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Set out below are comments on the site from readers around the world:
Andrew de Moray
Just back from a holiday on the Black Isle where I stayed at Culbokie.Visited the remains of the great mans castle and saw the cairn and the flag.Knew of him! but after coming back today have been checking out all the info. I can,have enjoyed your web-site very much thanx for recording what this Scottish hero has done.
best wishes from Dunfermline (The real capital)
Pete Rennie

My great grandmother, Margaret Macintosh, daughter of James (Goulse) Mackintosh and Kit'Ann Jack was born in Avoch and was the only one in her family to emigrate. She did so at age 18 in the early 1900's as an indentured servant (nanny) to pay her passage. Thank you for your website....I've been to Avoch twice..in 1982 for part of my honeymoon and last year--2005. Lizzie Dunn who lived on the Braehead was a close relative and I was lucky enough to meet her in 1982 before she died. When I was in Avoch I felt as though I was home again. Many thanks for all of your work in putting this site on the web.
Very Sincerely,
Christine Iott, Monclova, Ohio USA

I've enjoyed looking through your website very much. I was born in Avoch and it has been very interesting to read about my roots.
Best regards,
Sheena Wilkie (nee Macintyre)
Vancouver, BC,
Canada

My heartiest congratulations on hosting one of the best local history sites I've ever seen. I'm a sassenach from Kent (and proud of it), but equally proud of my Scottish roots. I thought I would write to you about one of Avoch's lost sons, my great-great grandfather, Simon Jack.
Simon Jack was born at Avoch on Christmas Day 1846 and christened there the following August. He left Avoch for London, and on 27th December 1869 became a trooper in the 2nd Lifeguards. His army number was 621, ad he is described as 6ft 2ins, fresh complexion, blue eyes and brw hair. His former trade of calling was that of farm servant.
In the autumn of 1872 Simon married Harriett Jolly at St.Pancras in London. She was the daughter of Henry, a farm worker from Hopton in Suffolk. The following year, their first child was born, a son, Simon Alick Jack. More hildren followed, Annie in 1876, Matilda Margaret in 1877 and Mary Ann Frances (my great-grandmother) in 1879. The family was completed in 1882 with the birth of a second son Daniel at Windsor. No doubt, Simon would have been stationed at the Castle at the time. Simon remained in the Lifeguards for 17 years, when on 25th October 1887 he was declared medically unfit for further service. He received his army pension and moved the family to Kent where he took up work labouring in a cement factory. He has many descendants in this part of the world.
I hope this information may be of some use or interest to anyone researching the Jacks of Avoch. I know that there were hundreds of them! I grew up believing Simon had come from Hawick in the borders. I guess something was lost in our English pronunciation. I'm still not sure how Avoch is pronounced, whether it rhymes with stork or ark or torch? I'd be very interested in knowing more about the Jacks of Avoch, and hope that one day I can make it all the way up there. It looks a very beautiful part of the world.
Kind regards, and keep up the good work,
Paul Phillips

Hi, I'm trying to get some information for my Grand Father about his Grand Mother and her Grand Father. so, my pops mum and her father. My Pop was born in Avoch in 1924, he is alexander ( Sandy ) Jack. His brother was William Jack, his Dad was William Jack also. They lived at 10 Margeret street. His Mother was Mary Jack(storehouse). Any information, however small would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Courtney A Keen
courtskeen@yahoo.com.au

Dear Doug,
By all means use my little note...I had written the Major as a very young man (interested in the clan even then) and a condolence on his death to "B".
Her and I then wrote a time or two back and forth until as a sophomore at University I stayed with my late great-great-great aunt Rev. Mother Mary St.
Andrew Shaw, R.J.M. at her Convent at Thornton, Bucks (Where I had a great if not hilarious time) Mother Andrew, or Jean Gordon Shaw was a friend of Tordarroch Elders' and I am pretty sure also knew "B".  From her holy base I rattled around the Highlands quite a bit, staying for a few days under the kind and gracious roof of John and Silvia at Tordarroch.  From there we visited Newhall and had lunch and a wonderful long visit with "B".
Sadly, my website has been down a bit whilst my webmaster overcomes some challenges (his house burned down) but hope to get it back up soon.  I also handle the Clan Chattan Association in the United States for CCA, which is sort of based out of Moy Hall outside of Inverness.
I am gearing up for the many Highland Games here in the NW, and have the honour of giving the opening speech at the Pacific NW (Seattle) Highland Games. This will be the 60th Anniv., and is one of the largest in the western US and Canada.  Actually, as this games will have a martial theme, I was thinking of talking about the Sacrifice of the 51st HD at St.
Valery.....How the 51st was out manned, out gunned, out equipped, strung out over double the territory they were trained for and with no real direction (thanks to the French Command) and were still able to bravely cause quite a ruckus. Had they not been there, Dunkirk would have been a far worse event, which would have had far-reaching affects on the war at that pivotal pre 'Battle of Britain' point. I am quite sure the fierce love Tordarroch had for 'B' kept him alive during his POW years.
Yes, I am the Retail Advertising Manager and National Accounts Manager. KCJN is an eleven-newspaper network outside of Seattle.
Yours aye,
Bill
William G. A. Shaw of Easter Lair

Good Morning.
I have enjoyed your web site and have enjoyed the content immensely, I have visited the village on many occasions in the past , my first visit in 1947 when my father returned to visit his parents after the war. I still have cousins in the village and other areas of the Black Isle who I visit, my request is for information on the photographs in the fishing section. Do you or can you supply copies of the photos? and is the James Patience on the photo of the Summer Rose AD594 the same James Patience who lived at 25 Dock, if so it is my grandfather, and is the Jimmy Patience with the crew of the Heather Lee in Avoch harbour the father of "Jimmy the Painter" who lives at Rosemarkie?
Kind Regards
James Patience

I really like the website and love looking at all of the old photos.  Do you have any information on Avoch during the wars? My gt. grandfather Simon Patience and his four brothers (all from Avoch) all fought in the first war and i wondered if you had any information on the villagers who fought?
thanks,
Rory Patience

I am descendant from the Junor family of Arkendeith, Avoch. David, Donald, Hugh Catherine & Mary Junor migrated to Australia eary 1850;s.Their parents were Donald Junor and Mary MacKintosh One son Charles remained in Scotland A list of their descendants available
I am hoping to visit in June 2006
Cheers
Marg Morse