Rare Assynt CDVs: from the estate of E. Thompson, Assynt Lodge.

This photo is by H. Chisholm, Photographer, Inverness.

This group was taken by William Aird in Lochinver.

The back of the previous CDV, showing William Aird's stamp.

This photograph was taken by A.W. Fraser, 18 Church Street, Inverness.

The mother in this photograph looks as if she might have come from the Caribbean.

There are many thousands of CDVs (carte de visite photographs) from all over Scotland dating from the 1860s, but very few showing people from the far north. There were photographers based in Tain, Thurso, Wick, Dingwall and Inverness, but very few on the west coast.

I have a set of ten cdv portraits which came from the estate of E. Thompson of Assynt Lodge. Three of the photos carry details of the photographers: two from Inverness (A.W. Fraser of 18 Church Street, Inverness, and H. Chisholm, Inverness) and one from Lochinver (William Aird). This latter is a rare case of a north-west photographer. All the others show no indication of where they were taken, nor by whom.

If these are photographs of inhabitants of Assynt, then they are of some interest. One of the ladies looks as if she might have come from the Caribbean (a very small number of black residents are noted in the Statistical Accounts).

If anyone knows more about any of the above, do please contact me (greywings89@gmail.com). I shall be pleased to hear from you.