Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac
Recording and preserving the history of the Back area in Lewis.
Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac
A’ clàradh agus a’ gleidheil eachdraidh sgìre a’ Bhac ann an Leòdhas.
Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac
Recording and preserving the history of the Back area in Lewis.
Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac
A’ clàradh agus a’ gleidheil eachdraidh sgìre a’ Bhac ann an Leòdhas.
Naidheachdan News
Aig na Whalers
Thig gu oidhche de dheilbh is sgeulachdan ann an cuideachd Iain Stiùbhart, Dòmhnall Stiùbhart agus Ruairidh Moireastan.
Join us on Friday 6th December at 7:30pm in the Back Free Church Hall for an evening with former "whalers" Iain and Donald Stewart (Coll) and Roddy Morrison (Shawbost) as they talk about some archive photos taken in South Georgia in the early 60s.
The event will be in Gaelic, but a simultaneous translation service will be available if required (requires an up-to-date smartphone).
New Development Officer
We're pleased to announce that we have appointed Jane Davidson as our new Development Officer. Jane will be joining us shortly and we look forward to working with her. Read more…
New Development Officer
We're pleased to announce that we have appointed Jane Davidson as our new Development Officer. Jane will be joining us shortly and we look forward to working with her.
Call for old video film
Do you have any old 8mm video "cine" film of Back? Thanks to a kind volunteer we are now able to digitise your film (and make it available on our Youtube channel if we can). Old reel-to-reel audio tape can also be processed. Read more…
Call for old video film
Do you have any old 8mm video "cine" film of Back? Thanks to a kind volunteer we are now able to digitise your film (and make it available on our Youtube channel if we can). Old reel-to-reel audio tape can also be processed.
For full details on how to get your film to us, contact the comann via the usual channels at the bottom of the page.
Meeting agendas
Read the most recent PDF agenda from our monthly meetings (or dip in to the archive).
News archive
Goireasan Resources
As we digitise resources — text, images, video and audio — we aim to make as much as possible of them available here.
- Back in Time Album 2023 — edited by Iain Murray this gathers together lots of interesting history (and some legends too) about Back.
- Old History and Crofting of Gress (PDF) — a booklet published by the old Comunn Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac with a lot of interesting information.
- Back: Birth of a Village — another booklet published by the old Comunn Eachdraidh, with information about the crofts in Back village.
- Tobar an Dualchais — some of the recordings from this audio archive that are from, or about the Back area.
- Small pamphlet produced to mark the opening of the commemorative cairn at Upper Coll.
- The old comunn produced occassional newsletters, full of historical snippets:
- one undated, but probably from the late 1980s.
- a second, this time from March 1986.
- a third, this one dated June 1988.
- PDF form to record aspects of the social history of the area - consider filling it in!
- PDF membership forms (becoming a member is free and helps support the work of the society): (You may find it easier to sign up as a member using our online form.)
- Feasibility study looking at the options to create a permanent home for the comann.
Gailearaidh Dheilbh Photo gallery
Some pictures from Comann events are in the gallery below.
The audience at the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
The audience at the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
At the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
At the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
At the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
At the inaugural lecture (18/01/19)
Bill Lawson at the launch of his latest book, Vatisker Croft History (11/12/18)
At the Vatisker Croft History book launch (11/12/18)
At the Vatisker Croft History book launch (11/12/18)
Mu ar deidhinn About us
Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac (Back Historical Society) SCIO is a voluntary, non-profit organisation set up to preserve and share all aspects of the history, culture and traditions of the Back area, in the Isle of Lewis.
The Comann meets monthly to discuss projects and also organises local lectures and events in Gaelic and English.
We are a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), and our charity number is SC049033. Our constitution may be read here (PDF).
Consider becoming a member -- it is free, and helps support our work.
Current office-bearers (2024)
- Chair: Angus Maclennan*
- Vice chairs: Margaret Stewart* / Kenneth A Maciver*
- Treasurer: Angela MacIver*
- Secretary: Anne Macarthur*
Current committee members (2024)
- Kathryn Graham*
- Mary Ann Graham*
- James MacArthur*
- Donald I Macdonald*
- Murdo Macleod*
- Stewart Macleod*
- Kevin Murray
- Iain Murray
- Ian Quigley
- Anne Ramsay*
- Coinneach Smith*
- Kenny Stewart
* charity trustee