Australian writer traces back history of Nairn ancestor in new book
AN AUSTRALIAN author with Nairnite roots has traced back the history of an ancestor who was Nairn's scavenger in the early 19th century.
Kim Polley (68), from Tasmania, has spent the past 17 years researching her Scottish family ancestry in Nairn – on which she published a first book in 2011.
However lockdown became an opportunity to write a story based on her great great great grandfather, Colin Chisholm, who lived in Nairn from 1803 to 1868 and was the town scavenger – keeping the streets clean, acting as lamplighter as well as assistant to the town constable among other duties.
In her new book – an epistolary novel in which her research comes to life – she traces the story of Colin and his siblings.
She said: "My first book was more of a reference book, whereas this one is more of a story.
"Colin was born in Dingwall in 1803 and all his siblings were born there too. However two moved two Australia and the others moved away too Colin then went to Morayshire. He then went to work on a farm, and then I found that he married in 1830 - I picked him up there and I followed him ever since.
"The object of writing this book was because I became really interested in how they would feel – it haunted me, I put myself in their shoes.
"I have written in the way they would have spoken, as much as I could gather.
"The book tells the story of the siblings writing to each other between 1828 and 1868. Colin was the main writer and he would often write letters to his sister in Australia, who married well so had a much different and richer life."
A former teacher, farmer and later involved in local government as m in Tasmania, Mrs Polley started researching er family history when writing the eulogy for her father – a Chisholm.
"I realised then that I didn't know anything about my father's family. He would very rarely speak of the Chisholm family, and when I did ask him to share some of his memories, he would have tears in his eyes – so I backed off.
"Three weeks after he was buried, I started researching and I would spend time researching to 2am, it took over my life. But I think it helped with my grieving and healing process."
Mrs Polley said she enjoyed learning about Colin's character and his great sense for social justice.
"He had his own mind and he would speak it," she explained. "For a very poor lonely man he was very brave – for instance, at some point the council increased the number of streetlights but didn't increase his pay. Even back in the 1860s, he was something who would stand up against injustice.
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She said she felt it was something he has passed on in their family, many of whom went into local government.
After researching online, Mrs Polley also contacted a local source of historic collections to write her novel.
She said: "The Nairn Museum has been absolutely wonderful in helping me in the research."
With 2023 marking 155 years since Colin's death, she had a plaque laid at Nairn Cemetery in his honour.
"He was buried as a pauper so I had no idea where he was buried and I have been looking or years. It was ver difficult to find the place where he was buried."
The book will soon be published both in Australia and in the Highlands by a local publisher.
Anyone interested in purchasing a copy can contact Kim on Kim.polley13@gmail.com.
