St Kilda spinning wheel on Oban pier
1930 Photographer unknown
This spinning wheel and other household effects on Oban Pier belonged to the St Kildans who were evacuated on 30th August 1930. The ship seen behind the spinning wheel is probably the Dunara Castle which brought the islanders to Oban on a journey lasting seventeen hours. The spinning wheel would have been used to spin wool from the sheep that still live on St Kilda. The sheep on Soay were a small brown native breed, direct descendents of the moufflon sheep, known to be intelligent, nimble animals with excellent mothering habits. The sheep on Hirta and Boreray were improved breeds held in common, while the Soay sheep belonged to MacLeod of MacLeod, the landlord of the islands. Wool that had rubbed off the sheep was carefully collected, and the carding and spinning of wool was carried out on the island by women. The wool was then knitted into socks and scarves and used to weave the famous St Kildan tweed, and all these items were exported and sold to visitors to the islands to raise income.
