Badbae: How many people can you cram into a 4m x 2.5m house?

I'm working from my home in East Lothian this week, but still thinking about the life of the crofters. One thing that's really struck me is how whole families could live together in such a small space!

I went to visit Badbae, where, in 1793, around 80 people belonging to 12 families were sent after being evicted from Langwell, Ousdale and Berriedale.

'The twelve families were moved to the sloping cliffs of Badbea, where they were forced to create makeshift houses and a new community from scratch. Badbea lay between a great stone wall, designed to protect the landowner's flocks of sheep, and the edge of dangerous cliffs above Berriedale. The Clearances, one of the most cruel and hotly debated periods in the history of the Highlands, were happening.' (Badbea website)

I've been looking at the census from 1841 to try and work out who lived with whom. Having seen the ruins and realised that they are only around 4 metres by 2.5 metres, I can only begin to imagine the squash!

This must have been an extremely close-knit community. I like that expression 'close-knit'. It seems to describe the situation well. Might call my exhibition and publication that. Hmmm.

Anyway, if you are interested, here are my findings:

Age (youngest first) and houses of people living at Badbea, according to the census of 1841 as documented on the Badbea families website:

Family house 1

Jean Sutherland: 20, John Sutherland: 25, Betty Sutherland: 25, Esther Gunn (nee Sutherland): 45, Charlotte Sutherland: 51, Margaret Polson: 60 (Total 6)

Family house 2

Catherine Erving: 12 (the only person there from England), George Sutherland: 18, James Sutherland: 20, Rose Cormack: 20, Catherine Gunn: 29 (or 30?), Christian Sutherland: 51 (or 45?) (was married to George Gunn), John Gunn: 55 (or 50?) (fisherman and widower), Jean Sutherland: 60, Donald Christian Bruce: 60, Christian Bruce: 60 (nee McLeod) (Total 10. Odd mix of names though?)

Family house 3

John Gunn: 10 (?), Margaret McPherson: 12 (visiting?), David Gunn: 13 (?), Jean (Jane) Gunn (nee Polson): 40 (wife of George), George Gunn: 40 (fisherman), David Sutherland: 70 (Total 6)

Family house 4:

George Gunn: 1, Mary Gunn: 2, David Gunn: 4, Jane Gunn: 6, Christina Sutherland: 8, John Gunn: 8, Christian Gunn: 14 (servant to her brother John!?), Catherine Sutherland: 20 (niece), John Gunn: 30 (shoemaker), Catherine Sutherland: 35 (married to John Gunn), John Sutherland: 45, Elizabeth (Betty) Sutherland: 50 (John’s sister) (Total 12. Odd mix of names. Perhaps 2 houses?)

Family house 5

David Sutherland: 2, Alexander Sutherland: 4, John Sutherland: 7, Isabella Sutherland: 9, Catherine Sutherland: 10, David Sutherland: 30 (farmer), Johanna Sutherland (nee Sutherland): 30 (Total 7)

Family house 6

Ann Grant: 2, John Grant: 4, Betty Grant: 8, Gordon Grant 35, Georgina Grant (nee Gunn): 35, Elizabeth Grant 40 (Gordon’s sister?) (Total 6)

Family house 7

Ann Henderson: 2, Barbara Henderson: 5, William Henderson: 9, Katherine Henderson: 15, Anne Henderson: 40, Robert Henderson 45 (Total 6)

More houses

Margaret Gunn: 10, Christian Mcleod: 10, Christian Bannerman: 10 (born outside the area), William Gunn: 12, Ann Duncan: 12, Betty Gunn: 15, Janet McIver: 15, Robert Matheson: 15, George Duncan: 16, John Grant: 17, William Duncan: 18, Alexander Gunn: 20, Betty Duncan: 20, Donald Matheson: 20, William McKay: 20, George Gunn: 25, Charlotte Sutherland: 29, Mary McIver: 40, Hugh Matheson: 40, David McIver: 50 (Total 20. 3 or 4 houses perhaps?)