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Crofting and Land Reform |
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“The Battle of the Braes” took place on the estate of Lord MacDonald, to the south of Portree in April 1882. Protesting crofters who had been served notice of eviction resisted the advance of a Sheriff’s officer and 50 policemen with sticks, stones and whatever else was to hand. The story was reported nationally, and the plight of the crofters was brought to the attention of the public, and perhaps more importantly, the government.
In 1883, The Napier Commission was set up to inquire into the condition of crofters. Over five months they held meetings throughout the Highlands. The Highlanders however, weren’t waiting for the government to act. The Highland Land Law Reform Association (HLLRA), or Land League was established in 1884. In turn, they formed the Crofters Party to stand for parliamentary election – and returned 4 MP’s in January 1886. They challenged the parliament to deal with the conditions of the poorer classes of Scotland.
The 1886 Crofters Holding Act was passed, based on the 3 F’s: Fixty of tenure, free sale and fair rent. However, the crofters weren’t appeased, and the disturbances grew worse, with sheep farms and deer forests being regularly raided. A second act, passed by the newly elected Conservative government, in 1897 went further to securing crofters fair rights, although it wasn’t until after World War I that the issues were finally settled. Following the 1897 Act a Crofters Commission was established to protect the rights of the workers.
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