Peter Wight
In 1881, Peter Wight, son of an Aberdeen school master,
came to Loch Awe for the first time. A skilled craftsman, Peter was sent by his employers,
an Edinburgh firm of joiners and carpenters, to execute work at Innistrynich House, on the
lochside north of Cladich.
His first impression of the district was not good, nor
fortunately, was it lasting. In later years he laughingly recalled his original view
"that Loch Awe was the last place on earth".
Upon completion of the work at Innistrynich House, Peter
moved on to Ardbrecknish, near Port Sonachan where his firm had further work to execute.
Thomas Dow
Tam Dow, Peter Wight's close friend and work mate was
sent up from Edinburgh to assist with the work at Ardbrecknish. When this job was
completed, both men forsook their Edinburgh connection and settled at Lochawe, lodging
with the Wests at "Cruachan".
Peter Wight set up his own joinery business in the village,
whilst Tam Dow assisted Jim and Bella West with the running of the store. By this time the
store appears to have been serving a large area of Loch Awe side, with regular deliveries
of provisions, coal and other goods being made by boat as far as halfway down the loch.
The Wight - West Marriage
In 1886 Peter Wight married James West's sister Bella.
Peter then built "Lescraigie" as their home, and Bella withdrew from the store.
Soon afterwards, Tam Dow married Annie McIntyre who assisted
at "Cruachan" and with the running of the store, and both continued to work for
James West in the store.
On the death of Jim West in 1893, the village store was
bought by a member of the Campbell family. Thus it continued for a brief period until Tam
and Annie Dow took it over and ran it for many years.
When the Dows retired, the Sheriffs took over for a short
while before ~ purchase by the Bonningtons.
Peter Wight and his wife Bella had five children. Francis,
their eldest son worked in the family business, taking it over when his father retired and
continuing the family tradition until ill health forced his retirement in 1960. Father and
son had amongst many other things been responsible for the maintenance and running of the
village water supply from the tank on the hillside above "Letterawe".
Jane, the eldest daughter lived in Lochawe until the death
of her father in 1951, when she moved to Edinburgh to stay with her two sisters. Jeannie
was the organist at St. Conans for many years.
Isabella and Johanna, after spending their childhood and
youth in Lochawe, moved away, finally settling in Edinburgh.
Peter, the youngest child, died of whooping cough at the age
of seven weeks. It appears that an epidemic struck the village during the summer of 1898,
as Mary Hosie lost two children, and a number of others died.
During his lifetime Peter Wight executed work at all the
residences in Lochawe, at the Hotel, and St. Conans.
The following extract from the Oban Times makes a most
fitting conclusion to these notes, on two men who played a central part in the building up
of the village.
Oban Times. Saturday February 10th 1951 |
