Archives held at the centre

The Highland Archive Centre preserves the official records of The Highland Council and its predecessor authorities, including the former Regional, County, District and Burgh Councils. A summary of our main holdings is outlined below. You can also search our online catalogue for more detailed information.

Local Government Records

• District Committee records for Skye District Committee (including Public Health) minutes (1879-1930) and South Western District Committee minutes (1890-1930).
• District Council records for Skye District Council, (1930-1975) and South Western District Council (1930-1975)
• Highland Regional Council records (1975–1996)

Key Record Series

• Education records from the 1860s for schools in Skye and Lochalsh
• Poor relief records for Duirinish Parish Council/Parochial Board (1871-1930) and Portree Parish Council (1900-1929)
• Highway Authority records for the 5th (Skye) and 14th (Dunvegan) Roads Districts (1803-1884)
• Property valuation rolls for the County of Inverness (1881-1975)  and County of Ross and Cromarty (1874-1975)
• Abridgements of Sasines for the County of Inverness (incomplete) (1821-1954) and County of Ross and Cromarty (incomplete) (1846-1960)
• Police archives for Skye Division, including registers and station log books (1877-1994)

Privately Deposited Collections

In addition to official records, we hold hundreds of privately deposited collections, including:

• Estate and family papers including Raasay Estate (1607-1980), Macdonalds of Viewfield (1736-2003), Donald Gillies, Skeabost (1881-1965) and Catriona and Mairead Macdonald, Stenscholl/Karachi/Sark (1892-2008)
• Business and industrial records, including Kyle Pharmacy (1909-1960), West Highland Salmon Fisheries Company (1944-1962), Skye and British Diatomite Companies (1885-1906), Macdonald and Fraser, solicitors, Portree (1835-1956), Donald MacKenzie, solicitor, Portree (1793-1934) and Archaeological and Ancient Landscape Survey (AALS, Martin Wildgoose) (1977-2011)
• Records of clubs, societies, and community organisations including Portree Golf Club (1905-1938), Glenbrittle Memorial Hut Committee (1948-2007) and Skye Gathering and Games (1877-1997)
• Maps and plans, including estate maps and building plans, Ordnance Survey maps for Skye and Lochalsh (1901-1970s), early coastal charts of Skye by Murdoch MacKenzie (1775-1776), Admiralty Charts of Skye and surrounding waters (1904-1953) and the Highland Railway Company extension to Kyle of Lochalsh (1893)