Macaulay Morrison Family
The Past & Present
The ‘Politician’ Silver Dish
There is another interesting story about a silver dish that connects the Macaulay family to the wreck of the ‘Politician’.
Many years ago, Father Neil Macaulay, Peter Macaulay (Boston) and Sister Patricia Macaulay visited their great aunt Marion Martin in Michigan. Marion was the sister of Mary ‘Big Granny’ Morrison. During their visit, Marion told a story about the ‘Politician’.
By Neil Carey
The Macaulay Connection to the Wreck of the ‘Politician’
The story involved a friend of Marion’s who was working as a nurse on board the ‘Politician’. She and the other crew members were rescued when the ship ran aground. Later, she returned to the shipwreck and ‘recovered’ a small, silver dish from the captain’s table service. This dish was sterling silver and had two pieces – a top and bottom. It may have been used as a butter dish for the captain’s table service. The nurse gave Marion the dish as a gift. After she told the story, Marion gave the dish to Sister Patricia. Later, Patricia realized that she had no use for this lovely gift so gave it to her brother, Neil Macaulay and his wife Rae Marie. The family used the dish for special occasions such as Christmas and Robbie Burns Day. During the first reunion of the Macaulay-Morrison families in 1983, the silver dish was used to carry the haggis for the celebration dinner.
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Piping in the haggis for the 1983 Reunion
Later, Neil Macaulay’s daughter Catriona moved to Eriskay and married Donald Mackinnon. Neil and Rae Marie gave Catriona and Donald the dish as a special gift to celebrate their wedding. Catriona knew about the dish but it was a wonderful surprise to Donald. He was delighted to hear from Ewan (Catriona’s brother) that the silver dish would be returning to Eriskay.
The ’Politician’ silver dish
Catriona now operates a self-catering home, Mo Dhachaidh (my home), a renovated croft house. The holiday home looks out over the Sound of Eriskay where the ‘Politician’ was finally laid to rest (Note #1).
Note #1. www.visitscotland.com/accomodation/info/mo-dhachaidh