The Man Who Gave Away His Island: A Life of John Lorne Campbell of Canna

by Ray Perman

In 1938 John Lorne Campbell bought the Isle of Canna. He wanted to prevent an island described as the 'jewel of the Hebrides' from becoming a rich man's playground like so many other islands and Highland estates. He wanted to preserve part of the traditional Gaelic culture and show that efficient farming methods could be compatible with wildlife conservation and sustainability. But his determination to get the island forced him to pay more than he could afford and he spent the next ten years burdened by debt and often close to despair. This is the story of a remarkable man and his triumph over adversity, bank managers and bureaucrats to fulfil his dream. Even after he gave it to the National Trust for Scotland he still had to fight to secure his legacy. It is also the story of a 60-year partnership between John and his American wife, the musician and folklorist Margaret Fay Shaw, whose small frame contained a will 'made of Pittsburgh steel' which kept them going through the hard years. Together they collected and preserved a disappearing Gaelic culture and made a small island the centre of an international network of friends and supporters which continues after their deaths.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Scotland

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Ray Perman, a writer and journalist for 30 years, was chair of the James Hutton Institute and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, of which Hutton was a founder member. His previous books include The Rise and Fall of the City of MoneyThe Man Who Gave Away His Island.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting life story of John Lorne Campbell, Gaelic scholar, folklorist and many things besides, who bought the island of Canna in the Inner Hebrides in 1938 and eventually made it over to the National Trust for Scotland. There is a whole story to be told just of people who become island owners or island lovers (Compton Mackenzie being an obvious example, and indeed a friend of the subject of this book). I went to Canna once, in 1993, for a very brief visit, and one of the people on the boat I was on told us the story of John Lorne Campbell and his equally interesting wife, Margaret Fay Shaw, an American (and indeed went to visit him at Canna House and reported back on his unhappiness, at the time, with some of the things the National Trust were doing). As well as the particular difficulties of islands, Scotland has had many other problems associated with land ownership, and some of these are touched on in the history of how John did not become the Laird of Inverneill. Very interesting for anyone who shares any of John Lorne Campbell's interests, and also an insight into how the son of a Tory Protestant landowner became a Gaelic-speaking Catholic Scottish nationalist.

[Lydia H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and thoughtful account that reflects the ups and downs of a life spent championing the landscape and culture of the Highlands and Islands. I mainly read this because of my interest in Campbell's wife, the photographer Margaret Fay Shaw, and it was interesting to read about them as a couple and their devotion to their work as well as to each other.

[John Pendrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb has me excited as now I can identify a little with John Lorne Campbell
The book is a wonderful gift that arrived today. Thank you Jamie.

Got the first boring Chapter One of family history out the way.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canna ist die westliche der inneren Hebriden. Sie liegt im Atlantik, westlich von Skye und zwischen den Uists und dem schottischen Festland. 1981 wurde sie von John Lorne Campbell dem National Trust of Scotland überlassen, nachdem sie seit 1938 in seinem Besitz war.

Meine Meinung

Was bringt einen Mann überhaupt dazu, eine Insel zu kaufen und sie später wieder abzugeben? In John Lornes Fall war es die Sorge um das Wohlergehen von der Insel und seinen Bewohnern. Er hatte seit seiner Jugend gesehen, wie große Teile Schottlands zu Spielplätzen reicher Männer wurden und nur für kurze Zeit zur Jagd benutzt und sonst vergessen wurden. Traditionen und das kulturelle Erbe gingen dabei verloren.

Genau das wollten John und seine Frau Margaret erhalten. Ihre umfangreiche Bibliothek war nicht nur eine der größten der gälischen Sprache, sie hatten auch eine riesige Sammlung traditioneller gälischer Lieder, die sie auf ihren Reisen selbst aufgenommen hatten.

Ray Perman erzählt in seinem Buch nicht nur die Geschichte von John Lorne Campbell. Er hat mich mitgenommen durch das Schottland des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts, besonders durch die Highlands und Islands. Ich habe Menschen getroffen, von denen und über die ich schon einiges gelesen hatte. Über Compton MacKenzie und die gemeinsame Zeit mit John auf Barra zu lesen hat mich besonders gefreut.

Das Buch setzt sich auch kritisch mit dem Leben auf den Hebriden auseinander. Besonders mit denen, die es nicht schafften, genug Touristen anzulocken und so die Menschen zu halten. Das ist eine zweischneidige Sache, denn auch wenn die kleinen Inseln so ihre Ursprünglichkeit bewahren konnten, boten sie ihren Einwohnern doch nicht genug Möglichkeiten zum Überleben. So ist das Experiment Canna zwar nicht gescheitert, aber nicht so ausgegangen, wie es sich John Lorne Campbell gewünscht hat. Trotzdem ist seine Geschichte keine traurige. Im Gegenteil: sie zeigt, was ein einziger Mann bewirken kann, auch wenn es Jahrzehnte dauert.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Objective portrait of a marriage fiercely dedicated to the Hebridean way of life. I admire John Lorne and Margaret Fay Shaw Campbell, was glad to have found this volume at a church book sale.
Makes a complement to the funny books by Lillian Beckwith about island life such as The Hills Is Lonely. Some prior knowledge of the Highlands and the islands is probably needed to get into this book.

[Allan McDougall · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, in respect of the history of Canna, but I didn't engage at all with John Lorne Campbell, an unreliable and privileged member of the gentry.
Person's writing is repetitive, casual and quite ordinary.

[Katrina McCrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful portrait of an amazing man. An inspirational warm and witty biography that can be harrowing at times.
I loved his story of how this remarkable man triumphs over adversity, bank managers and bureaucrats to fulfill his dream. John, along with his American wife, musician and folklorist Margaret Fay Shaw, collected and preserved a disappearing Gaelic culture and made Canna the centre of an international network of friends and supporters which continues after their deaths.I would highly recommend this book.