A bit of historical background sourced from the Ben Nevis Title Deeds:
The property was owned by John Cameron in 1816; William Morrison in 1836; James Morrison from 1849 – 1871; Angus MacDonald from March 8th 1871 until Dec 1871, then Mr Cameron until October 1873 when it was bought by Alexander Boyd who ran it until his death in 1881. Alexander's son, William Duncan Boyd rented out the property, eventually selling it on in 1894 for £1,135. It was sold in 1967 to Scottish & Newcastle Breweries for £28,000
The Ben Nevis prides itself on being the oldest hotel in Fort William; however, it seems that although it was a liquor outlet very early on it was made up into a hotel at a later date. Pigot’s 1837 lists just three hotels; the Caledonian, the Neptune and the George with nine vintners and six grocery outlets licensed to sell alcohol. From the old deeds it appears that the Ben Nevis was originally a ‘Dwelling House, Shop and Cellar, Stable and Barn with a small garden behind.’ Likely it was originally one of these six licensed grocers.
Another notable connection with the Ben Nevis is Sister Mary MacKillop, christened Mary Ellen, the eldest of six children, three of whom took Holy Orders, born to Alexander MacKillop from Ardnamurchan and Flora Hannah MacDonald who lived as a child at the Ben Nevis in Fort William. Alexander MacKillop also studied for the priesthood before immigrating to Australia in 1838. Mary was born in Melbourne in 1842. She founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and worked with the poor and vulnerable, including prostitutes and prisoners, also establishing a string of schools across Australia. None of the services she and her sisters provided were restricted to the Catholic faith. Sister Mary became Australia’s first saint, being canonised in 2010.
