“The Want of Carelessness”

Written by Alexander Gunn aka A Native of Badbea. 

Part C continued from Helmsdale Part B

Published in the Northern Ensign on 22 July 1890

To The Editor of the Northern Ensign

“…and Donald Ross in the Commercial, a man much respected by the travelling public.”

“From the Commercial the mail coach started her journeys south and north. The bugle was sounded coming from the south at the back of the park, and coming from the north down at the Boghals, to warn the strappers to have the horses in readiness when the coach arrived. Angus Mackay was guard – a good-natured, kind hearten man, ready to give a free lift at a time if out of sight of his employer. On being spoken to on one occasion for a breach of orders he declared that he could not resist the temptation of giving a lift to 'an old man or a bonnie lassie’.”

What Gunn refers to as Boghals is shown on the map as Bogholes.

Scottish Post Office Directories Scotland 1837
Pigot & Co’s national commercial directory. Page 772

“Mr Ross had a peculiar way of expressing himself when any awkward thing happened about his premises. He would say, 'It is just the want of carelessness!’ 

Kildonan Census 1851 Freecen

"I am pleased to know that Mrs Ross carries on the business of the Commercial still with as much of the esteem of the public as ever. She has seen her jubilee in the Commercial and I am sure it would be a pleasure to all who ever came in contact with her to give some tangible proof of their appreciation of her genial and honourable dealings with all and sundry of her numerous customers.”

My Comments:

The Commercial Inn was built in 1816. At a much later date it was renamed The Bridge Hotel because of its close proximity to the Telford Bridge.

It seems that Mrs Margaret Ross outlived Mr Donald Ross. Their son George eventually took over the management of the hotel.

The Helmsdale Bridge was built by Thomas Telford in 1811