Scottish couple gifted island and Gaelic archives to National Trust after 43 years

Scottish Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell and American musician Margaret Fay Shaw purchased the remote Scottish islands of Canna and Sanday in 1938, establishing their home at Canna House. Over several decades, the couple dedicated their lives to collecting and preserving Gaelic songs, stories, photographs, and historical records. In 1981, Campbell donated Canna, their residence, and the entire archive collection to the National Trust for Scotland. The gift came 43 years after the couple first acquired the island, ensuring their life's work would be safeguarded for future generations.