Isle of Harris Whaling Station, Scotland
Norwegians Established a Shore Base at Bunavoneader in North Harris
Oct 30, 2008
As with all whaling ventures the early success led to overfishing followed rapidly by total collapse.
The Whaling Station at Bunavoneader
Between 1903 and 1920 Norwegians (the Herlofsen family) ran a successful whaling station at Bunavoneader (Bun Abhainn Eadar) in North Harris, Outer Hebrides. After the First World War Lord Leverhulme took over, and Lever Brothers ran things until closure in 1929. The station re-opened in 1950 and then finally closed down and was dismantled in 1959.
Whales Caught around St. Kilda
Many of the whales were caught far out to sea and then towed in to Village Bay on St.Kilda. When four carcasses were ready they were pumped up with compressed air and towed back to Bunavoneader for processing. The river Eadar had been dammed to provide water and electricity, and the boats that took some of the whale products to Glasgow returned with coal for the ships and boilers. Bunavoneader itself provided a safe harbour during bad weather, and the proximity to the Tarbert – Stornoway road allowed for land transport.
Whale Jaw Arch at Sir E. Scott School
In 1975 two teachers from the school in Tarbert dived just off the old whaling station and recovered two whale jawbones from the debris. These two bones were set in concrete at the entrance to the school, where they remain to this day (see illustration).
Whaling Ceased due to Overfishing
Increasingly efficient methods were used to catch whales from Bunavoneader, and in the end the numbers caught each season made the venture uneconomic and attention was turned to South Georgia in the South Atlantic.
Harris People Employed at Bunavoneader Whaling Station
During its heyday the whaling station employed as many as 100 local people. The catchers were crewed by Norwegians initially, with the local people employed (on a seasonal basis) to process the carcasses. While there are probably none alive today who actually worked there, many of the older people can remember the appalling smell!
Lord Leverhulme and Whaling in Harris
After an unsuccessful attempt in Lewis Lord Leverhulme invested heavily in the Isle of Harris. He began to turn a small harbour in the south of the island (Obbe) into a major fishing harbour. The place was re-named ‘Leverburgh’, and the intention was to exploit the rich North Atlantic fisheries. He bought the whaling station from the Norwegians, partly to control the pollution – which he thought was damaging fish stocks – and partly as a commercial enterprise. He intended to cut a canal through the isthmus at Tarbert, linking the Atlantic to the Minch and giving easier access to the ports of mainland Scotland.
Unfortunately Lord Leverhulme died before his projects could be completed. All that remain today are a few unfinished buildings at Leverburgh (intended for the accommodation of his managers).
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