Born 28^th July 1922

My grandfather, the joiner and undertaker in Lochawe, was Peter Wight ( born 1857 and died at Lescraigie, Lochawe in1951) . My grandmother was Isabella West ( born 1854 and died in 1926) Isabella West started the Lochawe store in 1880 with her brother James.

Every summer, from about 1928, my mother, took my sisters and me to visit our grandparents in Lochawe and I have many fond and clear memories of these visits to the village and to St Conan’s Kirk.

My grandfather had carved the communion table and roofed the chancel when the Kirk was enlarged.

Although he was not an elder in the Kirk, every Sunday he took the collection. During communion he officiated, serving the bread and wine along with his lifelong friend, Mr Thomas Dow.

I remember my grandfather talking about the Rev Farquhar McRae and the Rev Anderson. During the summer months a minister came from another area and they always stayed in the house called Badniska, next door to Lescraigie. I remember that this house was beautifully appointed, had wonderful furniture and a cabinet of well loved china!

My Aunt Jean, a daughter of Peter Wight, never married and was for a time the organist at St Conan’s. I remember sitting beside her while she played the organ before going to the Sunday School. The organ screen, I believe was carved by Walter Douglas Campbell but the old pipe organ had been replaced before I started going to the Kirk. I remember that the story was that the Church of Scotland had hijacked the organ for a church in London!

There were no pews in the church in these days and we sat on individual chairs which had rush matting seats. Quite uncomfortable!