Joseph MacLeod articles in People's Journal April 20 1935

Hugh Kerr of Clasmore

Man-Hunt that caused a sensation in Sutherlandshire

The agitation to get access to the soil at times took drastic form. Land riots were common, people took forcible possession of grazings, and men were imprisoned for their strong but reasonable demands. These were stirring times.

Among the most sensational figures that flitted across the stage, on which our drama was being played was the fugitive, Hugh Kerr, who became known at the time as the modern “Rob Roy”. It seems strange to think that the authorities expended a sum exceeding £1500 in trying to arrest him, and yet in the end he escaped with a much lighter sentence than some of his fellow conspirators at Clashmore.

I knew Hugh well. In the first stages of the search I met him in the wilds of Assynt; later I walked with him in the streets of Edinburgh, when the police were scouring Sutherlandshire in an endeavour to place him under arrest; and after his short imprisonment I was privileged to visit various parts of the county in the company of Mr Kerr and his excellent wife.

Kerr’s life, for a period at any rate, was indeed adventurous. A crofter in Clashmore, he was one of the many of his kind who were crowded into a small area to make room for a large farm in the neighbourhood. The crofters at the time of which I write were poverty-stricken and behind with the rents, hence it was with a feeling of satisfaction that Hugh and his many friends welcomed the formation of the local Land League branch.

Papers Burned.
The real fight started in April 1887, when a sheriff-officer reached the township with a bundle of summonses for arrears of rent. Needless to say, the visit was anticipated, the result being that the officer was dispossessed of his papers, which were burned in his presence.

Not only that, but they compelled the limb of the law to go on his knees and swear before God that he would never return on such an errand. Kerr, of course, was one of the principals in the affair which seriously disturbed the powers that be.

A month passed with nothing being done and then one day two policemen reached Clashmore with summonses for the arrest of Kerr and his friends who had taken part in the affair. But the two policemen were given the same treatment as the sheriff-officers and the summonses were burned.

A week later, one of the constables returned and went direct to Kerr’s house. Two children were the only occupants of the home. Hugh heard of the visitor and immediately returned. There was a great fight, and Kerr who stood six feet high and was tremendously strong, chased the officer from his home and gave him a run for his life.

Another fight
But the constable in question was a courageous fellow, for he had the pluck to go to Clashmore for a third time with a summons for Kerr. Another fight took place in the house, and when thrown out the policeman was met by a crowd of women, who assaulted him and tore his coat to tatters. The officer naturally refused to return a fourth time, and the authorities came to the conclusion that a show of force was necessary in order to effect an arrest.

One can understand that to the police, the arrest of Kerr presented a problem. In such a hostile and wild country as Assynt they knew that capture would be difficult. They therefore resorted to subterfuge. They sent him a letter suggesting that the whole matter could be amicably settled by a visit to Dornoch. I can still recall Hugh’s laugh when he told me about it.

Too Cute.
He was too cute to be caught in such simple fashion. Indeed he was cute enough to delude the chief constable, who visited the community incognito, and the factor, for he spoke to both of them without disclosing his identity in any way and actually gave a description of “Kerr” to them.

As a matter of fact, what really enabled Kerr to outwit the police was that his personal appearance was not known to them.

The first show of force came in September, when the Chief Constable and eight policemen went to Lochinver and thence to Clashmore, but to no purpose. So passive, however, was the local resistance that the visitors were forced to sleep on the heather because no one would take them in.

For another month all was quiet, and then came another raid. A detachment of marines from the warship Jackal, which had been rushed up to deal with the famous Deer Raid in Lewis, joined Sheriff Cheyne, and Sheriff Substitute MacKenzie, along with the police at Clashmore and another attempt was made to capture the elusive Kerr. Once gain they failed. Indeed, Hugh told me afterwards that he was within 100 yards of them most of the time.

Different Action.
But the authorities decided on different action. They agreed on this occasion to leave a number of constables behind, and a few nights later some women and – so it was alleged – men dressed in women’s clothes turned up at Clashmore Farmhouse and gave the visitors a terrible time.

It was not denied that Kerr had a hand in this, but they could not lay hands on him; instead they arrested six men and three women.

Well do I recall the trial in front of Lord Craighill. It was a heart-rending business to me, for I knew that some of the arrested were entirely innocent. Indeed, in the course of the proceedings it was revealed that Matheson, one of the men alleged to have adorned himself in female garb on the night of the assault could not possibly have done so, as he was well over six feet tall. But all our defences were in vain, and sentences ranging from six months to nine months were passed.

It was a great blow to us. First, we got in touch with Lord Lothian, and through his services - we told him a tale of expectant motherhood – the women were released within 24 hours; and then we arranged a public meeting at Parliament Square, Edinburgh, for the same night.

Brilliant Minister.
Let me digress for a moment and pay attribute to that great son of Strathy, Dr Adam Gunn, of Durness. I knew him all his life, practically, and I can say without fear or favour that he was a man among men. No one hungered if he had meal to spare, and his interest in his people was temporal as well as spiritual. He was a brilliant minister in many respects, and I shall never forget his stand on the occasion of the trial. Both he and I believed in the innocence of the accused, and he did all in his power to prevent the imprisonment.

All his ministerial life he had laboured at Durness, and when he died the county lost one of its greatest personalities. Would that there were more like him. Meanwhile Kerr from his cave in the hills sent out challenges of defiance to capture him. But things were getting a bit hot for him, so he was secretly transported to Edinburgh. I am not at liberty to divulge with whom he resided, for the gentleman is now a respected J.P. But he walked the streets of Edinburgh when the hue and cry for his arrest was at its loudest.

So insistent were the demands for his capture that Hugh was a bit afraid I have seen him with a furtive look in his eye as we passed the limbs of the law in the city thoroughfares.

Again Baffled.
Up at Clashmore they were having quite a hectic time, the authorities being obliged to take every possible step in the matter. Another company of marines from the Sea-Horse joined the police in making a search of the district, but again they were baffled.

Truth to tell there were fears that the police would tumble to the fact that Kerr had gone South, so on behalf of the Sutherlandshire Association I went to Assynt to give the locals some encouragement. I addressed a meeting on that occasion under the chairmanship of Rev. Mr Ross and so keen were the police that they literally invaded the hall.

So many of them were present that I had to get Mr Ross to ask them to leave. But they did not do so. Instead they took a note of every word I said. I was in great fettle that night, my Celtic blood was on fire.

A compliment.
I remember Mr Ross asking me afterwards if I had in my youth a desire to become a minister. When I told him my wish at one time was to be an auctioneer he patted me on the shoulder and said – “If you had the grace you would make a grand preacher”. To be frank, I appreciated the compliment.

But Hugh Kerr would not stay in the south. After four months of outlawry he made for home and called on a cousin of his, who was ground officer near Poles in the parish of Gairloch. Here he was arrested,

Hugh’s trial, which attracted considerable attention, took place at Dornoch, where he was – to the great amazement of all – sentenced to three weeks imprisonment. We hardly expected, keeping in mind the ruthless treatment of the other Clashmore crofters, that he would get off so lightly.

Kerr proved very valuable to our cause. I took him with me on a tour of Sutherlandshire in the interests of Land Reform, and everywhere he was hailed as a hero. He never spoke, of course,, but his appearance was an excellent incentive. Hugh died many years ago. The only near relatives of the late Mr Kerr now alive is his daughter, Flora, who still resides in the old home at Clashmore, Clashnessie.