CLAN MACLEOD SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA NEWSLETTER Clan MacLeod Society of South Africa Calling all macleods Newsletter Issue No 28 March/June 2008 Correspondence to: The Editor, Brenda Morris, 57 Caversham Road, Pinetown 3610 INSIDE THIS ISSUE President’s Note President’s Note 1 I also plan to have regular monthly ear Fellow Clansfolk committee meetings throughout the MacLeod Miscellany 2-3 D year so that all of our local Clan It has been an honour and privi- Society issues and matters can be lege to have been elected as your efficiently, timeously and profes- Local Scottish Dancers 4 President this year and though sionally addressed. our Society has shrunk in num- Book Review 4 bers since we started nearly 25 Until we can establish a viable years ago, it is my intention to ‘social sub-committee’ elsewhere in stabilize and grow it this year — South Africa to organize local so- Western Isles & the PO 5 with your help, please. cial events for members outside of Cape Town, we must continue to DVDs of Interest 6 I would like to welcome our new rely on keeping up our links and members this year, especially fellowship through our regular Evelyn McLeod and his sons, newsletter and receiving as many McLeod Ganj, India 7 Charles and Graham, his daugh- contributions to it from you, our ter, Joan, and his grandson Mat- members, as possible. Please, Notice Board 8 thew — all of whom I look forward wherever you are, write/email your to meeting. And I specially wish contributions to our secretary, Guy to thank Evelyn for his sterling Macleod (see contact details on the support and effort in recruiting back page of this newsletter). members. How I wish we had had him as a member 25 years ago! I look forward to seeing you all this year — if not before, then at least at Whilst recruiting new members is our November Annual Dinner! vital for the health of any organi- zation, I believe that it should be Yours Aye secondary, though, to first serving and looking after our existing new ALISTAIR MACLEOD and ‘old’ members, for without President their support we would simply ‘fade away” — something that we, with Scots blood in our veins, are unlikely to allow! I plan for us to have between three and four social gatherings between June and the end of this year, with the focus being on our heritage and developing a greater interest in Scottish piping and dancing, as well as learning more about where we come from and our proud traditions. 111 CLAN MACLEOD SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA NEWSLETTER MacLeod Miscellany Newest (and Oldest) Member of Clan MacLeod Society of South Africa n Wednesday 2nd April, 2008, Vice President Len O McLeod and Secretary, Guy Macleod, hosted the Clan MacLeod Society of South Africa’s newest (and oldest) member — Mr Evelyn Peverett Elliott McLeod — to lunch at the well-known Magica Roma restaurant in Pinelands. Evelyn has three sons (John, an engineer, Charles, an airline pilot for Anglo and Graham, who runs a computer business) and one daughter (Joan); he also has seven grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. This year, Evelyn joined the Clan MacLeod Society of South Africa, along with three other members of Four generations of McLeods: from left to right, son Charles McLeod (airline pilot); his family — two of his sons, grandson Ian McLeod; granddad, Evelyn McLeod, great-granddaughter, Islah. Charles and Graham McLeod, and his grandson, Matthew McLeod. later returned to Grahamstown South Africa, Evelyn McLeod and where he ran a bicycle repair your family! Evelyn is hale and hearty and leads shop until the 1950s, when he a busy life — having retired in 1994 died. Guy Macleod at the age of 77. One of his hob- bies has been Citroën motor cars Evelyn matriculated at Victoria and he has a vintage model 1975 Boys’ High School in Grahams- Citroën Pallass at his home in town (now called Graeme Col- Pinelands; another is his interest in lege) in 1933 and went into the his family and Scottish genealogy. insurance industry. In the last war He has been successfully re- Evelyn joined the South African searching the South African Ar- Air Force and served in East Af- chives and is now busy putting the rica as a radio mechanic. He con- finishing touches to his family tree. tracted malaria there and was He is a proud Scots descendant, sent ‘home’ to South Africa and having Scottish blood from both his later, after he’d recovered, he mother (Elliott) and his father. His joined the Coastal Recce Squad- grandfather, known as ‘Bill’ ron. In 1951, he took over an in- McLeod, was one of the McLeod surance business in Kimberley settlers in the wagon-building from where he retired, at the age Evelyn’s son, Graham, who runs his trade, who arrived in Grahamstown of 77, in 1994. He then relocated own computer business in in the 19th century. to Pinelands where he now lives Cape Town called, “Inspired”. with his son, Graham, in a Evelyn was born in South Africa on ‘grandpa flat’. 27th September, 1916 in Pieter- maritzburg and, after his Mum died Last month Evelyn was one of in 1918 when he was just two years only two Victoria Boys’ members old, he was raised by his grandpar- over the age of 90 to attend a ents in Grahamstown. His father, school reunion in Grahamstown! Norman Walter McLeod, having relocated to Southern Rhodesia to Welcome and “HOLD FAST” to recover from the 1918 flu epidemic, the Clan MacLeod Society of Terin and Islah McLeod 2 CLAN MACLEOD SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA NEWSLETTER MacLeod Miscellany Another New Member Jessica McLeod Visits SA Never Too Old! s Joan Rauff (née McLeod), nlike her peers who have M the daughter of Evelyn U scorned — and shied away McLeod, has just joined the Clan from — any attempt to become com- Macleod Society of South Africa, puter literate (more than 80% of while we understand her brother, people aged 60 or more have ei- Charles McLeod, a Boeing Airline ther never wanted to become com- pilot for Anglo American, has also puter-literate or have tried but just posted his membership appli- failed!), Sheila Douglas, our feisty cation form to Sheila Douglas! treasurer and stalwart Clan MacLeod committee member for Evelyn McLeod has become our over 20 years, has, at the age of Clan's local de facto ‘Recruiter’ 75, recently acquired a computer, and recently volunteered to get in complete with MS Windows Vista, touch with Mc/Macleods listed in a Skype webcam and a printer. the latest telephone directory, all Sheila has taken to her computer around Cape Town. He reports that like the proverbial duck to water he has had one or two who were and is immensely enjoying this 'not too receptive', but 'quite a few newfound challenge and frontier! who are’ and with whom he is fol- lowing up. Well done, Evelyn. At 91 you are essica McLeod, Leonard's showing up many of us half your J fourth daughter, visited South age! You are truly a role model for Africa in January with her fiancé, us and we salute you, Sir! Mark Rhode. She spent much Guy Macleod time in KwaZulu-Natal with her future parents-in-law and then stayed in Somerset West with her father. Jessica is a member of CMS Eng- land and was previously a cham- pion Highland Dancer, having won the Under 10 silver cup twice at the Western Cape Highland Gathering. She has been to Dun- And hear this! Sheila has teamed Evelyn McLeod and Guy Macleod vegan Castle on many occasions up with her 98-year-old “nearly and has attended Clan MacLeod blind and very deaf” aunt in Pine- Parliaments, having once danced town who uses her daughter’s com- with her sisters at the Ceilidh puter to “Skype” with her — in lay- Brenda Turns 60! Evening. men’s terms this means to have ince our last Newsletter, audio-visual communication with S Brenda Morris (née MacLeod) each other by computer over the th has celebrated her 60 birthday. internet. She and hubby Peter marked the occasion on 22 nd December with a Sheila describes this as an gathering at their home in Pine- “unforgettable experience” and, in town. It was hot and humid (typical front of their respective computers, KwaZulu-Natal summer fare), so they regularly both “roll around, guests relaxed, ate and drank on shaking with mirth” as they regale the outside veranda and lawn. each other with memories of yes- teryear. Just goes to show — you A very good day was had by all, are never too old to learn, espe- including Brenda’s aunt, Grace cially if you have a drop or more of Robinson, née MacLeod, who is a Scots blood in your veins! healthy 88 years old. 333 CLAN MACLEOD SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA NEWSLETTER Local Scottish Dancing Book Review Group off to Scotland by Guy Macleod by Liz Williamson The Chiefs of Clan MacLeod by Alick Morrison pproximately 20 members of the Lynfrae Scottish A Country Dancing Club, based in Rondebosch and Clare- mont — including our very own ex- President of CMSSA, John William- son — left on 7 th May for Scotland, to tour through various villages and towns across the length and breadth of Scotland, joining local clubs at their club dances. It is all ending with a wonderful Grand Ball at a magnificent country estate called Pallinsburn. The group, ranging in age from the 20s to the 60s, have been practis- ing for the past 18 months to learn 116 new dances, to equip them for this very special trip.