Contributed by Chris E Lawson

The new Exhibition and Genealogy Visitor Centre, Seallam!, in Taobh Tuath (Northton), Isle of Harris, was opened officially on the 18th July by Alasdair Morrison MSP and John MacDonald of Fort William and Northton at 3pm.

Bill Lawson, a professional genealogist, offered the business, Co Leis Thu?, to Western Isles Enterprise in 1995 in order to expand it and a Trust was set up to progress the development of a new Visitor Centre in Northton in Harris.

The official handover of the genealogy resource business, Co Leis Thu?, to Northton Heritage Trust, by Bill Lawson, took place at the start of the proceedings on the 18th of July.

Co Leis Thu? has 30,000 family tree sheets for the Western Isles and the emigration areas along with a large collection of papers, photographs and letters amassed over 40 years by Bill Lawson. Bill studied Law at University and then trained as a Chartered Surveyor. Having taught Law for 18 years he then decided to make his hobby his career. In the 11 years since he and his wife, Chris, created the business, the interest in genealogy has grown considerably. The Lawsons now have an international business which is run from their home in Harris.

Seallam!, the new centre, will have links to the University of the Highlands and Islands and will also have travelling exhibitions as well as a major exhibition on the People of the Western Isles and the Landscape. Interpretation and Design for the major exhibition has been carried out by Touchstone Interpretive Consultants and by Ross Associates.

Roger Gadd who is an annual visitor to Harris will have the first temporary exhibition in Seallam! He will display his paintings of Harris for the month of July. Bill Lawson has created a new exhibition on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia and this will be the centre's first changing exhibition.

Present at the opening was Sheila Pitcairn, Member of Council, Scottish Genealogy Society, who presented Bill with an honorary membership of the Society for his outstanding work in gathering the genealogies and oral tradition of the islands.

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