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Hello and thank you for downloading the podcast of Witness History from the BBC World Service

with me Simon Watts.

In 1930 the last inhabitants left their homes on the remote Scottish islands of St Kilda.

It was the end of a traditional Gaelic-speaking community who were once believed to live at the

end of the world.

I've been listening to some of their stories as

recorded in the BBC Archives.

In August 1930 a

30 a steamer ship took the last 36 villagers away from St Kilda to a new life in the modern world.

I was the last to leave the island.

All the rest were on board this dinner early in the morning.

I was in charge of the post office and made every excuse to remain as long as I could.

This is Neil Ferguson, the St Kilda postmaster, recorded by the BBC in the 1940s. Like most islanders, he found it hard to say goodbye.

I went for a last walk around the village. It was weird passing the empty houses. It was just like looking at an open grave.

I finished up just as we all did by making the last call at the churchyard to bed goodbye to her friends there. After that I made my way

slowly and with a heavy heart to the steamer. Our last glimpse of St. Kilda rise from the stormy waters of St Kilda,

...