construction of a church, manse and provisions for regular, consistent Christian religion. Sadly though it is considered that religion was one of the things that contributed to the decline of St Kilda. A strict minister called John MacKay had arrived in 1865 and over a 24 year period pretty much singlehandedly destroyed the St Kildan's culture and way of life.
First comment and viewer!!
Wohooo!!
It's not Saint Kilda or St. Kilda, it's just St Kilda. There is no sainted person named Kilda for the archipelago to be named after. It's possibly a mistranslation for a Norse work for shields
What a beautiful place! They should name an Australian football team after it.
boom boom !
E água potável para beber?
Where do they get their pronouncing from? Why the blazes do they not ask the Scots how to say a word before filming starts?
Hebri-dye-dees? 🤣
😁
Want to try to surviving Mars?, this is a good place to start
Sad that the St Kildale mouse and sparrow died out after the humans left?
The Field Mouse still survives. I saw one in 2022 when I was there.
Unfortunately, the RSPB warden there thought it was probably dying of bird flu.
HEBRI-DIDIES?
Hebrew titties?
cream of puffin soup , followed by deep fried gull beaks is so delicious.
It would be good if the narrator could pronounce 'Hebrides' correctly.
Comments with all breathing edited out, and sometimes parts of words, are not pleasant to listen to.
People left because their football team was crap
Move to be kirte
I commend this film-maker for at least getting through most of this without dropping in the obligatory "climate change" boogyman...
He mentioned it at 9:36.
Why make a video to tell such a lie ? The people fought against leaving the island, it was a government plan to depopulate the island as it was with many islands in Britain and Ireland
This is not true. The islanders voted to leave and requested the government repatriate them in Scotland. Some of them did not want to sign the letter, so not all were agreed, but they went with the majority
@@TheSilvercue lol what absolute nonsense 🤣 have you spent time on the island? There are documents to prove the vile plan
@@shaneshankly4518 really, why don’t you produce them. I have been to the island as much as you. I have read a lot about it. Some islands did suffer what you are talking about, this one had different circumstances.
@@TheSilvercue sorry but I have wasted enough time on you 🙄
@@shaneshankly4518 🤣😂🤡