Norman John Gillies, one of the last remaining native St Kildans, who has died aged 88, will be sorely missed.
Mr Gillies provided a precious living link with St Kilda's population of crofters and fisherfolk that left the island for the last time in 1930.
Their departure marked the end of thousands of years of continuous settlement. For centuries, the inhabitants were self-sufficient, though as contact with the outside world increased in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the population started, understandably, to strive for other opportunities. Mr Gillies was just five when he left.
In spite of that tender age, he had already experienced some traumatic life events, including the death of his mother, who fell ill with appendicitis while pregnant but could not be taken swiftly to hospital due to St Kilda's remoteness. One of his strongest memories was of his mother calling to him in Gaelic, her Hebridean shawl over her head.
Thanks to the willingness of Mr Gillies and other St Kildans to share their stories, the lives of these hardy folk living on the outer fringe of Scotland, will never be forgotten.
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