AT ST.ANNS BAY, near the GAELIC COLLEGE in Cape Breton, NOVA SCOTIA,
   stands a wonderful granite monument to a most remarkable man;


                    Rev. Norman MAC LEOD

                         1780-1866


  As clergyman,schoolmaster and magistrate, he moulded the
  character of this community for a generation. BORN at STOER
  POINT  (pictures above),ASSYNT, SCOTLAND, he emigrated to PICTOU,
  NOVA SCOTIA in 1817,led his band of SCOTS to ST.ANNS in 1820, and
  remained here until 1851, when he again led his followers, first
  to AUSTRALIA and finally to NEW ZEALAND.  

    


                  TO PICTOU AND CAPE BRETON

  As a minister of the ESTABLISHED SCOTTISH CHURCH, MAC LEOD  became
  and antagonist with his church and in 1817 decided to move to
  PICTOU, NOVA SCOTIA, where some 12,000 folks from nearby LOCH BROOM
  has already moved to.

        On the ship, "FRANCES ANN", Mac Leod and his flock left for
  NOVA SCOTIA.On their arrival they found the fertile and best
  lands were already occupied by the earlier arrivals. After two
  years of hardships and struggles, MAC LEOD ordered thge building of
  another boat, nicknamed the "ARK", and in September 1819 about
  50-60 of his followers started out for the Atlantic Coast and the
  Gulf of Mexico. Going around CAPE NORTH on the northern most coast of
  CAPE BRETON ISLAND,strong winds sent them along the coast to ST.ANNS
  BAY where they sheltered, rested and gathered large catches of
  cod, herring and other fish species in great abundance.

          Looking ashore at the land and forests,knowing well that
  the waters teamed with fish, they decided to remain in the area,with
  each man selecting his choice piece of property, and work began
  on building a shelter and land clearing.

   IT appeared, the group were here to stay, and here to die.

                BUT.... THAT WAS NOT TO BE SO ....

                 

Follow the Rev. Norman Mac Leod ....

THE SHIP MARGARET ///
Barque MARGARET - Cape Breton, NS 1851-10-28 10 to Adelaide, SA 1852-04-with 130 passengers
MARGARET, pioneer barque from Cape Breton, with emigrants for Adelaide, SA, under the leadership of the Rev. Norman McLeod, sailed from St. Ann's on 28th October 1851, and arrived at her destination on the 10th April 1852
Name 	+ No. adults 	Where From 
Anderson, H.F. 	1 	Aberdeen 
Campbell, Donald 	7 	St. Ann's 
Dingwell, Kenneth 	1 	-do- 
Fraser, John Esq. 	7 	-do- 
McGregor, Donald 	8 	-do- Glen. 
McGregor, John 	8 	-do- 
Matheson, Rod'k 	1 	-do- 
McGregor, Rod'k 	2 	-do- 
McGregor, James 	3 	-do- 
McInnes, -- 	 	-do- 
McInnes, Alexander 	3 	-do- 
McInnes, James 	 	-do- 
McKay, John 	14 	Baddeck 
McKay, Rod'k 	 	-do- 
McRae, Miss Martha (2) 	7 	Middle River 
McKay, Roderick Snr. 	11 	Baddeck 
McLeod, Donald 	9 	St. Ann's 
McLeod, John D. 	10 	-do- 
McLeod, George 	3 	-do- 
McLeod, Rev. Norman 	8 	-do- 
Kerr, John 	1 	-do- 
McLeod, Thomas 	1 	-do- 
McLeod, John 	1 	-do- 
Ross, Ronald Esq. 	10 	-do- 
Ross, Ronald Esq. 	5 	-do- 
Sutherland, Hector 	9 	-do- 
 
The Ship Ark ….PICTOU TO CAPE BRETON

Sailing Master… Squire Mac Leod
Navigator … Norman Mac Donald
Chief Officer … Hugh Matheson
Alex Mac Donald
John Mac Leod   & Others comprising the crew 

On September,1819 the ARK sailed from Pictou 
to St.Anns Bay,where the first Scottish
settlement in Cape Breton,became a reality.