The Kintyre Forum

I've been going through lots of census records and trying to sort out the Gaigan, Achapharick, Beachmore and Beachmenach.

Gaigan is another name for Beachmore. The Sillars family are farming there in 1851. But what is the difference between High and Low Beachmore? No distinction is made in 1841 or 1851, but in subsequent census records, it's split into High and Low Beachmore. But in 1901, Duncan McGeachy and his family are listed under Gaigan not Beachmore.

I've also seen Beachmore Point, which must be A'Chleit.

In 1851, the McSporrans are at Beachmenach and the McMillans at Low Beachmenach. In 1861, the McCorkindale family are farming Low Beachmenach and there are five households at High Beachmenach:
1 McAlister family (head is Donald, a cooper)
2 McConachy siblings (ag labs and dom servants)
3 Ann McMillan (dom serv)
4 Watson family (head is Alexander, a mason)
5 Milloy family (head is John, a wool weaver; brother Edward is also a woool weaver)

Is Low Beachmenach is being used as a another name for Achapharick? The ruins of Achapharick are located on Beachmenach's land these days. Does anyone know when Achapharick was last inhabited? I remember older relatives telling me that there used to be a track leading down from Achapharick to the main road, but the path had to be abandoned because of erosion and landslips.

Hi Shona,

There are 2 Beachmores - currently called North and South Beachmore. North Beachmore is also Gaigan as you say. I've never heard them called High and Low Beachmore but if they were, I would guess that North Beachmore (Gaigan) would be High and South Beachmore would be Low because of their respective elevations.

A'Chleit is gaelic for The Point so I think you're correct in saying that is Beachmore Point.

I'm a bit puzzled about High and Low Beachmenach and Achapharick. Low Beachmenach is Beachmenach as it is today. There is a small ruin up from here that we know as High Beachmenach but there would only ever have been one family there. Achapharick is much bigger though. I've been told that in the past a family of weavers lived there. That would tie in with the census info you have so perhaps that is High Beachmenach?

I remember my father telling me that there was someone living in Achapharick when he was young so it was definitely inhabited in the early part of the 20th century. Can't be more accurate than that, sorry! The remains of the track are still visible though the top section was taken away in a landslip about a year ago.

Hope that helps a bit

Cheers, Admin - that is very helpful. I'm trying to track the Milloys to establish a link between John Milloy, a farmer at Achapharick, who died in 1795 and named on a headstone in Killean and Achibald Milloy at Chleit in 1861. John had a son named Edward and Archibald's dad was named Edward. But are they the same Edward?

Checked my notes again - it's North and South Beachmore and High and Low Beachmenach.

I wondered at that as I had never heard of Low and High Beachmore.

And sorry, keep forgetting to post under my own profile instead of the admin

Malcolm (Malky)