International BattleAxeBattleAxe Volume 2 Issue 1 News of the worldwide Clan Maclean April 2008 From Duart Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart and Morvern, Bt., CVO, DL. Twenty-eighth chief of Clan Gillean ear Members of the Clan. I cannot start my letter to you D all for 2007 without thanking those of you who wrote letters or sent cards, when Mary died. They were all appreciated not just by me but also by all the family. Mary was determined that her cancer was not going to stop her leading as normal a life as possible, and this she did with the courage and determination that were the hallmarks of her life. She didn’t complain and just got on with things knowing that her cancer was incurable, and that it had not responded to treatment. Mary was determined that we would go south for Christmas to spend it with all the children and their families. We had a great Christmas together, but Mary died before we returned to Scotland. So much of what has been done at Duart, since my father died in 1990, was the result of Mary’s thoughts and ideas. Mary organised the shop and e-commerce, many of the displays in the Castle, and the children’s panels, which give children their own tour of the Castle. There were lots of good things that happened in 2007. Our grandchildren increased by four. Emma, the Maid of Morven had twins, Francesco and Cecilia, in April; Alexandra had her fi rst baby, Betsie in June, and Malcolm and Anna’s son Archie, a The Chief and Richard Compton Maclean of Torloisk, unveiling a cairn brother for Oscar and Fergus, was born in November. My mother to remember Brigadier General Allan Maclean ‘The Hero of Quebec’ is very well and continues to live at Hampton Court. She is a very The full story is on the following page. loyal supporter of any clan events held in London. Many of you will know that Sir Hector Maclean, who was The gathering was also a very memorable week in 2007. sent to Scotland from France to raise the Clan before the 1745 Everyone who came seemed to really enjoy the week and all the uprising, was betrayed in Edinburgh by his landlord, and held in various events. Those of you who came took so much trouble to Edinburgh Castle before being sent to the Tower of London. If be properly dressed for the events, in particular the dance and any of you are thinking of coming to Scotland over the next few Gathering at Duart. We are very lucky in having Colonel Donald years, then I would strongly recommend that you come for the and Vera at the heart of the organising of our gatherings, along Centenary Gathering in 2012, which will be the Clan Maclean’s with the many volunteers who helped with the week. We all special Homecoming. owe them a great debt of gratitude. If you decide that you want to visit Edinburgh in 2009, you must I know that some of you are aware of the Homecoming 2009. be aware of the cost, as it will be an expensive visit. We will Robin Maclean of Ardgour has given very sensible advice about have a small tent at Hollyrood Park in 2009. As you can see I this event, but I did want you to know my thoughts as well. The don’t have much commitment to a commercial enterprise like Homecoming 2009 runs for the entire year. 2009 was chosen, this, but as a Clan I thought we should have a presence. We are as it is the 250th Anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. an important Clan in our own right and we don’t have to follow The gathering in Hollyrood Park is a commercial venture to the ‘herd instinct’. 2012 is our next Gathering, and that is the encourage Scots — not even Highland Scots — to visit Scotland. one you should attend. Whenever have Highlanders gone willingly to Edinburgh? It is not the right place for a Highland Gathering. I will be at Duart rather more this summer, so if you visit please ask if I am there. We will also have our Clan Tent at The Tobermory Games, which take place on the 24th July 2008 and the 23rd July 2009. My best wishes to you all. Duart Castle one hundred years ago. International BattleAxe ~ Volume 2 No. 1 www.maclean.org 1 The Heritage Trust Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart and Morvern ~ Chairman he Clan Maclean Heritage Trust is our clan’s own charity T (Charity Number SC024481) and its purpose is to further interest in and knowledge of the history of the Clan Maclean. It does this by enabling people to know more about the clan, its story, culture and genealogy, as well as preserving relics and buildings of the past for future generations, and maintaining an archive and library. Our major project during the last year was undoubtedly the construction and unveiling of a cairn at Kilninian on Mull, on Friday 22nd June 2007, to remember Brigadier General Allan Maclean of the Torloisk family, who has been termed ‘The Hero of Quebec, The Saviour of Canada’. A site was made available by Richard Compton Maclean of Torloisk, on a green bank beside the churchyard, near where the General’s family are buried. He himself was buried in London, which is why there is no other memorial to him on Mull. The cairn was constructed by apprentice stone masons from St. Macfarlane, whose grandmother was a Maclean from Mull, Mary’s Workshop in Edinburgh, a charity whose purpose is the declaimed in Gaelic and English, and fi nally Colonel Edgar, training of young people in the traditional skills of stone cutting. from the Canadian High Commission in London, laid a wreath The Princess Royal is their patron, and she heard all about the on behalf of the people of Canada, and thanked the Trust for project and saw the designs being planned out in their workshop, remembering Allan Maclean. when she visited it earlier in the year. The boys travelled to Mull, Everyone who attended was given a short biography of Brigadier a great experience for all of them, and the stone was generously General Allan Maclean, with his portrait on the cover. It detailed gifted and delivered to the site by MacLachlan’s Quarry of his importance as a soldier of determination and action, who Pennygown, near Salen, and the masons built the cairn in the credited himself with taking a large number of Mull men to traditional style. North America, and also, through enlisting them in the British On the Friday of the Gathering week, in a memorable ceremony, Army, ensuring that they got good grants of land there. In 1761 some 200 people gathered in glorious sunshine on the hill he raised the 114th Foot (Maclean’s Highlanders), or Royal above the church and were piped in procession, headed by Highland Volunteers, of which he became Major Commandant, Maclean banners, to the cairn. Allan Maclean of Dochgarroch, and in 1773 he raised a regiment of loyal Scottish settlers and Chairman of the Trust, welcomed everyone, and then invited discharged Highland soldiers living in North America, the Royal Richard Maclean and myself to unveil the cairn. Brigadier John Highland Emigrants (later 84th Foot) . 2 www.maclean.org International BattleAxe ~ Volume 2 No. 1 The Heritage Trust ~ (Continued) In 1775, Allan was instrumental in saving Quebec for the The Trust is sponsored by the Friends of the Clan Maclean British, from the American rebels who had invaded Canada. On Heritage Trust, so if you have an interest in the clan and its arrival at Quebec, he discouraged pro-American elements from history, this is the group that you should join! An Application surrendering the city, and his energy and fi rm direction bolstered Form (with credit card facility) is on the website, or you can the morale of the defenders. He was then responsible for the write direct to the Secretary of the Trust: Malcolm MacLean, 9 military arrangements which led to the defeat of the Americans. Blythe Court, 4 Grange Road, Solihull, B91 1BL. The successful defence of Quebec, it has been argued, led to Apart from contributing to the funds which enable all our projects the formation of not one country, the United States, but two. It to be undertaken, the Friends also have an invitation to an has been succinctly stated that ‘had it not been for him, Canada exclusive reception during the Gathering, and annually receive would now be part of the United States of America’. historical items that would not otherwise be available. The plaque on the cairn states ‘To Commemorate Brigadier This year we enjoyed a very happy Reception at Torloisk House, General Allan Maclean 1725-1797. The Hero of Quebec, The after the unveiling of the cairn, thanks to the invitation of Richard Saviour of Canada. Born at Torloisk. Fear eile airson Eachuinn! and Lucinda Compton Maclean of Torloisk. A delicious tea In 2007, the Maclean Piping Bursary was awarded to Nicholas was arranged, and everyone was allowed to explore the ancient McLean from Kilmartin in Argyll. This project involves funding Maclean house, and see the portraits and also the relics of the tuition, and accommodation, for a young piper at Glasgow’s Brigadier General Allan Maclean. College of Piping (as it did in 2002), and is witness to the trustees’ Last year, the Friends also received a copy of the new Clan belief that Heritage is not just about the past, but about making Maclean Map, along with a historical handbook, exclusive to it real in the present.