Neolithic people in the Black Isle raising cattle, sheep and pigs, and cultivating wheat and barley
1179
Ormond Castle may originally have been one of the two royal castles erected on the Black Isle by William the Lion in 1179
1297
Andrew de Moray escaped from the English in the Spring of 1297 (Ormond Castle in existence at this time). Died of wounds later the same year.
1338
The third Andrew de Moray died at Ormonde Castle
1560
Alexander Peddar appointed vicar of the church in Avoch
1563
Dunbar family leased from the Bishop of Ross “three fourths of the town and lands of Avach with the mill and multures” – so meal mill already present
1614
John Mackenzie, Archdeacon of Ross and minister of Killearnan fined for raiding the harvest in Avoch. He was fined £100
1660s
The lands of Pittanochtie (later known as Rosehaugh) were acquired by grant by Sir George Mackenzie, the son of Simon Mackenzie of Lochslin Castle
1670
A new church was built on the site of the previous church, and present site of the Parish Church
1683
First written record of potatoes in Scotland by John Reid, gardener to Sir Goege Mackenzie of Rosehaugh in his book “The Scots Gard’ner” Reid recommends its use as a garden vegetable and gave instructions for its cultivation.
1696
Run-rig system of farming known to be in use at Fortrose (etching of the area shows it)
1711
Rev Alexander McBean appointed to the Church in Avoch; his appointment was opposed and he was prevented from entering the church. He had to be ordained and inducted in Rosemarkie
1720s
Donald Sinclair (Donald the Sailor) took cargoes of salt and tallow from Caithness to Avoch
1740
Record of “walk” mill in Avoch
1762
First house on site of Rosehaugh built – initially a modest L-shaped building, on the lands known by the two names of Pittanochtie and Rosehaugh
1763
Small’s light chain plough invented (a Scottish invention)
1764
Alexander Mackenzie born in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis
1774
Alexander Mackenzie set sail for New York on the “Peace and Plenty”
1777
First appearance of turnips in Scotland – from Sweden – hence the name “swedes”
1789
Alexander Mackenzie started in the first of his expeditions from Fort Chipewyan on Lake Athabasca, to open up new trading routes for the fur trade
1790
The first substantial house at the site of Rosehaugh was built by Roderick Mackenzie
1792
Avoch church enlarged “giving accommodation for 600”
1793
Alexander Mackenzie traces route across Canada to the Pacific Coast near Bella Coola where he inscribed on a rock, “Alexander Mackenzie from Canada by land, 22 July 1793”; Potatoes recorded as a common crop in the Statistical Account of the time.
1802
Mackenzie knighted
1807
James Jack born in Elgin
1810
31-ton sloop “Gracie”, built in Avoch
1812
Mackenzie married Geddes – she was 14 at the time, Mackenize was 48. He bought the estate of Avoch,
1814
Avoch harbour was built by Sir Alexander Mackenzie
1817
Sea wall between Avoch and Fortrose was built. The inexperience of the contractor led to delays but it was finished ahead of schedule – with money to spare.
1818
First record of a school at Killen
1822
Manse for Avoch church built
1828
Open moor grazing land at Mulbuie divided up between neighbouring estates
1830s
Last use of run-rig system of farming in the Black Isle
1832
Cholera in the village; Sir Alexander Mackenzie died
1840
The burn powered three meal mills and one wool carding mill. Avoch mill produced oatmeal until the late 1940s. Turnips common in Avoch as a crop.
1841
80-ton schooner “Rosehaugh”, built in Avoch by D Davidson
1846
Potato blight spread to the Highlands; food riots in Avoch
1852
James Jack married Frederica Mary Stephen in London. Frederica was the widow of Lieutenant Alexander Macleod Hay of the 58th regiment who had died in 1849.
1854
Geddes Mill, the woollen factory opened by Alexander George Mackenzie
1855
James and John Jack changed their name to Fletcher
1857
James Douglas Fletcher born, the fourth child of James and Frederica Mary
1860
Tenancy of Geddes Mill passed to John Shaw, an Englishman. It employed 67 people in total including 9 wool sorters, 16 power loom weavers, 3 woolen cloth teasers, 5 wool spinners and a dyer.
1864
Rosehaugh House and lands were bought by James Fletcher. At this time the estate extended to 6,400 acres
1870
Current building of the Parish Church built
1871
The “droonins” – fishing disaster in the firth
1873
Free Church (now Tower House) opened
1874
Land acquired from James Douglas Fletcher for school to be built
1878
Caroline Violet May Hope, only child of Colonel Montagu Hope and Constance Maud, only daughter of James Fletcher, was born
1879
First boat of the Zulu design, “The Nonesuch”, built at Lossiemouth
1883
Avoch minister receives gift of money for the most needy families after failure of the herring and garvie fishing
1885
James Jack dies shortly before his planned opening of the gas street lighting in Avoch
1893
James Douglas Fletcher commissioned William Flockhart to remodel Rosehaugh House. This was to take until 1902
1894
Black Isle Railway opens
1895
James Douglas Fletcher formed the Avoch Tweed Mill Company
1896
Church hall for Avoch Parish Church built
1902
Remodelling of Rosehaugh House completed
1906
The harbour was rebuilt
1908
Geddes Mill closed as mill and reorganised into living accommodation which had no running water and outside “privvies”
1909
James Douglas Fletcher married Lilian Maud
1914
Outbreak of World War I. HM Inspector of Schools advises that practical Household Economy lessons be introduced – Killen was unable to do so because of lack of water supply so offered gardening instead
1922
Nursing services started in schools
1923
By this time, electricity had reached Dingwall, Invergordon and Foddery only
1927
James Douglas Fletcher died
1929
The pit system of conveniences in schools was replaced by a pail system
1932
Combine harvesterarrived in Scotland – to Black Isle some time after this
1933
Marriage of Lilian Elford to Captain Charles Shaw-Mackenzie of Newhall
1940s
Geddes Mill building demolished
1941
According to a report in this year, the number of verminous heads in the County was “a disgrace”.
1948
Start of National Health Service
1950
“Clever Lassie” was the last Zulu in Avoch; Campaign against tuberculosis through innoculation
1951
Black Isle railway closed to passengers
1953
Lilian Maud Fletcher died and was buried alongside her husband.
1959
Rosehaugh Housedemolished
1960
Black Isle railway closed
1967
Last minister for Avoch parish appointed (Rev Finlay Macleod). The church then linked with Fortrose and Rosemarkie
