The Clan MacLeod Society of Australia (NSW) Inc. Newsletter March 2012 Chief: Hugh MacLeod of MacLeod Chief of Lewes: Torquil Donald Macleod of Lewes Chief of Raasay: Roderick John Macleod of Raasay President: Peter Macleod, 19 Viewpoint Drive, Toukley 2263. Phone (02) 4397 3161 Email: peter.macleod@exemail.com.au Secretary: Mrs Wendy Macleod, 19 Viewpoint Drive, Toukley 2263. Phone (02) 4397 3161 Treasurer: Mr Rod McLeod, 62 Menzies Rd, Eastwood 2122. Ph (02) 9869 2659 email: [email protected] Annual Subscription $28 ($10 for each additional person in Important Dates the one home receiving one Clan Magazine & Newsletter, 4th to 6th May - Glen Innes Festival - see below. i.e. One person $28, Two people $38, Three people $48, 7th July - Aberdeen Highland Games see next Newsletter. etc.). Subscriptions are due on 30th June each year. Dear Clansfolk, Successful Christmas Function A week of rain pre- Wendy and I are off to the North American Gathering so the ceded Saturday 26th November but it was forecast to clear next Newsletter will be a bit earlier than usual. In it will be and sure enough around lunchtime it did. Neil and Marga- a write up of the Gundy BBQ and preview of the Aberdeen ret McLeod provided some beautifully Webber barbequed Highland Games. meats to go with delicious salads and sweets. A little Mac- Chief Donald Macleod of the Lewes will be Chieftain of the Leod business was disposed of at our brief meeting leaving Day at Aberdeen, come along, meet Chief Donald and show plenty of time for social chatter. Attendance was not huge but your support for Scotland’s most important clan. Peter those who came certainly enjoyed themselves. A big thanks to convivial hosts Neil and Margaret McLeod. Chief Donald - Chieftain of the Day at Aberdeen In recognition of Clan Mac- ACMS News (Associated Clan MacLeod Societies) Leod, Chief Donald Macleod 1. The BBC are to make a ‘History of Britain’ and tried to of the Lewes has been invit- contact the ACMS, but when phone calls were returned the ed to be Chieftain of the Day relevant person was on holidays. at the Aberdeen Highland 2. With a view to selling back issues, a proto-type of The Games. Chief Donald, who Clan MacLeod Magazine on line was demonstrated. It is lives in Sandy Bay, Hobart, also planned to make back issues available on DVD. will be accompanied by his 3. Alick Morrison’s book ‘The Chiefs of Clan MacLeod’ will charming wife, Heather. be scanned and sold as a DVD rather than re-printed. Chieftain of the Day, is an important Official Guest. He re- 4. MacLeod Woodland at Orbost (see Sept. 2011 Newslet- views the Massed Bands, other performers, clan stalls and ter). Plans are in place to improve the entrance and build competitions. Last year’s Chieftain was Mr Michael Bryce, a wall. The wall will be predominently local stone but with husband of Australia’s Governor General. provision for stones from overseas carved with their origin. Local masons and carvers are available to assist. 2012 Glen Innes Celtic Festival 5. Parliament 2014. Dates are being finalised. Possibly 26th July to 2nd August BUT this may need to be changed if it clashes with the Dunvegan Show. There will not be a Pre- Parliament trip in 2014. NRG work week will be on Skye and held during the week prior to Parliament. North American Gathering 2012 The Crowne Pla- Time is running out za Hotel in Alexandria “Old Town”, Virginia USA has been if you plan to attend the 2012 Celtic Festival. It runs from contracted with the MacLeod Society USA for the 2012 Thurs. 3rd to Sun. 6th May but most activity is from Friday NAG. Dates are Thurs. 28th June to Sun. 1st July 2012. 4th. A Friday night function is held at the Services Club. Sat- Room rate is US $112.00 per night including tax. To get the urday starts with a street parade, join the MacLeods and special rate it is best to book through the North American march. Then to the Standing Stones for dancing, pipe bands, Gathering website: www.wix.com/sdrakem/2012-nag yard dog trials, heavy events, stalls & entertainment. Accom- Final programme is not yet available but includes: modation is in short supply, contact Glen Innes Visitor Cen- ● Evening riverboat cruise tre. www.australiancelticfestival.com or Ph 02 6730 2400. on the Potomac River. Each year a Celtic Nation has special attention. ● 2012 is the turn of Brittany & Galicia. The lat- Workshops & Speakers. ● Whisky Tasting. est recognised Celts, those of Asturias, Northern ● Spain/Portugal, are included so this should add Dancing & Piping. ● something unusual. In 2013, it’s Scotland’s turn. Group Photo. ● Flags of Brittany (top) and of Galicia. Evening Banquet. Alexandria, Virginia is just across the Potomac River from Pay by Internet You can pay membership fees or any the USA Capital, Washington DC. There is plenty to see other payment to our Society by Internet Banking. This can in Washington with its Memorials, important Government save you time and postage, and sometimes bank fees. Buildings, Museums and the like. The NAG website has ● Send funds to The Clan MacLeod Society of Australia (NSW) Inc. BSB 012 256, Account 008610081. links to most of the popular tourist venues. ● Email Treasurer Rod McLeod advising you have made For any further information contact the 2012 NAG Organ- payment & what for: [email protected] iser, Stephen D. MacLeod, email [email protected] MacLeod World Gathering - New Zealand 2013 New Book - ‘Four Sons Of Skye’ The history of a The Clan MacLeod Societies of Helensvale and Auckland Tolmie family from the Isle of Skye to Otago, New Zealand. have announced their intention to host a Clan MacLeod Review by Peter Macleod. World Gathering in late November 2013. Venue will be Auck- Tolmie is an interesting Sept of our land and it is planned for the date coincide with the Auckland Clan. They are descended from John Highland Games. The event is very much in initial planning, Tolmach MacRory MacLeod of the the organisers should have more detail in the October Clan Gairloch MacLeods and so, they are MacLeod Magazine. As information is available it will appear of MacLeod blood. John Tolmach was in the New Zealand section of the Clan MacLeod website involved in the feud with the MacKen- www.clanmacleod.org and in this Newsletter. zies which resulted in the MacLeods MacLeods in Switzerland Our clansfolk in Scotland being dispossed of their lands in Gair- have a new member, Marcello Foggetta, who is also a mem- loch. Possibly John Tolmach dropped ber of a band based in Basel, Switzerland. The pipers in the his MacLeod surname to make it hard- band wear the yellow MacLeod tartan with the permission of er for his enemies to find him. After Chief John and Chief Donald. To cement their relationship being chased out of Gairloch, John Tolmach settled on Skye. with Clan MacLeod, some 35 members of the band have Over time the family became prominent on the Isle, as farm- joined the Clan MacLeod Society of Scotland. ers, ministers of religion, tacksmen of Talisker and Uiginish Marcello visited Edinburgh late last year and pointed out and as Factor to MacLeod of MacLeod. Another member of there are a number of MacLeods living in Switzerland includ- the family was Frances Tolmie, the famous collector of Gael- ing Chief Hugh’s brother, Stefan. Although it’s early days, ic folklore. The author’s own description of the book reads: the ACMS will be looking at the possibilty of a Clan MacLeod ‘A story of intrigue, murder and fierce rivalry over the land, Society being formed in Switzerland. tracing 500 years of Tolmie history from the MacLeods of Marcello’s band will tour Scotland in late May this year. Gairloch and of Lewis.’ ‘Donald Tolme (Gaelic spelling) was raised with the privileg- Those who read my write MacLeod Fiddlers on Tour es of the Scottish Tacksman and inherited the blood of the up on the 2008 North American Gathering in Ottawa may Kings of early Scotland, Norway and England. In 1848 at the recall my rave review of Ian MacLeod’s talented young ‘Mac- age of nineteen, he laid aside his kilt, donned his first pair Leod Fiddlers’ from Glengarry, Ontario. This amazing group of trousers and sailed from Skye to the fledgling colony of have now booked to tour Scotland in July. So if you or some- Australia and later New Zealand. His three younger brothers one you know is touring Scotland at that time and has the William, Malcolm and Allan Tolmie followed soon after.’ opportunity to see them - don’t miss out! ‘From gold fields to large sheep stations to public office, the Scientific Misconduct on Rum from Rod McLeod four brothers were self made men. Their sons fought with Rum, the island, lies seven miles west of Skye, and, with an the ANZACS and in WW2. Descendants today continue to area of 16 square miles, it is the largest of the small inner make a notable contribution to the country of their birth.’ Hebridean Isles. As well as being small, it is mountainous; Author is James G.H. McKay, a descendant. The book is a the Cuillins of Rum rise 2600 feet; the climate is described paperback, 270 pages and deals initially with MacLeod and as wet, and the isle was once covered by forest. A large Tolmie history. Then it covers individual stories of the four herd of red deer still breeds there, along with ponies, wild brothers and their progeny. Price is $NZ45 plus post & pack- goats and a colony of Manx shearwaters. ing. To obtain a copy contact the author, Jimi McKay, email Rum was owned by the Clan Ranald branch of MacDonalds, [email protected] or post 63 Estuary Road, then by the MacLeans of Coll. Over 400 people once lived South New Brighton, Christchurch 8061, New Zealand. on Rum, but a clearance in 1826 reduced the population to From our South Australian clansfolk with one family, the rest migrated to Nova Scotia. In 1845 it be- Poms In Kilts the comments: ‘The Welsh, Cornish and Irish do it, so why came a sport estate and in 1957 it was bought by the Nature not the English? - I’m not sure I’d wear it on a night out on Conservancy Council and is today a nature reserve. the red wine and pasta, though. - It would take a very brave A recent issue of Quadrant retells the story of scientific mis- Englishman to wear that north of the border.’ conduct on Rum under the title The Rum Sedges. The story took place in the 1920s and concerns a prominent British Professor of Botany and expert on the natural history of the Hebrides. The Professor had the idea that, contrary to the established state of knowledge, the Hebrides has not been iced during the last ice age. His thesis would be strength- ened if pre-ice age plants were to be found growing in the Hebrides and nowhere else in Britain. The Professor duly reported finding several such species growing on Rum; these included a rare sedge Carex bicolor and a reed Juncea capitatus, before known only from the Channel Islands. This Perhaps the coming fashion for English Rugby fans for the was followed up with reports of insects not before known in next England V Scotland game at Murrayfield? Britain or in the Hebrides. Considerable skepticism developed around the Professor’s Mallaig - Armadale Ferry Future in Doubt The findings, prompting a noted amateur botanist to closely in- Scottish government has indicated it may reduce subsidies vestigate. He visited Rum with the Professor and, after fur- for the Mallaig - Armadale ferry, run by Caledonian Mac- ther diligent searching, concluded the species in question did Brayne. Fears have been generated the service may be dis- not occur on Rum. He went on to allege that the Professor continued, reduced or suffer large fare increases. Armadale has grown the plants he found on Rum at home and planted is in Sleat, the South of Skye. Residents and business peo- them on Rum. There has never been an outright resolution ple are meeting and lobbying to try to have the Government of this saga, although the Professor’s findings are now listed change its mind. The ferry is a large vessel carrying cars, in authoritative publications as “Dubious Records”. trucks, buses as well as passengers and freight. First Australian Made Bagpipes Reputedly the first Queen’s Birthday Honours for Stewart McLeod set of Bagpipes made in Australia were made by George As part of the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours, our member Sherar in Sydney in 1840. They, and a later 1850 set, were and Dubbo Council’s Director of Technical Services, Stewart lodged with the then Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences McLeod, was awarded an Australian Public Service Medal. (now Powerhouse Museum) by the maker’s son, George John The Award Citation reads in Sherar. Thanks to an article by a descendant, Mrs Glenda part; “Mr McLeod has made (Bone) Gault, in a Genealogy Magazine, we now know quite an outstanding contribution a bit about these historic Bagpipes. to local government and pub- The 1840 set were made of Lignum lic works engineering in New Vitae, an extremely hard timber. The South Wales. Mr McLeod is 1850 set used Tulip Wood. Both sets recognised as a visionary and have mounts of whale teeth and air active leader who championed bags of tanned goat skin. the development of critical in- Father and son each played a set frastructure in Dubbo, where in the procession of the 1st High- he has served for over 30 years land Gathering and Highland Parade at the landing of HRH in Engineering and Technical Stewart with NSW Governor Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Alfred, at the first Royal Tour in Services. Throughout a period Dr Marie Bashir New South Wales in 1867. of urban and rural change, Mr McLeod was influential in en- At the 1851 Great Exhibition, Crystal Palace, London, the suring Dubbo’s road network, water and sewerage systems, set built in 1850 was displayed. They were awarded an Hon- and waste management services were effective and sustain- ourable Mention, a bronze medal and returned home with able to service the growing population. Mr McLeod created the Juror’s Report and a certificate. As a token of honour, and led powerful regional groupings of local councils in areas they were played by Queen Victoria’s personal piper. of critical engineering concern to their communities. Through George Sherar and son George John went to New Zealand his involvement in these and other bodies, Mr McLeod has during the Maori Wars taking Bagpipes with them. George substantially contributed to policy and technical direction in Snr also took his kilt. One occasion George Snr, dressed in the areas of water supply and sewerage management in his kilt, was marching while playing and caught the eye of a New South Wales, and was an integral part of a number of friendly Maori Chief. The Chief took George Snr to the top State Government initiatives helping to establish best prac- of a hill and offered him all the land he could see if he would tice strategies in these fields. Mr McLeod has served the teach the Chief to play the pipes, give him the kilt and take community of New South Wales with distinction.” one of his daughters as a wife. The offer was declined. Congratulations to Stewart on this well deserved award. In his later years George Snr opened a Music Shop called Government House The Golden Grove Music Depot in Drivers Road (later re- named Wentworth Rd), Burwood. He advertised Highland Bagpipes Made and Repaired. After George Snr died in 1885, his son George John continued the business but at 10 Ivy St, Redfern. George Jnr died in 1900 and his wife, Mary Jane Sherar (nee Brown) took over until her death in 1908 when it seems the shop was sold. The full article was sent to Ron Clement of the Clan Mac- Leod Pipe Band, his response is just as interesting- Thanks Peter, very interesting. There have been several pipe makers in Australia and NZ since then. Jimmy Martin in Son James, wife Jude, Stewart McLeod, daughter Lucy Brookvale, Sydney was foreman for Robertson in Scotland Australia Day Award for Charles Cooke Aus- before migrating here about 50 years ago. He died about 15 tralia Day 2012 saw our Upper Hunter Vice President, or more years ago, but his daughter called me about 10 years Charles Cooke, awarded the Upper Hunter Shire Council’s ago. I played for her wedding at Newport. Robert Pearce a Hunter McLoughlin retired schoolteacher (he played at the dinner last May) is an Memorial Award for outstanding craftsman as well as being a top piper. I met a Citizenship and also guy who had a Scottish shop in Wellington NZ in the 1980s, declared the Upper he took me to his home showed me pipes he had made from Hunter Shire’s 2012 Lignam Vitae, originally the keel of a sailing ship. Citizen of the year. John McMurchie in Perth makes and repairs pipes - his son The awards were for David (Blue) was in the Dragoon Guards now makes ex- services to the com- cellent pipes in Edinburgh. He qualified with a Pipe Major’s munities of Gundy, certificate from Edinburgh Castle but retired from the Army Scone and Aberdeen. before being Pipe Major of their band due to an injury. There C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s are others in other states in OZ. It is difficult to see identify- Charles from your ing features from the photo but I have seen famous Mac- Mayor Lee Watts & Charles Cooke MacLeod Clansfolk! Dougall Pipes with similar sized ivory mounts. Charles Cooke leads Massed Regards Ron Bands - Aberdeen 2009 Bob Dylan - Blowin’ in the Bagpipes From the Scottish Banner. During a recent Glasgow concert tour Bob Dylan bought a set of R.G. Hardie Bagpipes, a practice chanter and learning manual from the National Piping Centre. Dylan has an affection for Scotland, he owns a property at Aviemore and some of his songs have roots in Scottish folk tunes. Calum’s Road Now a Play The National Theatre of and suggests looking at their website Scotland could hardly have taken a greater challenge than - ukmadefilms.com perform “Calum’s Road” (adapted from Roger Hutchinson’s The film will bring considerable book) in its original setting and in front of those who lived the publicity to Raasay and generate story. But this is what they did in early December. The story increased tourism, such revenue has lost none of its interest with the audience filling Raasay is always welcome on Raasay. Hall twice over. Ian Macrae was cast as Calum MacLeod. It is impossible to forecast how long Part of Calum’s Road “He had my father to a T,” said Julia, Calum’s daughter in her production will take but hopefully Alex will keep us informed. own review of Macrae’s performance as the islander who And, with a bit of luck, the film will be available on DVD. defied the world with a wheelbarrow and a shovel. McLeod Ganj - Home of the Dalai Lama Bruce Meanwhile in front of Julia’s eyes, on stage, she is seam- McLeod, Pymble aroused my curiosity when he told me the lessly represented as a young girl by Angela Hardie and as Dalai Lama lived at McLeod Ganj near Dharamsala, India. a woman by Ceit Kearney, who also managed to slip into the Ganj is Hindi for neighbour- McLeod Ganj role of Julia’s mother Lexy. hood and commonly used Fictionalising real people as part of a town name. But and a real place and pro- what about the McLeod? jecting it to the most dis- McLeod Ganj was named af- cerning audience is a pretty ter Sir Donald Friell McLeod neat trick. Raasay was CB KCSI (1810 - 1872). lulled and lilted by Alasdair Sir Donald was Lieutenant Macrae’s score and let itself Governor of British Punjab be carried down the road again. While Macrae is as ener- from 10th January 1865 to 1st June 1870 and recognised as getic as Calum himself Finlay Welsh, as Iain Nicolson, is a the founder the city of Dharamsala and one of the founders counterpoint in paring back a performance until he delivers of Punjab University. He is remembered as a philanthropic the intensity of his emotions with a glance or a twitch. Gerry administrator and promoter of education. Son of Lieuten- Mulgrew’s Communicado Theatre has long experience of ant General Duncan McLeod, he was born in Fort William, successfully adapting Scottish literature for stage. Roger Calcutta, and educated at Edinburgh High School, Dulwich, Hutchinson’s book lends him some of the best lines, but it is Putney, and Haileybury. He returned to Bengal in 1828 to the dexterous layering of a familiar tale by writer David Har- start his career. He held various senior colonial positions and rower that elevates “Calum’s Road”, unexpectedly warming was at Lahore during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when he a slow burning tragedy. earned the C.B. Sir Donald was Chairman of Sind, Punjab The gentle, unrequited love story cocooned in the play and and Delhi Railway before he the repeated motifs of the road saga - depopulation, the fra- retired and went to London. gility of family and culture - are, like Calum’s struggle with He died as a result of an ac- the barrow against the county council, universal themes. cident on the London Under- “Calum’s Road” is not just from our past. The question mark ground. Sir Donald is buried over end of the road communities resonates through mod- in the graveyard of St. John’s ern Scotland all the way down to the inner Clyde. Church-in-Wilderness which is But that is no reason to give up on places like Raasay. Even near McLeod Ganj. Also buried the new hall that hosted Calum’s homecoming is a symbol of there is Lord Elgin, British Vice- hope. When it is not converted into a theatre it hosts intense roy of India 1862-63 who fell in football sessions for the island’s youngsters. One day there love with the natural beauty of will be enough kids for a Raasay 11 a side team. Dharamsala because of its like- There is, finally, a new pier in a sensible place, with a beauti- ness to Scotland. ful, working fishing boat moored to it. New social housing is St. John’s Church-in-Wilderness being built, hopefully not too late. Outside the hall, winter’s wind rages and the complaints are Irish Lady’s Tress Orchids on Benbecula The all too real life. They are much the same ones as Calum Tartan Bonnet Orchid last December brought a response MacLeod might have made in a strong letter to Inverness from Catherine Macleod of NZ. Catherine visits her home- County Council. The island’s roads are still awful. land (Isle of Lewis) regularly. Last year while on Lewis she From an article in the West Highlands Free Press by Torcuil heard horticulturalists were abuzz with the discovery of a Crichton, Westminster Editor with the ‘Daily Record’. 600 plant colony of the Irish Lady’s Tress Orchid. Despite its Irish name this orchid is Skye viewed from Calum’s Road native to North America only. Usually it has two flower spikes but on Benbecula it has up to five! The big question is how did this rare and delicate plant manage to set up a new and thriving colony on the opposite side of the Atlantic? The area was already And Coming Soon - Calum’s Road The Movie a declared Site of Special Scientific inter- UK Made Films Ltd of London have obtained the film rights est because of its rich flora and fauna, this for Roger Hutchison’s book, Calum’s Road, and are now discovery adds even more diversity. in discussions with the BBC and ITV about their possible I don’t think we have ever had a involvement in production. The Highlands of Scotland Film bigger variety of stories than in this Commission have already committed support. Alex Chris- Newsletter and all have relevence to tie, Associate Producer, believes there could be descend- the MacLeods. What an amazingly ants of Raasay MacLeods who may also like to be involved varied clan we are! Peter