Councillor Donald Cameron, Maureen Ferguson and Ian Abernethy are seeking to ensure that when the anticipated influx of overseas visitors materialises, they'll have points of local contact to help them research their roots.

The trio have joined forces to put the two Forts on the family history map in time for the expected arrival of Canadians and Americans, New Zealanders and Australians seeking information on their forebears and old homesteads.

Cllr Cameron said: "It's probable that our anticipated visitors will already have a fair amount of background knowledge thanks to family papers, photographs and the internet.

"But we have an important role to play in supplying the ambassadors to direct them to the townships and glens from whence their ancestors came, and to provide them with related local history – both anecdotal and factual.

"There is a need to point people to sources of information such as our archive centre, libraries, service points, tourist information offices and museums, and also to keen Highland historians and resourceful amateur genealogists.

"Some local 'craic', a dash of humour, aye, and perhaps a pinch of salt are required to allow the Homecoming tourists to experience some of our famed Highland helpfulness and hospitality."

To this end, a list of willing Lochaber contacts who have a wide-ranging knowledge of local and family history has been collated at the Ben Nevis Book Corner – Fort William's second-hand bookshop in Monzie Square, run by Ian Abernethy, one of the town's amateur historians.

Ian Abernethy, Maureen Ferguson and Cllr Donald Cameron display the Homecoming leaflets. Iain Ferguson, The Write Image

He said: "A total of 25 individual names have been listed, along with 16 societies and groups, all capable of providing plenty of well-researched genealogical background and geographical points of contact – and all for free."

And Ferguson has an interesting twist to add to the overall exercise.

She said: "Many of the people who will come here this year are likely to bring with them birth certificates and census returns and copies of their family trees.

"It is particularly interesting that, on a reciprocal basis, they'll bring with them information on their forebears which will help us find out how people fared after they left our local area.

"That will assist us in building up a bigger picture of what has been happening in USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in relation to Fort Augustus and Fort William."

Out of his local authority discretionary budget, Cllr Cameron has had 2000 Homecoming leaflets produced in conjunction with Fort William company Printsmith.

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