Neil McTaggart’s Crossing – Teacher Joseph's Sound Archive

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (20): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1253)

Part 20 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Thomas announces his marriage at a welcome-home gathering, while Agnes grows suspicious and his bride brings a startling surprise.

Episode 20: The Bride

The party had begun. A small, select number of people had been invited to welcome Thomas back into the fold, and others dropped in as they were passing. It wasn’t so much a party as a community obligation. Most of the town had spent months trying to find one of their own who had vanished under strange circumstances. Now here he was, a different man from the one who had left. Literally a different man, as some people thought.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (19): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1252)

Part 19 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Six months after Thomas disappears, Neil and Esther encounter a familiar stranger at Maggie’s grave. His return brings new questions.

Episode 19: The Man at the Grave

Six months had passed, and people had stopped asking about Thomas.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (18): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1250)

Part 18 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Robert returns with news from the river, but Thomas remains missing. Weeks later, Neil discovers a hidden letter in Thomas’s boot.

Episode 18: Another Mother’s Son

Neil had made the tea too strong and his aunt drank it without noticing. He watched as she sat motionless, facing the window, lifting her head whenever something stirred outside. At last, hooves sounded on the road. Her mind, which was always far away from her body these days suddenly jumped into action and she lifted her head to stare at Neil. He could see the anguish in her eyes.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (17): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1248)

Part 17 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. A messenger brings news of a body found by the river, and Neil waits with his aunt while Robert goes to learn whether it is Thomas.

Episode 17: Word from the River

By breakfast, Neil wished he had woken Robert when he saw the rider. In

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (16): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1241)

Part 16 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Thomas has been missing for three nights, rumours spread about a gang of strangers in town, and a mysterious rider watches the house from the darkness.

Episode 16: Thomas Is Missing

Thomas is missing.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (15): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1238)

Part 15 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil helps sell the last of the timber at market and sees an unexpectedly cheerful side of Uncle Robert, before a slip about Neil’s father and Thomas brings the family’s unease back into view.

Episode 15: Market Day

By the time they came to the last of the wood, Uncle Robert had stopped being careful.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (14): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1237)

Part 14 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. At the timber market, Neil learns what happened to Thomas and sees how Uncle Robert uses whisky to numb the pain of exile, family and loss. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family and belonging.

Episode 14: A Drink to Numb the Pain

As they unloaded the wood from the wagon, there was a silence between them. Neil hadn’t yet found out where Thomas was or exactly what had happened. He had already learned that information in the family was shared strictly on a need-to-know basis, so there was little point in asking, at least not yet.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (13): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1233)

Part 13 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Thomas fails to return home after a night at the inn, while Neil and Uncle Robert take timber to market and learn that trouble has followed him. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, faith, and belonging.

Episode 13: Where Is Thomas?

Suddenly a shaft of light hit Neil’s eyes. He looked up to see Uncle Robert standing there.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (12): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1228)

Part 12 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Neil and Esther encounter a mysterious masked horseman whose appearance is linked to local stories of death. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, superstition, mystery, and belonging.

Episode 12: The Horseman

As Neil and Esther got ready to leave the cemetery, they both heard a noise. Looking towards the road, they heard a horse galloping, its hooves thumping against the ground. In the distance, they could make out a figure dressed in black, riding a black horse that was drawing ever closer.

Neil McTaggart’s Crossing (11): A Story of 1920s Scottish Emigration to Canada (Podcast 1225)

Part 11 of Neil McTaggart’s Crossing. Esther helps Neil uncover Maggie’s final months and the hidden grave marked by a pebble. A historical fiction audio story about Scottish emigration, Canada, family, grief, and belonging.

Episode 11: The Pebble

Esther and Neil playfully sat on the ground on a summer’s day. “Oh, my mother’s the same, Neil,” muttered Esther with a deep sigh. “Even the mention of the Catholic Church can throw her into a rage. I think it was a Lowland Scotland thing. Around Glasgow it became much worse because of Irish immigration. My mother’s family came from Kilbirnie, but my father’s people were from Skye, and they never seemed to carry the same bitterness.”