John MacGregor, weaver; born March 4, 1921, died March 28, 1998
JOHN MacGregor was the second eldest of a family of six in the crofting township of Tolsta Chaolais. Like most island youngsters the call of the sea was deeply ingrained in him and, after his education at Doune Carloway School, he enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve prior to the Second World War. He was called up to the Royal Navy and served in the Mediterranean and Iceland until 1944.
Shortly after the end of hostilities John took up Harris Tweed weaving as a profession and excelled as a designer and weaver. He won numerous prizes for his tweeds and one of his proudest moments was when he demonstrated his weaving skills to Her Majesty the Queen at a Craft Point exhibition in Beauly in 1981. Much of his own character was evident in the beautiful cloth he produced. His choice of colour and patterns were mere replicas of the colour, warmth, and pleasure he brought to other people's lives by his affectionate personality and friendly smile.
John married Pat Shuker in 1974, Pat coming from the industrial Black Country. That theirs was a very happy marriage was clearly evident to their large circle of friends and contacts. John was a founder member of the Carloway Historical Society and one of the founder-directors of Urras nan Gearrannan, a trust set up to restore a village of blackhouses. The first such blackhouse to be renovated became a Gatliff Trust Hostel and, when wardens were required for it, Pat and John MacGregor were the obvious candidates for the post.
From 1991 to 1997 they played host to some 4000 visitors and the postcards, letters of appreciation, and comments in the visitors' book speak volumes about the quality of the MacGregor hospitality. Visitors came from all over the world and many returned more than once.
Immensely proud of his culture and heritage, John was taken aback once when a German tourist asked him: ''What is it like to live in such a remote and inaccessible place?'' John replied that he thought Gearrannan was the centre of the universe and listed some of the various nationalities of the past week's visitors: French, German, Italian, Australian, Alaskan - and asked the bemused tourist: ''When did you last have an Alaskan on your doorstep?
His vast knowledge, research, and investigation of local history was an invaluable asset to the local historical society. Carloway is the poorer for the passing of one of nature's gentlemen and sympathy is extended to his widow, Pat, and surviving members of the family.
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