Noteworthy Descendants of the Clan Grant Academia Isabel Frances Grant, MBE, LLD, was an author, historian, antiquarian, and founder of the Highland Folk Museum. Born in Edinburgh and educated in London, Dr. Grant was a descendant of the ancient family of Tullochgorm and the granddaughter of Field Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, GCB, GCMG. Dr. Grant wrote her first book, Everyday Life of an Old Highland Farm, in 1924. While traveling in Europe, she was influenced by the open air museum movement of the early 20th century. She started collecting items of Highland material culture and founded the Highland Folk Museum, called Am Fasgadh (The Shelter), firstly on the island of Iona, and later at Kingussie in Badenoch in 1944. Today, the museum is situated in Newtonmore. In recognition for her pioneering efforts, Miss Grant was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Edinburgh in 1948 and elevated to the rank of MBE in 1959. Dr. Grant wrote a number of books during her long life, including The Lordship of the Isles (1935), Highland Folk Ways (1961), and Periods in Highland History (1987, published posthumously with Hugh Cheape, PhD). Dr. I.F. Grant died in 1983 at the age of 96. Robert Edmond Grant, MD, FRCPE, FRS (1793-1874) established the Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy at University College, London, in 1828. He was born in Edinburgh and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Grant was the first professor of zoology and comparative anatomy in England and personally donated many of the specimens, dissection materials, diagrams and lecture notes that comprise the collections of the museum today. While teaching at Edinburgh, he was a mentor to one particularly gifted student, Charles Darwin. Sir Alexander Grant, 10th Baronet of Dalvey, LLD, DCL (1826-1884) was an eminent educator and chieftain of the Grants of Clan Donnachie. He attended Harrow and graduated in 1848 from Balliol College, Oxford University. Grant was Inspector of Schools in Madras, India (1858) and Principal of Elphinstone College (1862). He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Edinburgh University. In 1865, Sir Alexander returned to India to become Director of Public Instruction in Bombay and Vice-Chancellor of Bombay University in 1866. He was Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh University (1868-1884). Sir Alexander was awarded another LLD degree by Glasgow University in 1869 and honored with a Doctorate of Civil Law by Oxford University in 1880. Robert Grant, MA, LLD (1814-1892) was born in Grantown-on-Spey and studied at King’s College, Aberdeen University, before becoming a bookkeeper in London. Much of his education was achieved through self- study, but he received an MA and LLD from Aberdeen. He served as Regius Professor of Astronomy and director of the observatory at Glasgow University from 1859-1892. He also worked for a time at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. While preparing to write a history of astronomy, Grant spent two years studying and teaching in Paris and in 1850 became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His History of Physical Astronomy from the Earliest Ages to the Middle of the Nineteenth Century was published two years later and he became a leading figure in the field of astronomical research. In 1883, he published Catalogue of 6,415 Stars for the Epoch 1870. He died in 1892 at Grantown-on-Spey. Military Field Marshal Sir Patrick Grant, GCB, GCMG (1804-1895) was the second son of Major John Grant of Auchterblair of the 97th Regiment of Foot. He was a descendant of the ancient family of the Grants of Tullochgorm, in Strathspey. As a sixteen year old lad he participated in the famous Clan Grant march on Elgin in 1820. He entered the Bengal Infantry that same year and became a captain in 1832. As a senior officer, he was Commander in Chief of India (1856-1857), Governor of Malta (1867-1872), Governor of the Royal Chelsea Hospital in London (1874-1895) and Gold Stick to Her Majesty Queen Victoria. General Sir James Hope Grant, GCB (1808-1875) was the fifth and youngest son of Francis Grant of Kilgraston, Perthshire, and brother of Sir Francis Grant, President of the Royal Academy. He was a distinguished general in the British Army who served as Commander of British troops in China and Hong Kong. He commanded the Madras (India) Army during the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was elevated to the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1861. Rear Admiral Sir Heathcoat Salusbury Grant, KCMG, CB, Legion of Honour (France) (1864-1938) was a distinguished officer in the Royal Navy. He was the third son of Captain John Grant of the 42nd Highlanders, who was the eldest son of James Murray Grant of Glenmoriston. Admiral Grant was Naval Attache to the United States (1912-1914) and served in the Falkland Islands, the Dardanelles, and was senior naval officer at Gibraltar during World War I. He retired from the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral in 1920 and was promoted to the rank of Admiral in 1925. (Image: Imperial War Museums) General Sir Charles John Cecil Grant, KCB, KCVO, DSO (1877–1950) was a distinguished British Army officer and descendant of the Glenurquhart cadet family of Sheuglie. He was the son of Lt. Gen. Sir Robert Grant, GCB. General Grant fought in the Second Boer War in South Africa (1899-1902) and in the Great War (1914-1918). He was originally commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1897. In 1918, he was assigned to the General Headquarters of the French Army and served as a liaison between General Sir Henry Wilson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and French Marshal Ferdinand Foch. He served as commanding officer of various brigades, and in 1930, he was commander of the 53rd Welsh Division. In 1932, as a major general, he was in charge of the Brigade of Guards and the London District. He owned and lived at Pitchford Hall in Shropshire during his retirement. He married Lady Sybil Myra Caroline, eldest daughter of Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, who was Prime Minister in 1894-95. They had one son, Charles Robert Archibald Grant, who married Pamela Wellesley, a granddaughter of the 4th Duke of Wellington. General Sir Charles Grant died in 1950 and was buried at Balmacaan, Glenurquhart. General James Grant of Ballindalloch (1720-1806) was an interesting and colorful figure. He enjoyed a distinguished career in the British Army – serving much of his time in American. He was a young major in the French and Indian War (1758), led an expedition against the Cherokees in North Carolina (1761), served as Governor of East Florida (1763-1771) and was promoted to Major General during the American War of Independence. General Grant was a noted bon vivant and always traveled with his own personal chef and a generous cache of fine wines and brandy. After retiring from the army with the rank of General, he served as a Member of Parliament. King George III presented General Grant with life-sized portraits of the King, and Queen Charlotte, by the famous painter Allan Ramsay. Those paintings still adorn the walls of the dining hall at Ballindalloch Castle. Charles Grant, Vicomte de Vaux (1749-1818) was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Scots Company of the Garde du Roi in France. De Vaux was said to have descended from the original Grants who inhabited Scotland and immigrated to France in the 14th century. He was born in 1749 in Mauritius, where his father, Louis-Charles Grant, Baron de Vaux, served as Governor. In 1782, Viscount de Vaux initiated a correspondence with Sir James Grant of Grant, Baronet, and sent his portrait (above) to his clan chief. He considered immigrating to the United States or Canada, but remained in France until forced by the Revolution to flee to Great Britain in 1790. Viscount de Vaux published numerous books, including his Memoires Historiques, Genealogiques, Politiques, Militaries, etc. de la Maison de Grant in 1796. Lt. Col. James Augustus Grant, CB, CSI, FRS, FRGS, LLD (1827-1892) was the son of Rev. James Grant of Nairn. He was educated at Marishal College, Aberdeen. With the help of a kinsman, he secured a commission in the Indian Army. He saw action in the siege of Multan in 1848 and the battle of Gujerat the following year. Grant was later attached to the 78th Highlanders and fought during the Indian mutiny in 1856 and was wounded during the relief of Lucknow. When John Hanning Speke was commissioned by the Royal Geographical Society to go on an expedition to Africa, Grant offered to accompany him. During the arduous trek, ant kept a journal of meteorological statistics, detailed botanical notes and drawings. In 1864, he published a book on the expedition, entitled A Walk across Africa. For his contributions to the existing knowledge of Africa, Colonel Grant was awarded the Gold Medal by the Royal Geographical Society, commemorative medals by Pope Pius IX and King Victor Emanuel of Italy. In 1866, he was made a Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath for his services in the discovery of the source of the Nile. In 1868, he received the Companionship of the Order of the Star of India and retired from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He married soon after his retirement and lived at Househill, in Nairn, until his death in 1892. Lt. Col. Colquhoun Grant (1780-1829) was the Duke of Wellington’s senior intelligence officer.