Tyree, Arygl, Scotland

Parish #551

History
The name of this parish is derived from Tir-reidh, (pronounced Tir-re), signifying the flat or level land. The island of Coll was annexed to the parish of Tiree in 1618. Oban and Arinangour are the nearest towns. There are two upright stones or pillars, about six feet high, and towering upwards. Some coins have occasionally been discovered. The land was primarily used for, sheep, cattle, fish, bear, oats, potatoes, pigs. The populatin in 1755 was 2702. The population in 1841 was 5846. The registers extends back to 1775. All the parish records previous to that period were sent to Edinburgh relative to a legal process, and were lost or never returned. They have been regularly kept since 1814. There are two churches in the Parish. There are no Episcopalians or Catholics; but there are some Dissenters, chiefly of the Independent persuasion, and a few Baptists. This account was written in 1843.

Source:New Statistical Account of Scotland (FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 7) also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages under 'For non-subscribers,' then search for the parish report.

Condition of Original Records—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index on computer at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: Tyree: births are intermixed with marriages until May 1774. Births are separated from marriage records from January 1775 on. It appears to have been regularly kept. Mothers’ names are seldom recorded until 1793. Coll: entries dated prior to July 1813 are copies certified by the Sheriff and placed after the marriage entries. After July 1813, births are intermixed with marriage records until October 1816. Entries after 1813 are tabulated. Marriages: Tyree: marriages are intermixed with births until May 1774 and separated from birth records from January 1775 on. The record appears to have been regularly kept. Coll: entries dated prior to July 1813 are copies certified by the Sheriff and placed first in order before the birth entries. After July 1813 marriages are intermixed with birth records until October 1816 after which marriages are recorded on an occasional page of the register of births. Entries after 1813 are tabulated. Earlier records appear to have been sent to Edinburgh and lost sometime around 1775. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British book 941 K23b.

Tyree
Minutes 1775–1935 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/482.

Coll
Minutes 1733–1735, 1775–1844 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/70.

Tyree Free Church
History— A few members of the parish left the Established Church at the Disruption and were without a minister until 1853 when they were united in one charge with Coll. When management of the two islands was found to be difficult, they were formally separated in 1862. In 1876 Tyree was sanctioned as a separate charge. The church at Kirkapol was built in 1880, the manse in 1884, and the church at Balinol in 1888. Membership: 1883, 182; 1900, 100. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— No known pre-1855 records exist.

Coll Free Church
History— The minister and most of the population of Coll left the Established Church in 1843. At the first vacancy in the charge, the Island of Tyree was put under the care of the minister of Coll. Such were the difficulties in the way of securing sites for church and manse that in 1858 the congregation was still worshiping in the open air or from house to house while the minister and his family lived in "a miserable bothy." In 1861, through the kind offices of Mr. Bouverie, M.P., a site was granted, and the church and manse were erected in 1863. Membership: 1848, 25; 1900, statistics unavailable. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— No known pre-1855 records exist.

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