clan mackenzie magazine2010

1The Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland and the UKwww.clan-mackenzie.org.uk

Clan MackenzieSociety of Scotland and the UK 2010

The

Clan Mackenzie International GatheringMonday 2 - Sunday 8 August 2010

£3.99

www.clan-mackenzie.org.uk

2 The Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland and the UK www.clan-mackenzie.org.uk


Welcome

© The Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland. ISSN 1352 - 3430. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by the use of any information storage or retrieval system without the prior permission from the publishers, The Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland & The UK.

4 Letter form Caberfeidh Secretary’s Report

7 Message from the President

8 Games 2009 Report8 Response from Mrs M Mackenzie

10 2009 Gathering Report 1

11 2009 Gathering report 2

12 Professor John Mackenzie

13 Ciamar a tha sibh

14 Running a Castle

15 Castles

16 Tracing the families of Mackenzie fur traders

19 The Mackenzies of Redcastle

21 Gibson Rivers McKenzie

22 Culloden Memorial Day Australian Clan Gathering

23 World Reports – France and New Zealand

24 World Reports – America and Austria

Cover photo by Jean McKenzie of Canada

Another Year, another Magazine. After a year like last, I wake up each morning and open the curtains to see if the world is still there. The financial meltdown and the disastrous effect on the Scottish Banks, the war in Afganistan in which the involvement of the Black Watch from Fort George and the Scottish Regiments has brought extremely close to home, the MPs expenses scandal, Bluetongue and Swine Flu. We had the lot. However during all these events, The Clan Mackenzie has experienced its own problems. Not only do we have our Gathering to arrange amid very turbulent times but we were having to re-address our whole organisation. An amended constitution was formulated to redraw the roadmap of the Society. A new President appointed and the post of Chairman and Vice Chairman created. Philippa, having taken over as Chairman last year, stood down at the AGM in June when Ian Blake stepped up to the mark to take over for the lead in to Gathering 2010. A steering committee was formed to prepare the ground for 2010 which they have duly done and the programme and planning has now moved on to the next stage. On that basis, I think that we did a great deal better than the rest of the world. An awful lot of hard work by Philippa, Ian and Susan, as well as all the other members of the Committee. We owe them all a great vote of thanks.

Also last year, Homecoming 2009 was happening, highlighted for the diaspora in The Gathering in Edinburgh. Due to various reasons, not least the lack of available personnel and cost, the Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland and the UK felt unable to support the event, although the North American Society did take a stand and represented the Clan. Howard Mackenzie arranged a dinner in Edinburgh at which both Caberfeidth and our Chairman Ian Blake were present. It must be said that those that attended the Edinburgh Gathering thoroughly enjoyed themselves and reported that it was a marvellous event. Let us hope that this year’s Clan Mackenzie Gathering will be as memorable. Last year we were involved in the three Games, at Gairloch, Inverness and Strathpeffer. We have also had a couple of fundraising events, a photographic evening in Beauly and a Poetry experience at Castle Leod. The photographic evening suffered a lack of support but was very enjoyable, whereas the Tea and Poetry was an outstanding success with

a full house. Congratulations to Ian Blake who entertained us with a variety of prose and poetry. The tea, provided by Susan and her helpers, was much enjoyed and a very happy bunch of attendees eventually made their way down the path from Castle Leod. A very acceptable sum of money was raised to bolster the CMS coffers.

In 2008, we lost our President, Paedair Mackenzie, in very sad circumstances. His wife, Min, was very touched by the many letters and comments that she received and she has requested that we publish a letter from her which you will find on page 8 of the Magazine. The Society will be planting a tree in the Grove at Castle Leod during the Gathering to remember a stalwart and greatly respected President.

Last year we changed the format of our magazine and the method of funding and presentation. We hope that you enjoyed the new product. We hope that we have been able to retain a great deal of the standard of past years and it was hoped that by this year we would have been able to appoint a new editor to take the publication forward. Unfortunately, you are left with me again. It would be preferable to find a Mackenzie with a wider knowledge of the Society and its membership to carry the Magazine through to its future and we would be very interested to hear from anyone who could take up the challenge. Under the new system it is a much less onerous job than in the past and we have a good professional editorial team to do all the clever bits. The new magazine has received a great number of plaudits, from members and from other Clan Societies. My thanks must go to the team for all their efforts and keeping me sane. Please enjoy the articles in this magazine and, if you have an article which you would like to see in a future publication, please send it to me for consideration.

John Graham. Editor

25 World Reports – Australia, Norway and Germany

26 Officers and committee members

27 Roderick Mackenzie Commemoration

28 My Yester years in Glen Affaric

29 A Brief Sketch of Scottish Gaelic

30 Books and gifts for Sale

33 Findon Tables

34 Membership Form


‘First of all, Greetings from the far north and I hope that since my last ‘letter’ you have all had a happy and successful year. This has been a busy year for both myself and the Society and with Ian at the helm of organising the 2010 Gathering, I think we are in for a successful week. Any of you who are reading this and are undecided as to come or not, please do; once experienced never forgotten and I mean that in the best sense. If ever there was a gathering of the clan in a meaningful and modern way, this has to be it. Fun, instructive, sociable and bonding are the words I would use to describe our International Clan Mackenzie Gatherings. A week of entertainment and visits to nooks and corners that most would have otherwise missed out. For those of you who are fans of the Outlander series of books, Diana Gabeldon, the author will be present to sign copies on Games day and may well be persuaded to join in other days as well.

More work has been done on the Castle since I last wrote and much more would be possible if it was not for lack of funds. I think upgrading a building such as Castle Leod will be a lifetimes (more than!) work and par for the course for such buildings.

However the highlight of last year was a wonderful two weeks in New Zealand, courtesy of the Clan Mackenzie Society of New Zealand. Huge amounts of hospitality, sightseeing and meeting fellow Mackenzies somehow all happened flawlessly, organised by Sonya Mackenzie, my retiring Lieutenant to Cabarfeidh now ably

‘Letter from Cabarfeidh’

replaced by Don McKenzie whom I had the great pleasure of seeing in Ullapool last year with his wife Ann. NZ is the only country that is spookily like a somewhat drier Scotland. Multiply the height by two, cut the population to 4 million and increase the size to somewhat bigger than the UK and you get the general picture. Unlike Scotland it still has active volcanoes, one of which I was lucky enough to ascend, together with a couple of fit NZ types - no holding them back! Another time I would like to spend at least a couple of months

out there to do it a semblance of justice to both the friendly people and the amazing terrain and geology.

To all the readers of this excellent magazine, I hope the forthcoming months ahead prove successful and I look forward to seeing you at the International Gathering of our clan this August.

Yours aye,Cabarfeidh’

Once again it’s time to recall the previous year. It never ceases to amaze how many interesting people I meet via electronic mail through the Clan Mackenzie Society, I never realised I had any interest in History until recently, one never stops learning. I do like communicating with all our members from all round the globe. We have been trying to raise funds for running our Society, we had a photographic evening with a competition, to my surprise my Husband’s photograph of my 98 year old maternal grandmother won the main prize. Ian Blake gave a poetry reading at Castle Leod, very well attended with 60 people, we had a small army of helpers providing the tea, a very civilised affair. As a matter of interest to any golfing Mackenzie readers, since I moved to Inverness only 9 years ago, I found it particularly interesting to notice that the Augusta National Golf

Course had been designed by an Alistair Mackenzie. His brother a Major Charles Mackenzie had designed a course in Leicester, namely the Leicestershire Golf Club (my old Golf Club when I lived in Leicester). I just wondered if anyone had any knowledge of this family?

We are now preparing for our 2010 Gathering in August and as a golfer, we had thought of having a small competition at some point during that week. If anyone is interested just let me know for we should really prepare in advance. In Strathpeffer alone there is a very lovely, mountain goat course for instance; not your usual run of the mill golf course.

With best wishes and look forward to seeing a few visitors this year.

Susan Weinmann

Secretary’s Report


If you would like to advertise or contribute editorial content to

the next magazine, please contact the magazine coordinator, John

Graham on 01463 782534 or email [email protected]


This is the seventeenth issue of the magazine of The Clan Mackenzie of Scotland and the U.K. I find it

fascinating to browse previous numbers, and I suspect that future historians will study them (perhaps in the recently opened Highland Archive in Inverness?) not only for their erudite and eminently readable articles on so many aspects of our Mackenzie heritage, but also for the light they throw on Clan societies in general and ours in particular.

Such a historian will read about the magnificent and ever willing support that Cabarfeidh and so many of his family have given to the Society since its re-birth in 1993, about the pioneering efforts of Sandy MacKenzie, about the dedication over two decades of people like Peadair Mackenzie and Hugh and Mark Courtney, and about the highly successful Clan Parliament of 1995 and International Gatherings of 2000 and 2005. And from the reports of our sibling Societies of the Scottish diaspora our historian will also learn something of the love that Scotland inspires and the strenuous efforts of our kith and kin to celebrate their Scottish heritage.

Our historian might perhaps notice one apparent oddity - that our Society, notwithstanding all the valiant support it receives, appears to have constraints on its human and financial resources to a greater degree than many of its sibling Societies overseas. We find it hard to recruit new members in Scotland, let alone to find people to join our Committee or band of helpers. (Interestingly a surprisingly high proportion of our Committee and a majority of our recent Officers have lived or worked south of the border for substantial periods.) This inevitably has an adverse impact on finances. We can only envy the scale of Clan Mackenzie events around the world that we read about, and we can only marvel at such achievements as the contributions our Canadian siblings have made to the restoration of Castle Leod.

If our historian wanted a reason for this difference it is perhaps that there is in Scotland a feeling that we know who we are and that we do not need to search for our roots. Try, for example, to get indigenous Scots to sign up for Clan DNA Projects and you risk disappointment - less than 4% of those tested in the Clan Mackenzie Project appear to live in Scotland, and my own efforts to increase this percentage sank without trace. The words of Thor Ewing, passed to me by Don McKenzie of the USA, “unlike overseas clansfolk, Scots do not need the clans to express their Scottish identity” are perhaps more true for more people than some of us would like. But, as anyone who has become involved with a Clan society like ours can attest, it can be a rich and rewarding experience.

If our future historian homes in on 2009 he will find that this was the “Year of Homecoming”, a somewhat paradoxical year in which visits from across the Atlantic were down by 20%, but visits

A Message from the President

from the European continent (up 14%) and the rest of the U.K. made up for this. It was a great pleasure to those of us living in Scotland to welcome visitors, including in my case Donald and Ann Mackenzie from the New Zealand Society and Trond Nilsen from the Norwegian Society. We were grateful too to Howard McKenzie for organising a dinner in July.

Delving deeper, our historian might be amused to focus on one event - “The Gathering 2009” in Edinburgh. He would see that a lot of people had fun, but that we, like other Highland Clans had a stushie with the organisers, who appeared to think that the feudal system still prevailed and that, rather than consult, they should issue orders through the Clan Chief for his minions to appear and to pay for the privilege. They did not appear to realise the constraints imposed by the meagre resources of Highland Clans like ours and the finite personal budgets of their members. Some people questioned the propriety of their company, which expected ordinary clansfolk to put in much of the work and and bear much of the cost, receiving massive public grants but expecting to retain all of what seemed to be a guaranteed profit. To widespread astonishment, however, the company showed a huge loss, and the public sector is being asked to pay the outstanding bills. Heads I win, tails you lose! So far there is no clear answer as to where all the money went, but our historian should have the advantage of knowing the result of current investigations.

If he could tear himself from this fluttering in the doo’cots our historian would see that the Society’s proud tradition of commitment and endeavour continued in 2009, albeit with continued constraints on resources. He would quickly spot that John Graham had inspired and co-ordinated the attractive new format of this magazine. Philippa MacKenzie excelled even her own previous standards by both leading the team as Executive Chairman until the AGM in June and also, because we were unable to find a Treasurer, being Acting Treasurer until the end of November. This put an immense burden on her and we are deeply in her debt. We were all delighted that Ian Blake felt able to accept an invitation to become Executive Chairman in what is an absolutely critical period, that of the planning and organisation of the Clan Mackenzie International Gathering 2010. We are indeed fortunate to have the benefit of his wisdom and experience. Members of the Committee once again filled vital roles, and it would not be invidious to single out Susan Weinmann for her administrative role. But our numbers are thinner than we would wish and we are always looking for new recruits! Do get in touch if you would like to help.

As I write, on a bright day, with snow on the mountains, the Highlands are breathtakingly attractive. We look forward to welcoming fellow clansfolk from around the world this August to celebrate our common heritage. Let us give our historian another fine episode to record.

Hamish Mackenzie


News

Farm CottageWester MoyBy Muir-of-OrdRoss-shireIV6 7UX

Dear AllJust a short note to thank you for your kind thoughts and generous words.

Peadair was a dear man and loved by many people worldwide, because his

illness was so short, a lot of them are very surprised and upset.

Please everyone, for all our sakes keep positive, as the family have done.

When the University of Glasgow have completed their research the ashes will

be returned to us.Andrew Matheson at Brahan has said we can plant a tree there by the river

where he loved to walk with the dogs. It will be a copper beech with some of his

ashes in the roots. Since there is no formality, which is what Peadair wanted,

the family will have a picnic to remember him down at Easter Moy.

The remainder of his ashes will be divided between Gleann Leac Na Muidhe,

Glencoe where he lived in the 90’s, Eilean Donan and the rest here planted with

a tree, a bronze elder.I hope these explanations help everyone with closure they certainly helped

the family.Thank you all for respecting our wishes of being left quietly and giving us time

to come to terms with his death.

Fondest wishesMin

Rory Mackenzie, Bristol. Life member), “I told you, we wouldn’t need those parachutes!!”

Caption Competiton Winner

The games season 2009 started with Gairloch and, after a year’s absence, Clan Mackenzie was yet again represented. The tent was put up on the previous evening with the help of the local cadet corp. Not a crushed finger nail in sight and done with speed and enthusiasm. Saturday dawned with a fair amount of cloud but it was dry. Ian Blake was busy directing traffic but, as soon as we had the tables up, he pitched in to arrange the flags and banners whilst Mary and I, ably assisted by Andrew Mackenzie, set out the goods for sale. Our Secretary Susan soon arrived and we were ready for business. I think that a range of Clan Mackenzie Beach Balls and Shrimping Nets would be a wise investment for next year but the sun came out and we were able to chat to a fair range of Clans people and holiday makers. For those that don’t know Gairloch Games, the site is in the caravan park right down by the beach and, although a little outside Gairloch, draws a goodly crowd for the day. Although we didn’t get much chance to see what else was going on, it was a very good humoured event and, although maybe financially not the most rewarding, was great fun and I think very beneficial as a PR exercise.

Oh what a day! The rain hardly stopped all day and this had a drastic effect on visitor numbers. This year we were ably supported by Jenny Mackenzie’s family with Ossian and Torquil producing a very youthful line up with the addition of Andrew Mackenzie. Ian, Susan, Mary and I made up the numbers and we had a great display. We did enjoy the company of our Norway Society President, Trond, as well as Willie McRobbie and Findlay Mackenzie during the day. We noted a somewhat disappointing lack of Homecoming visitors but we can only assume that the weather put them off. Unfortunately Inverness Clan Village was only there on the Saturday as on the Sunday, with much improved weather, numbers swelled to three and a half thousand visitors. We did sell some products to swell the society coffers and we did our bit talking to all the overseas visitors. It is a great pity that Visit Scotland does not see fit to support our noble efforts. Without the help of our stalwart helpers we could not do these events and we should thank them for turning out on what was an awful day.

Good weather for once but that may have played a little against us. The marquee was set up early with support from Mark Courtney, Andrew Mackenzie, Ian Blake, Mary and I and a good show put on. We soon were visited by Caberfeidh and our President, Hamish Mackenzie. We saw a good crowd arrive who enjoyed a well run and exciting games that included some world class heavy athletes. They then all left and, unfortunately, only the more adventurous visited the Clan Mackenzie tent. After so much effort it was a great shame and although we did take some money from sales, we were way down on last year. Circumstances had conspired against us in exactly the opposite way to Inverness. The weather was grand and the spectacle in the show ring fast moving and interesting. We noted that many of the other stall holders were packing up and going early. Yet again though we must thank those members of the association without whom there would be no Clan Mackenzie stands at any of the Highland Games. We did however enjoy ourselves and look forward to next year when things will be better. Honest!

Games 2009Reports by John Graham

Gairloch

InvernessStrathpeffer


Discover the true spirit of Scotland with a tour of Glen Ord Distillery. A visit to the distillery and Visitor Centre at Muir of Ord on the edge of the Black Isle is a delight to both the eye

and the palate. Watch the distillers at work creating the award-winning 12-year old single malt whisky – Singleton of Glen Ord – a magical malt whisky which is sweet, malty and dry on the palate.

You can also take time to browse in the exhibition or shop, which has an excellent range of single malts, books, glassware and other quality items. And of course, no visit is complete without enjoying a dram of the magical spirit, which has been described as ‘a rich, well balanced, sophisticated single malt’.

Glen Ord Distillery was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest in Scotland. Situated on the edge of the Black Isle west of Inverness, Glen Ord continues to malt its own barley and to use the long fermentation and slow distillation methods followed there for generations. For the new Singleton of Glen Ord, a higher proportion of the liquid has been matured in European oak, delivering a rich, smooth-tasting, well-rounded style.

Until now it has only been sold in Asia, but now it is also available for visitors to Glen Ord Distillery itself. It will not be available elsewhere in the UK. The Singleton of Glen Ord is a sociable, friendly, elegantly structured malt for any occasion.

There is an admission charge which includes a discount voucher, redeemable in the distillery shop towards the purchase of a 70cl bottle of single malt whisky.

Jan to March: Mon to Fri 11am-4pmEaster Weekend: Fri, Sat, Mon 10am-5pm Sun - 12noon-4pmApril to September: Mon to Fri 10am-5pm Sat 11am-5pm July to September: Sunday 12noon - 4pmOctober to December: Mon to Fri 11am-4pm

Last tour one hour before closing.

Discover the true spirit of Scotland

The games season 2009 started with Gairloch and, after a year’s absence, Clan Mackenzie was yet again represented. The tent was put up on the previous evening with the help of the local cadet corp. Not a crushed finger nail in sight and done with speed and enthusiasm. Saturday dawned with a fair amount of cloud but it was dry. Ian Blake was busy directing traffic but, as soon as we had the tables up, he pitched in to arrange the flags and banners whilst Mary and I, ably assisted by Andrew Mackenzie, set out the goods for sale. Our Secretary Susan soon arrived and we were ready for business. I think that a range of Clan Mackenzie Beach Balls and Shrimping Nets would be a wise investment for next year but the sun came out and we were able to chat to a fair range of Clans people and holiday makers. For those that don’t know Gairloch Games, the site is in the caravan park right down by the beach and, although a little outside Gairloch, draws a goodly crowd for the day. Although we didn’t get much chance to see what else was going on, it was a very good humoured event and, although maybe financially not the most rewarding, was great fun and I think very beneficial as a PR exercise.

Oh what a day! The rain hardly stopped all day and this had a drastic effect on visitor numbers. This year we were ably supported by Jenny Mackenzie’s family with Ossian and Torquil producing a very youthful line up with the addition of Andrew Mackenzie. Ian, Susan, Mary and I made up the numbers and we had a great display. We did enjoy the company of our Norway Society President, Trond, as well as Willie McRobbie and Findlay Mackenzie during the day. We noted a somewhat disappointing lack of Homecoming visitors but we can only assume that the weather put them off. Unfortunately Inverness Clan Village was only there on the Saturday as on the Sunday, with much improved weather, numbers swelled to three and a half thousand visitors. We did sell some products to swell the society coffers and we did our bit talking to all the overseas visitors. It is a great pity that Visit Scotland does not see fit to support our noble efforts. Without the help of our stalwart helpers we could not do these events and we should thank them for turning out on what was an awful day.

Good weather for once but that may have played a little against us. The marquee was set up early with support from Mark Courtney, Andrew Mackenzie, Ian Blake, Mary and I and a good show put on. We soon were visited by Caberfeidh and our President, Hamish Mackenzie. We saw a good crowd arrive who enjoyed a well run and exciting games that included some world class heavy athletes. They then all left and, unfortunately, only the more adventurous visited the Clan Mackenzie tent. After so much effort it was a great shame and although we did take some money from sales, we were way down on last year. Circumstances had conspired against us in exactly the opposite way to Inverness. The weather was grand and the spectacle in the show ring fast moving and interesting. We noted that many of the other stall holders were packing up and going early. Yet again though we must thank those members of the association without whom there would be no Clan Mackenzie stands at any of the Highland Games. We did however enjoy ourselves and look forward to next year when things will be better. Honest!

Games 2009Reports by John Graham

Gairloch

InvernessStrathpeffer


The Gathering took place in Edinburgh in the last week of July and saw MacKenzies and members of other clans from all over the world meeting together. This was the weekend of 25th and 26th

July 2009 uniting over 67,000 Scots, those with Scottish ancestry and those with a love of Scotland at The Gathering, Holyrood Park.

People from around the world gathered in Edinburgh for the world’s largest clan meeting and Highland Games with some 20,000 lining the streets of the Royal Mile as 8,000 people took part in the Clan Parade on Saturday evening with 5500 attending the pageant on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.

As the focal point of the year of Homecoming 2009, the Gathering in Edinburgh would mean that the city would be full of people from all over the world including MacKenzies from USA, NZ, Canada, South Africa, France, Australia and elsewhere.

There would be a Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs in Edinburgh on 24 July, so the Clan in Scotland decided to offer some hospitality to those from afar and so a Dinner was organized in Edinburgh. I was the Principal of Jewel & Esk College in Edinburgh at the time and so the venue was our recently completed Training Restaurant. The organization of the dinner started before we had moved into the new College builds and before we had most of the staff recruited!!

Caberfedh and Ian Blake attended and in all there were 27 guests who sat down on Thursday 23 July to a succulent meal of traditional Scottish fare. It was interesting that despite most people never meeting before there was a clear bond between all participants. Apart from the presence of the same tartan, facial and gesture similarities were very noticeable and the chatter and laughter was far more convivial than usual. However the star of the evening was watching the sunset over Arthur’s seat, simple stunning view that brought tears to the eyes of many.

Rachel and I had just returned from Antigua arriving at 6am the same morning, I was on crutches with septicemia in a leg and it was one of the last events I officiated at as Principal as I left the College on 31 July. As the evening wore on the tiredness, discomfort and sadness wore off and I can report that a superb evening was had by all.

His Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Duke of Rothesay, Patron of The Gathering 2009, together with The Duchess of Rothesay, officially opened and attended the Homecoming’s centrepiece event in Edinburgh on Saturday 25 July.

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay met Clan representatives and participants in the Highland Games

The world-class Highland Games were home to 125 clans as well as the Deuchars World Highland Games Heavy Events Championship, piping, and Highland dancing. Other highlights celebrated Scotland’s culture including food and crafts fairs, whisky tastings, genealogy and live music.

For all of us attending the highlight was the Procession up the Royal Mile to the Castle and the Pageant on the Esplanade.

Each Clan had been allotted a place and time to assemble; there was an order for the procession and groups of clans interspersed with piped bands. The result was chaos, exciting, highly colourful, beautiful and convivial chaos. Clan, who no doubt had been at war with each other at some time over the last 700 years, mingled together laughing and joking and trying to find some sort of logic to the order of the Clans. Stewards form the army arrived and order restored remarkably quickly and we were off.

I had been given the honour of bearing the Scottish Clan banner and with the

banners from USA and Canada and about 30 other MacKenzies we marched up the Royal Mile. The group looked magnificent is their tartan, all ages, shapes and nationalities, the banners played in the breeze as we walk around in front of the iconic Scottish Parliament. As we turned the corner you could see right up the hill with the banners and folk of other clans in front, bands playing and the huge crowds on either side. It was our turn.

As we walked up the hill, I have walked up this hill thousands of times but carrying a banner and walking slowly on the setts (cobbles) it seems longer and a great deal steeper, it was also my first day without crutches. I did notice that I was not the only one struggling and pleased for the periodic pauses as the police let the crowd and traffic cross the road.

As we walked people cheered and waved flags, the cheering always got louder as we passed the pubs and bars on the way up the hill. Occasionally, someone from the crowd would jump into the group shaking hands and kissing us and announcing that they were ‘MacKenzie’.

We passed the Worlds End Pub which marks the out wall of the ancient city, up passed John Knox’s House; further up The Mitre and the Crown some of the oldest pubs in Europe. Onwards to St Giles Cathedral and the law courts passed the old Parliament (1707) building. Up further to the castle passed Deacon Brodies Tavern, assembly rooms of the Church of Scotland where the new parliament sat in 1999, passed the Scotch malt whisky experience to the esplanade.

We arrived at the top of the hill, stowed our banners and were given a very welcome bottle of water we then took our places for the pageant called AISLING’S CHILDREN

We saw through the eyes of Aisling, the Declaration of Arbroath is drawn up and signed - setting in motion a series of historical events.

Featuring historical figures from throughout Scottish clan history and fictional characters to illustrate the story, Aisling’s Children wove a magical tale from the very cradle of our nation to the present day.

It took us from momentous battles to secret love stories, from epic voyages through tales of extraordinary courage. And all the while Aisling guided us down the ages and along the generations. She weaves a tartan thread that stretches back into the farthest reaches of time and out to the present-day heart of every Scot who knows that he or she is a Scot, no matter where in the world they live.

It was very moving. The scene of the clearances; the brutality of the moment reduced many in the crowd, including me, to tears. That was the heartbreak, the hopelessness and the suffering of our ancestors; laid bare for us to see – shocking; but it is the glue that holds the Scots nation together across the globe.

Sunday was another beautiful day and the games and the gather continued in the park and over spilled into the bars, restaurant around Edinburgh, The atmosphere walking the street was super, people stopping to chat with stranger wearing the same tartan; friends by ancient blood or marriage.

The Gathering was a huge cultural success, based on and surpassing Sir Walter Scotts effort a century or so before. It was the biggest ever gathering of the Clans and we were there!!

The Gathering Edinburgh by Howard Mackenzie


Reports

The big event in Inverness in 2009, the centrepiece of our Highland Homecoming celebrations, was Buaidh

Chruinneil na h-Alba, “Scotland’s Global Impact: how one small nation changed the world”. The first speaker at this prestigious conference, which boasted the presence of many of the leading historians in Scotland and a host of others from around the world, was John M. Mackenzie, Professor Emeritus of Imperial History at Lancaster University (who also holds Honorary Professorships at the Universities of St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Stirling, and Edinburgh). His keynote address, “Scotland and Empire: ethnicity, environment and identity”, was a wonderfully wide-ranging and eloquent survey of how the host of Scots who built the British Empire interacted with the people and places they encountered, discussing our impact on them, and their impact on us and on Scotland itself. He ranged not only through the subjects highlighted by his title, but touched also on anthropology, the arts, and religion – illustrating why if one had to sum him up in one word he might best be described as a historian of “culture”.

Later in the first day, emboldened by the fact that he was wearing a Mackenzie tartan scarf, I introduced myself to John and was delighted to discover that he was not only interested in the history of the clan but was also a long-standing member of the society. I hesitantly suggested that he might like to attend the forthcoming gathering and, leaving the idea with him to ponder, I just had time to snatch a photo of him outside the conference venue (the revamped Eden Court Theatre complex) before he was swept up by the horde of fellow academics anxious to renew their acquaintance with this charming man.

One of the most pleasing aspects of John’s appearance as the opening speaker at the conference was that his father was born and bred here in the Capital of the Highlands – a fact he mentioned at the start of his presentation with obvious pride. He’s since given me more details about the life of a remarkable man who, as John himself puts it, is a fascinating example of upward social mobility through the empire. Here in John’s own words is a summary of his father’s life:

He was born in Inverness on 17th November 1902 and was brought up in the tenement on Bridge Street that used to be adjacent to the suspension bridge (on the castle side, where the museum now is). He was the youngest of a very large family, though with two mothers, his mother being Catherine MacDonald. He was brought up as a Gaelic speaker, but when he went to school, the

Professor John Mackenzie

teachers literally beat it out of the children and, to his very great regret, he lost the language, though he always spoke English with a very attractive Highland lilt.

As a youngster, he began to sell papers at the railway station, trying to make money for his mother, who had a very hard time. His father was a bit of a drinker and there was never much money in the household. She herself was up at 6.0 or earlier every morning to go and clean the town house or perhaps the adjacent bank. Selling papers was a terrible tribulation for my father too because in the conditions of that period he had to sell all the papers he was allocated or there was little profit. He had to hustle like mad to do so and when disposed off, he had to tear up the steps to the

primary school, where he was frequently strapped for lateness, which he thought desperately unfair when he had been working hard for his mother. He used to go to the butcher just before closing time at 6.0 on a Saturday to try to get the cheapest cuts of meat that the butcher wanted rid of ! He had what he described as a ‘wee hurley’ which he used to take down to the railway yards to fill up with coal from the stuff that had fallen off the tenders of the engines.

Football was clearly his liberation and in his late

teens he was playing for Inverness Thistle and was in the team that won the Highland League Cup in 1921. He had many other adventures (including getting into the First World War in 1918 when far too young, but never got any further than training in Invergordon), and also a stint as an apprentice at Denny’s shipyard in Dumbarton. In 1927, he went to Kenya, working for the Crown Agents as a bricklaying instructor for the prison service (he had started out, like his father, as a stonemason, but shifted to brick laying). He experienced a moment of great humiliation over this. He had grown up thinking his name was Alasdair MacKenzie, but when the Crown Agents asked for his birth certificate, he discovered that his name was actually Alexander MacDonald - clearly because he had been born illegitimate. Somewhere along the line he changed his name to Alexander MacKenzie. Despite that humiliation (which clearly did not phase the Crown Agents - they knew a good man when they saw one, although he had sticky moments when he thought he had lost the job), he gave me MacDonald as my middle name, in order to honour his mother Catherine.

He returned from Kenya in the 1930s, worried about his mother (to whom he was devoted, and he was clearly the apple of her eye) and, after some depression troubles when he travelled all over Britain in search of work, he met my mother in Manchester. He ended up working as a general foreman for a Glasgow building firm called Cowieson’s. In that capacity he was in charge of the building of the Highland clachan at the 1938 Glasgow Empire Exhibition. He remained at the exhibition throughout the time it was open as a supervising handyman (‘the easiest time I had in my life’ he said). He went into the war, though he did not have to, and became an army PT instructor.

In 1947 he again left for Africa, initially to Southern Rhodesia, but he was soon in Northern Rhodesia as a PWD Inspector of Works, later becoming Clerk of Works and Chief Clerk of Works of the Western Province. He was very proud of the fact that the other three of equivalent rank in the colony all had engineering degrees while he had risen from the ranks, as it were. He returned from Africa in 1960 and worked as an inspector for a large Glasgow

consultant engineering firm called ‘Babtie, Shaw, Morton’. In that capacity he worked on the Loch Awe hydroelectric scheme and on the Elderslie Dry Dock on the Clyde. He died in 1987.

Africa has played a large part in John’s life too. He’s taught in South Africa and many of his books have dealt with African subjects – most notably: “David Livingstone and the Victorian Encounter with Africa” (1996); and “The Scots in South Africa” (2007) which he co-authored with his partner Nigel Dalziel. He and Nigel also co-authored the

I introduced myself to John and was delighted to discover that he was not only interested in the history of the clan but was also a long-standing member of the society


Reports

Inverness and District volume of Sutton’s “Scotland in Old Photographs”, which is dedicated “To the memory of a devoted Invernessian, Alexander Mackenzie (1902-1987)”. Amongst John’s many other books are: “Propaganda and Empire” (1984); “The Empire of Nature” (1988); “Orientalism: History, Theory and the Arts” (1995); “Peoples, Nations and Cultures” (2005). He’s also written a memoir of Alfred Anderson, a soldier in the Black Watch during the First World War who was the last man alive in Britain to have participated in the famous Christmas truce in 1914, and who was also the oldest man in Scotland when he died at the age of 109: “A Life in Three Centuries” (2002).

You can imagine how delighted I was to receive an email from John soon after the Inverness conference weekend indicating that he would very much like to attend the gathering – and indeed that he would be willing to speak at it, perhaps on the subject of the Global Impact of Mackenzies!

Graeme Mackenzie

Letter from the Chairman

This year we have been preparing a varied programme for the Gathering and I hope that by the time you read this our numbers are buoyant enough to do all we planned. The global financial

situation has not helped and, this time we were ineligible for any grants. Nonetheless we look forward to seeing as many of you as can make it from Britain and overseas.

I must mention the much vaunted ‘Homecoming’. The original idea was of course to celebrate Robert Burns, but those who always know best in Edinburgh decided (for commercial reasons) to take it over and that it should involve the Highland clans. Nevertheless, there was scant consultation and we were presented with something of a fait accompli at the 2008 Inverness Games. Highland kilt makers were not allowed stalls at Holyrood because it might affect trade in Prince Street; Societies were not allowed to provide food in expensively rented tents at Holryrood because outside caterers had franchises. If we wanted to people the march down the Royal mile we could do so a £90.00 a head and shamefully ignorant instructions told us “men should wear kilts”! (Highlanders learn at mother’s knee that ‘Men wear THE kilt’ and only ‘unbreeched children wear kilts’) They also forbad wearing the sgean dubh (Citing a City by-law on offensive weapons!) though this was later rescinded. Those who did go were bemused by the chaos engendered by the financially disputed tramway scheme. We remember Edinburgh of the ’fifties and recall how, when the tramlines were rooted-up, we were assured that it was a great advance to have trams expelled from Princes Street (much to the relief of cyclists.) Anyway somebody profited (hotels, B&B?) so keep your sporrans snibbed, as Homecomings are being mooted to coincide with the Olympics (2012) and/or Bannockburn anniversary (2013) although police, small contractors etc were not paid. Private Eye suggests an investigation into the £600.000 loss may be warranted.

We showed the flag with a fine displays in the Clan tent at The Inverness Games, The Strathpeffer Games and The Gairloch Gathering – thanks largely to John & Mary Graham trailering the equipment to and from. It

gave me great pleasure to present the trophy for Best Overall U15 Piper to Séamus ÓBaoighill from Plockton at Strathpeffer with the trophy we donated to mark the 2005 Gathering. At The Iain Dall Young Pipers Festival in Gairloch young Séamus was also a prize-winner though the Iain Dall Trophy for piobaireachd (also donated by CMS) was won by 12 year-old Sandy Cameron from Roy Bridge who also won the piping Scholarship sponsored by North Highland Connections

A pleasant AGM weekend over at Tain was devised by Hamish our President, with a splendid programme of visits to local places of Mackenzie interest. Let me say here how grateful I am for the support of the Committee. However in particular I must mention with regret that Philippa signified her wish to retire as Acting Treasurer at the end of November. I am sure you will join with us in celebrating her devoted attention to Clan business over many many years. I doubt there has ever been a more wholehearted member of the Society. At different times Chairman, Acting Treasurer, Editor, Secretary, Gathering Secretary, Membership Secretary - she has distinguished her tenure of each office by the care and attention to detail demanded by each of these very diverse responsibilities. I particularly remember with gratitude her boundless energy as Gathering Secretary in 2005 - the biggest event we had ever attempted - devising a fool-proof booking method which ensured those attending could participate, for instance, in their choice of the many and varied coach trips. Although she also steps down from the Committee, I know she will always take the keenest interest in the Society and in Mackenzies worldwide; her knowledge of genealogy is legendary throughout the Clan. It goes without saying that she, Finlay and the family will be more than welcome at every Clan occasion she can manage. Thank you Philippa, thank you very much.

Tulach Ard.Ian

Ciamar a tha sibh


Castles

To someone who doesn’t live in a Castle (i.e. the majority), the concept of actually living, working and endeavouring to run such an establishment is about as familiar as the Martian topography

or the interior of a Yurt. Unlike normal houses that have been built with a degree of ergonomics in mind, castles are truly ‘blasts from the past’ when the economic and human factors were utterly different. Rather than the castle suiting the individual, the individual has to fit in with the castle and all its (many) foibles. This fitting in normally takes up the entire lifespan of the owner and creates an aura of slight incredulity with normal folk but an immediate rapport with other castle owners who can enthuse about the machinations of dry rot, the Inland Revenue (usually in the same breath and with the same depth of feeling as the two are not dissimilar) and crumbling masonry. The buildings are invariably hedged about with lawyers, architects and experts of one sort or another, all of whom charge fees in direct proportion to the size of the building and the preconception of what the owner might be worth. Even the term ‘owner’ is misleading as most castles are run by Trusts and the owner is restricted in terms of what they can do, or sell and further compounded by terms and conditions imposed by both Inland Revenue and (in Scotland) Historic Scotland, a Government body allied to the Inland Revenue. Thus every castle of note is surrounded by a shadowy army, whom one hopes are symbiotic rather than parasitic.

Castle Leod is no exception. The money earned by the estate, (sadly shrunk since the 1950’s) now just about covers the expenditure provided professional fees are restricted. This year however we are running at a substantial loss which has proved unavoidable. Just to clarify the message, I personally take no money from the estate as it cannot afford wages to myself but live off a small income that most would find inadequate. Money earned directly from the estate goes to pay a handyman’s full-time wage, a part-time secretary and overall running costs that if we keep on top of, just about get covered but are prone to price fluctuations in fuel and electricity. It is all rather ‘seat of the pants’ flying and precarious. However, having inherited a massive debt which has taken 15 years to clear I feel cautiously optimistic about the future given a modest life style and no expensive holidays.

The main trusts which affect the running of the castle and estate are the IV or Inter-Vivos Trust and the Maintenance Fund. The latter is perhaps more important in that it concerns what happens to the fabric of the building and the immediate policies or grounds. The castle, the grounds and some of the buildings associated with it are all ‘Listed’. The listing is a Government control in order to preserve the integrity and historic value of a building or grounds. The castle itself is Grade A, the top priority and nothing can be done to the interior or exterior of the building or its immediate policies without express permission from Historic Scotland. The castle is considered of national importance and the most valuable building (in terms of history and construction) in the North of Scotland.

The other trust is the Clan Mackenzie Charitable Trust, set up in the early 1990’s in order to find grant aid to replace the 1616 roof on the Old Wing or

Running a Castleoriginal tower of the castle. This is essentially a buildings trust, approved by the Charities Commission of Scotland with the remit of providing educational and historic value. The trust is run by several Trustees, comprised of Historic Scotland approved people, including an acclaimed historic buildings architect, a lawyer and myself. Each year the Charities Commission and Historic Scotland receive a report and of course appropriate accounts.

The roof was replaced in the nick of time, quite literally a delay of even a few months would have spelt disaster for the building. A 40% grant from Historic Scotland was generously given and by giving the historically valuable Family Papers to Register House in Edinburgh, which I had insisted on remaining in Scotland, I managed to raise the bulk of the remainder bar a little over £20,000 which was raised by generous donations from abroad and Mrs Goldston-Morris in particular. I put nearly £70,000 of my own money toward the roof, a sum I could ill afford but what owner would not give the shirt off his back to save a building which had been in Mackenzie family hands for 500 years? This sum I gave as a long-term loan but in truth cannot foresee a time when it might be retrieved.

With the roof replaced both to time and to budget no building work was possible for several years due to lack of capital. However a steady trickle of funds came in over the years in particular from the Clan Mackenzie Society of Canada due to their successful handling by Alan McKenzie of the Lottery. When this ended, the majority of the funding dried up but to a large extent

the steady growth of Private Tours has injected considerable capital into the Charitable Trust, though still relatively small beer in terms of what is needed. To date roughly £33,000 has been used to restore the upper reaches of the Tower, in particular the decayed stonework on the battlements and chimney heads. One of the long-term goals of the Charitable Trust is to find ways to fund the restoration and complete refurbishment of the upper three stories of the Tower. This amounts to little less than three million pounds but if successful would enable the resulting apartments to be let out profitably, a use in full accord with Historic Scotland and Inland Revenue. Very recently some ongoing and early talks with a notable Scottish company may help to bring about at least an aspect of this goal but at the moment this is all confidential. In the early 1990’s two major Feasibility Studies were done, both with the intention to see if full-time commercial opening of the castle to the public was possible. The clear answer was no and it is clear that any future business involving the castle has to be in the direction of small, exclusive and high class usage.

One of the conditions imposed by Inland Revenue on a death of the incumbent is to levy Inheritance Tax or IHT. This currently runs at 40% of the entire value of the estate and castle and would mean an immediate sale of both. To avoid such a capital tax, known as capital tax exemption, it was necessary to sign a binding agreement both for myself and any future owners after my Father died. The conditions include opening for 25 days to the public, not selling any property of historical importance (i.e. all the goods and chattels within the castle) and seeking Historic Scotland permission to alter, repair or otherwise do building work, including any plans to repaint the interiors of the main rooms. The conditions also ask for an ongoing plan of repairs and restoration.

by John Mackenzie, Earl of Cromartie


Castles

FlowerdaleSir Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch (the ninth laird) married his cousin Janet of Scatwell and in 1738 built the original Flowerdale House often referred to in those days as An Tigh Dige (The Moat House) after the previous main residence nearby on the estate. Examination of the present, fine mansion shows clearly where the house was extended in 1904 to the west (to the left, as you look at it) the two differently-sized gables, along with the bow-fronted bay, resulting in a very pleasing and individual appearance to this famous seat of the Mackenzies of Gairloch. (During World War I, the British government even held several cabinet meetings at Flowerdale House, Prime Minister David Lloyd George enjoying a spacious flat here while Winston Churchill, then a junior secretary, was assigned a small attic room.) Near the house is Flowerdale Barn, a fine, long rubble building, which is perhaps the earliest actually dated barn in Scotland and was built in 1730 by Alexander and Janet Mackenzie; the Mackenzie of Gairloch coat of arms is carved in stone above the barn’s centre door.

Kinkell CastleOriginally referred to as the fortalice at Kinkell Clarsach, the castle was built in 1594 by John Roy Mackenzie, who had purchased the lands of Kinkell from Hugh Fraser of Guisachan. ( John Roy was the grandson of Hector Roy

Mackenzie, who had been granted a charter to the lands of Gairloch by King James IV.) The name Kinkell is probably derived from Gaelic ‘ceann na coille’, ‘at the head of the wood’. Kinkell’s thick walls rise from foundations of large granite boulders, and the ground floor boasts the original vaulted ceilings. The castle’s extremely compact design was thought too small by the late 18th century, when a three-storey extension was added at one end and the castle’s distinctive defensive features, such as gun loops, were covered over and some of the windows enlarged. By the mid nineteenth century Kinkell Castle had been reduced in status to a humble farmhouse and in 1930 was abandoned completely. However, in the late 1960s, fate was truly to smile upon this superbly picturesque example of a Highland fortified tower house: the ruin was bought by internationally-renowned sculptor Gerald Laing, who energetically undertook the Herculean task of its complete restoration, even including the removal of the incongruous 18th century extension. The result was a transformation into a stunningly-attractive, restored Highland castle, complete with its conical-roofed corner turrets. Now, in the 21st century, Gerald Laing is as busy as ever with important sculptures, monuments and other projects and continues to enjoy life at Kinkell Castle. His fascinating and extremely well-illustrated hardback book about the castle’s restoration is entitled ‘Kinkell, The Restoration of a Scottish Castle’ (first published in 1974) and is a highly-recommended read. To order a copy, see our Books For Sale list.

Quite a list as I’m sure you’ll agree! The reason behind such measures is partially political and largely social in that numerous important building were allowed by their owners to fall into decay and thus robbing the U.K of the built heritage. If a sale were to be allowed of something valuable and Historic Scotland and the I.R considered it not jeopardising the overall integrity of the property then on top of a 40% IHT, there would be a further tax of Capital Gains whereby the value of an item (as valued by an auctioneer) at the time of death or some other pre-determined time by the I.R would be imposed and this would amount to the difference in value between the original valuation and the point of sale and that amount taxed at 40%. Thus to lose an initial 40% plus a further x percentage based on the (likely) increase in value makes the concept of selling an item fairly pointless.

Today, the generous grants from Historic Scotland are a thing of the past and listed buildings struggle to fulfil their obligations, not helped by the imposition of Value Added Tax or V.A.T on repairs. Fortunately one of the advantages of the old Tower being Charitable is that V.A.T can be reclaimed but the same cannot be said of the rest of the castle which as to pay this tax when repair work need to be carried out. Like many large house owners, I belong to an organisation called the Historic House Association which does a huge amount of positive work on behalf of owners. It helps point out that such houses

provide much needed tourism as well as local employment and has the ear of government as far as is possible.

This, I hope, gives a fair flavour of what being an ‘owner’ of a castle is like and might dispel a few myths. Very few estate/castle owners are rich, those that are, are still beset with responsibilities and cares. To live in an historic building is an undoubted privilege on one hand and a huge burden on the other. In many ways the true definition of an aristocrat (in the true historical sense) is one who carries the responsibility of the house and estate forever on his back; he is never free and his future, unless he decides to discard inheritance and history, has to be forever in thrall to both. On a lighter note some wag noted that in order to make a small fortune out of a Highland estate you would have to start with a large one but my all-time favourite saying, needless to say by a wonderful Irish peer, was that running a large house was like ‘breastfeeding a dinosaur’. Needless to say I love Castle Leod with a passion, it is my home, my work and I feel an overarching sense of history and one-ness with the land. For me being absentee is not an option though I fully realise that future generations may not be so lucky. Despite all the problems, the lack of money, the taxes and the sheer bloody mindedness of it all, there is nowhere else I would care to live. I count myself lucky to be in the Spiritual Home of the clan, the resident guardian, until I can pass on the baton to the next generation.

Kinkell Castle from the North East


Earlier this year I was asked by Dennis Ross Mackenzie, from Edmonton, Canada, to investigate the ancestry of his great-

grandfather Alexander Mackenzie (1843-1919), a trader for the Hudsons Bay Company [HBC], and a pioneer settler in the valley of the Peace River where he lived for thirty one years after his retirement from the HBC. It was said amongst his neighbours that he was a direct descendant of his famous namesake Sir Alexander Mackenzie who first explored the upper Peace River in 1792/3 as the preliminary part of his historic journey to the Pacific; but Dennis himself had discovered that this was unlikely. His researches had concentrated on Alexander’s father – another Alexander Mackenzie – who had come to Canada in 1832 to work for the HBC as a clerk, and who was drowned in the St. Lawrence River in 1850 at the age of 36.

The first Alexander, who we’ll call “the Clerk” to distinguish him from his son “the Trader”, has a “Biographical Sheet” in the HBC’s records in the Manitoba Provincial Archives, many of which are now available online at www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/biographical/index.html. Alexander the Clerk’s sheet turns out to be somewhat misleading. It says he was the brother of John George Mackenzie, who became Chief Factor of the HBC, and states that he was born in Dingwall – neither of which are true. Dingwall was however the later home of Alexander’s mother, who appears in a note about the administration of Alexander’s estate in 1850 as “Simona Garden otherwise MacIntosh (formerly Mackenzie), Widow, the natural and lawful mother of the deceased”. Her relatively unusual given name, and her double marriage, had made the discovery by a previous researcher of her identity – she was a daughter of the Rev. Daniel Mackintosh, Minister of Gairloch – and that of her first husband, relatively straightforward. This in turn led to the discovery of Alexander’s birth in 1814 as the son of Thomas Mackenzie, saddler in Invergordon, whose only other recorded child, Daniel, had been born in Tain in 1811. Thomas Mackenzie and Simona Mackintosh had been married in Edinburgh in 1809, and since Simona married James Garden in Dingwall in September 1815, the assumption was that Thomas Mackenzie died in 1813 or 1814, though no record could be found of such an event in Invergordon, Tain, or Dingwall.

Given Thomas’s brief life and small family, the chances of tracing his ancestry any further appeared limited when the case came to me. There were however indications that Thomas was more than just an itinerant tradesman. Apart from his good

Tracing the families of Mackenzie fur traders

marriage – Simona’s mother was a daughter of Mackenzie of Gruinard – he’s recorded in the Tain OPR as “Mr. Thomas Mackenzie”, which in those days indicated he was a “gentleman”. Though no trace of him could be found in any of the published genealogical accounts of the Mackenzies, I was hopeful of something turning up in due course as I collected additional information about any and all Mackenzies in my role as clan shennachie. Thus it was that in going through the Monumental Inscriptions recorded by the Highland Family History Society I stumbled upon an entry mentioning the death of “Thomas Mackenzie, saddler in Invergordon” – on a stone in the Chapel Yard, Inverness. Though the inscription said he died in 1812 it was clearly the right man; and, as luck would have it, the stone gave a date of birth (1778), named his father (Donald Mackenzie, farmer in Inverness), and mentioned a sister (Elizabeth, born 1780, died 1847). Better still, the stone next to it not only named Thomas’s mother (Margaret Hendry, died 1838 aged 86), and gave his father Donald’s date of death (1824, aged 75), but also named Donald’s parents: Thomas Mackenzie, farmer in Inverness (died 1781 aged 90), and Helen Sligo (died 1777, aged 67). Entries in the Inverness OPRs [Old Parish Registers] filled out further family details, including the fact that Thomas the saddler was born in 1783 rather than 1778 – a lesson in not relying entirely on gravestone dates/ages – and I even found the land farmed by “Mr. Thos McKenzie”, the saddler’s grandfather, shown on a 1774 map that now hangs in Inverness

Museum. A useful source for the Highlands in the first half

of the 19th century is Am Baile’s online index to early local newspapers [www.ambaile.org.uk/en/newspapers/index.jsp], and through it I discovered an item in the Inverness Journal referring to the roup in Invergordon on 6th July 1813 of “The whole stock of Saddlery Work … belonging to the late Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, Saddler …”. Back in the OPRs, I looked in the deaths/burials for Inverness Parish – a category of records which has recently gone online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk – which revealed that he had actually died on the 16th June 1813; and that he, like his son Alexander in Canada thirty-seven years later, had drowned.

Though it was emerging that the family were well-connected, reasonably educated, and had some money (Thomas’s business would have needed capital), there was no indication at this point that it was a land-owning family – the great distinction in 18th and 19th century Scotland – though it was almost certain from their economic and social circumstances that either the first Thomas or one of his immediate ancestors would have been a younger son of a laird. In casting around for evidence of such connections one always looks at the Indexes to the Services of Heirs, which record the legal process whereby somebody establishes his or her right to heritable property; i.e. land. In many cases sons succeeded fathers without bothering to have themselves “served” as heirs, but this process was required when there was a potential dispute about the inheritance, and often when heirs wished to sell or use their land as security for loans.

In this case the indexes included entries for Thomas Mackenzie’s family doing both, along with information that revealed something about the fate of Alexander the Clerk’s elder brother Daniel. He it appears died in Inverness in about 1837 without issue – there’s no record of him ever having married – so in 1840 Alexander in Canada was served as his heir. Unfortunately the property the HBC clerk inherited would not have amounted to much by then as Daniel had been using it as security for loans, but when he had come of age and been served as heir in the family property in 1832, the land that Daniel had inherited from his grandfather Donald included properties that had belonged originally to his granduncle Captain Alexander Mackenzie, “shipmaster in Inverness” – the eldest son of Thomas Mackenzie and Helen Sligo – who had died in about 1802, also without issue. Though the records of the family’s property transactions in the Burgh and County Registers of Sasines, along with Captain Alexander’s testament,

by Graeme Mackenzie


and Daniel & Alexander the Clerk’s services as heirs, clarify the relationships between the various people mentioned on the family gravestones, and confirm that they were a relatively well-off family, nothing so far found indicates who the first Thomas Mackenzie’s parents might have been. This means that while we can now discount the family legend that Alexander the trader on the Peace River was a descendant of his famous namesake, there remains the possibility of a more distant relationship – and that’s something we’re probably never going to be able to prove or disprove, whatever else we may find out about the family of Thomas in Inverness, because, surprisingly, the ancestry of Sir Alexander himself remains a mystery.

In the 2002 edition of this magazine Elizabeth Sutherland stated what has for a long time been the standard story about Sir Alexander Mackenzie’s ancestry – that his father Kenneth, who was a merchant in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, was the son of a Donald Mackenzie from Fairburn (an estate in Easter Ross owned by the Mackenzies since the 1540s). There is a record of a Donald Mackenzie in Fairburn who was married to a daughter of Kenneth Mackenzie of Davochmaluag, which would suggest the likelihood of a son called Kenneth. However, the known dates of this family would make it difficult for any such son to be Sir Alexander’s father Kenneth – who is supposed to have been born in about 1730 – since this Donald in Fairburn, as a younger son of parents married in 1663, was probably born about 1670. The matter is further complicated by the fact that the Donald in Fairburn who is supposed to have been Sir Alexander’s father is said to have been the son of an Allan Mackenzie in Stornoway, and it seems a little unlikely that a family once established on Lewis would have a son living in Easter Ross whose own son was back on Lewis. Apparently the Stornoway Historical Society suggest the explanation for this is that the Allan Mackenzie in Stornoway was Donald’s father-in-law rather than his father; but doubt must remain since there is no record whatsoever of any members of Sir Alexander’s family bearing the given name Allan – nor indeed Donald, apart from one of the four brothers also employed in the fur trade who are said to have been cousins of Sir Alexander Mackenzie.

The eldest of these four cousins – Roderick – was so close to Sir Alexander that it sometimes used to be thought he was his brother (as Elizabeth Sutherland says in her article about Sir

Alexander), but it’s now well established they were cousins; and while Sir Alexander’s ancestry remains a mystery it appears that of Roderick and his brothers has finally been discovered. According to a very informative, and apparently well-referenced website compiled by Donald MacDonald-Ross and called “Some Coigach Genealogy” [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~coigach/index.htm], the four brothers – Roderick, James, Henry, and Donald – were the sons of Alexander Mackenzie, Tacksman of Achnaclerach in Strathgarve and his wife Catherine Mackenzie, who is assumed to have been the sister of Sir Alexander’s father Kenneth. Alexander of Achnaclerach was the son of Roderick Mackenzie, Tacksman of Dalcanloch and then of Achiltibuie, who was a younger son of James Mackenzie of Keppoch – son of Alexander of Ardloch and first cousin of John Mackenzie 2nd Earl of Cromarty.

Though it’s difficult to judge complicated genealogies found on the internet – especially when so many of the references given are to other online sources – this does look pretty convincing (and one is re-assured to find amongst the written sources cited such reliable researchers as Malcolm Bangor-Jones, who has contributed so many valuable articles to this magazine over the years). It appears that quite a lot of material relating to this family has come from correspondence between the families of the four brothers in Canada and descendants of siblings who stayed in Scotland (though some of those descendants also emigrated to Canada later on). Most prominent amongst those back in Scotland was the eldest son of Alexander and Catherine Mackenzie, Murdoch, who is thought to have been born in about 1759 – probably in Achiltibuie which was the family home until 1767 when Alexander and his widowed mother were deprived of the tack and forced to move to the less desirable farm of Dalpolly (it wasn’t until after 1777 that

Alexander got his tack of Achnaclerach). Murdoch Mackenzie inherited the tack of Achnaclerach following his father’s fatal fall from a horse in 1789 whilst returning from dining with his chief at Brahan, but in due course he moved to back to the west coast and became “Principal Merchant and Postmaster” at Ullapool, where he died in 1821. Murdoch was twice married; firstly in about 1795 to Catherine Macrae (died c.1812), and secondly in about 1814 to Susan Macgregor (died 1865). One of Murdoch’s sons by his second marriage was William Mackenzie (c.1822-1901), Merchant and Tacksman of Badenscallie, whose wife Isabella Morrison Ryrie came from Stornoway.

Just as today the ferry to Stornoway goes from Ullapool, so in the 18th and 19th centuries there was a close connection between these two places. This is reflected in the history of a number of Mackenzie families associated with the Isle of Lewis and the district of Coigeach, which had come together into the hands of the Mackenzies in the 17th century from the Macleods of Siol Torquil. If Catherine Mackenzie, the wife of Alexander Mackenzie of Achnaclerach, was indeed the sister of Kenneth Mackenzie (the father of Sir Alexander), then she came to Coigeach from Stornoway. Since Alexander of Achnaclerach gave his own father’s name to his second son – Roderick, the eldest of the four fur-trading brothers who were Sir Alexander’s cousins – it seems very likely that the name he gave to his first son was that of his wife’s father; i.e. Murdoch (although the normal Scottish naming pattern was first son for father’s father and second son for mother’s father, it was not uncommon for this to be reversed in some families). Support for the contention that Sir Alexander Mackenzie’s paternal grandfather may have been called Murdoch rather than Donald can be found in the fact that the only known brother of the great explorer also bore that name (he’s said to have been a doctor who drowned


at sea).The prominence of the name Murdoch in Sir

Alexander Mackenzie’s family can be explained by the tradition apparently reported by one of his fur-trading cousins that he and they belonged to Sliochd Mhurcha’ Riabhaich. This interesting possibility may have been misinterpreted by Donald MacDonald-Ross or one of his informants in an effort to explain the curious nickname born by Sir Alexander’s father, since elsewhere on his website it says:

At Stornoway Kenneth was known by the nickname of “Kenneth Corc”, his son Alex was later noted as “Sliochd Mhurcha’ Riabhaich” a descendant of “Murchadh Riabhach nan Corc” [Nasty Murdo of the Sheath-Knives], and it looks likely Kenneth’s nickname comes from that descent.

Whatever the meaning and origin of Kenneth’s nickname, the Sliochd Mhurcha’ Riabhaich was an ancient race of Mackenzies on Lewis who are said to have taken their name from a son of Murchadh Dubh nan Uamag (Black Murdoch of the Cave) who, according to the noted Gaelic scholar and Lewis historian Willie Matheson, contested with Coinneach mac Eoin for the chiefship of Clan Mackenzie in the 14th century [see Matheson’s “Traditions of the Mackenzies”, published in the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness in 1942-50]. It’s an interesting coincidence that the only notable branch of the clan in Easter Ross known to – or claiming to – belong to Sliochd Mhurcha’ Riabhaich were the Mackenzies of Kinnoch and Sandilands, who were connected by marriage with John Fraser of Achnagairn, a wealthy merchant who acted as the London agent for the Northwest Company of fur traders when Sir Alexander Mackenzie was making his way in the business. Equally interesting is the fact that the other Mackenzies connected to the Frasers of Achnagairn at this time were the family of Culbo and Pitlundie, and apparently Catherine Mackenzie, wife of Alexander of Achnaclerach, is said in some accounts to have been the daughter of William Mackenzie of Pitlundie rather than of any Donald or Murdoch Mackenzie. These probably are just coincidences however – created by the fact that so many Mackenzies intermarried with, and were therefore connected to, other branches of the clan – and here’s another:

When Sir Alexander Mackenzie retired to Scotland – leaving his country wife(s) and children in Canada – he was married, at the age of about 40, to Geddes Mackenzie, the teenage heiress of the estate of Avoch. Her grandfather, Captain

John Mackenzie of Castle Leod had bought Avoch following its confiscation by the government as punishment for its previous laird’s participation in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. The only child known to have been had by the last laird of the old Avoch line

– Roderick Mackenzie, a great-great-grandson of Sir Roderick Mackenzie of Coigeach (“Rory the Tutor”) – was a son called Murdoch, who became a merchant in Stornoway. Given that Alexander Mackenzie the explorer was, following the publication of his Journals and the award of his knighthood, what today would be called an “A-Grade celebrity” in London society, he could probably have had his pick of far wealthier teenage heiresses or mature aristocratic women; so why did he choose Geddes? Was it

perhaps to bring the estate of Avoch back into his family?

Such speculation is one of the joys of genealogy – so long as it’s understood both by the speculator and the consumer that it is just conjecture (though perhaps a line of enquiry worth following up to see if it can eventually be anything more than that). Sadly there is a vast amount of genealogical material available now on the internet without the relevant consumer caveats, and since so much of this article has been based on what appears to be good material from the web, I have to finish with a couple of warning shots from the same source, all relating to the family of Sir Alexander Mackenzie – and all sadly from the often indispensable Ancestry.com:

Firstly, amongst the multitude of families claiming a connection with the famous explorer are the descendants of a James Francis Mackenzie who died in 1871 in Maui, Hawaii, and a Kenneth Mackenzie who died in 1822 in St. Louis, Minnesota. Both are claimed to have been children not just of Sir

Alexander – and it’s conceivable he did have more children by his country wife(s) than the two or three that are recorded (Marie, Julie, and Andrew) – but of Sir Alexander and Geddes Mackenzie. Their few children are of course very well documented, and they included only the two sons – Alexander George, born 1818, and George, born 1819 – so it’s out of the question that Sir Alexander and Geddes Mackenzie were the parents of these men; but what makes the claim really ridiculous is the fact that the very tree upon which this Kenneth Mackenzie appears with a birth date of 1790 also shows his claimed mother Geddes to have been born in 1795! A similarly nonsensical tree dealing with Sir Alexander’s ancestors rather than his descendants, has his father Kenneth being born in 1731 to an Alexander Mackenzie and Janet Mackenzie, both of whom have extensive pedigrees – which when examined at all carefully show them to be Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Gairloch and the daughter of Roderick Mackenzie of Scatwell. It’s true this couple did have a son called Kenneth, who may have been born in 1731 (though that’s unlikely since he was a younger son and his parents were only married in 1730), but this Kenneth died in 1811 in Scotland

as the laird of Millbank – not, as this internet tree has it, in 1745 in Ontario, which is some eighteen years before the future Sir Alexander Mackenzie was born in Scotland to the Kenneth who was his father.

In the circumstances it’s perhaps not surprising that fur trading Mackenzies amongst whom the name Alexander is so prominent, living on the river that Sir Alexander was the first European to

follow up into the Rockies, should be linked with the great explorer in the way that Dennis Mackenzie’s family have been. As Dennis prepares for his first visit to Scotland however – hopefully at the time of the International Gathering – he’ll be able to stand by the memorial to Sir Alexander in the burial ground above the village of Avoch and look across the firth at Inverness in the sure knowledge that for three generations at least this is where his Highland roots really are.


THE MACKENZIES OF REDCASTLEGraham Clark

Humans have inhabited Redcastle and the surrounding area, on the northern shores of the Beauly Firth in the Black Isle of Ross-shire, from at least 3000 BC. Neolithic chambered cairns at

Kilcoy South and North, bronze-age cairns at Carn Glas and Carn Irenan, and an iron-age crannog in Redcastle bay all point to extensive early occupation. Surprisingly, no verified Celtic or Pictish sites have yet been discovered, neither is there proven evidence of Viking or Roman visitation. However, the rich history of Redcastle emerges on the advent of written medieval documents, the earliest of which dates from 1179.

In that year, King William I of Scotland (the Lion) entered Ross-shire with a large army to subdue insurrections from the north led by Harald Maddadson of Orkney and Duncan MacHeth of Caithness. To defend the area against further uprising, William ordered a line of royal castles to be built between Cromarty (Dunscaith) and Strathglass (Erchless) along the north shore of the Varrar (now Beauly) Firth and river. At Etherdover, about half way along the Firth, there was probably already a rudimentary motte which was to be enlarged and strengthened. It would later become known as Redcastle.

The building works at Etherdover were supervised by William’s brother David, the Earl of Huntingdon, but they proved to be insufficient. Various sons and grandsons of MacHeth and Maddadson, particularly Donald Bane MacWilliam (a grandson of MacHeth), led further rebellions during which Etherdover was captured in 1211. However it was re-captured in 1212 by Sir John Byset, who held the Lordship of the Aird and was married to the King’s sister Agnes. As his reward, Sir John was granted the custodianship of Etherdover. One of his predecessors as Lord of the Aird would have been ‘Gilleoin of the Aird’ (circa 830-890 AD), thought to be a progenitor of the Mackenzie clan. Although the connection is nebulous, the Mackenzie link to Redcastle had been made.

Sir John Byset was also the founding patron of Beauly Priory circa 1230 and, after his death in circa 1259, a Beauly Charter of 1278 granted occupation of Etherdover to his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Andro de Bosco, for 2 merks per annum. Then in 1294 their daughter Mary and her husband Hugh of Kilravock, were granted the ‘tenement’ [permanent tenancy].

How long the castle remained in the ownership of the ‘de la Ard’ family does not seem to be recorded but it was at least until 1296, when it is possible that the forces of Edward I captured it during the ‘pacification’ of Scotland. Several medieval and late-medieval finds have recently been retrieved from the fields around Redcastle, the earliest of which is a shield-shaped heraldic horse pendant measuring ~3cm high and ~2cm wide with three white lions (the Arms of England) on a red enamelled background. It has been dated to the 13-14th century. An Edward I long-cross hammered penny, minted in London in 1281-2, was also found close-by.

The freehold of Etherdover (other variant spellings are recorded, eg Edirdowyr and Eddyrdor) during the 14th century is vague. After Edward’s death, Robert the Bruce’s guerrilla forces re-captured the Highland castles for the Scottish Crown in 1308 and by 1367 Etherdover had passed into the possession of the Frasers of Lovat. In reality these were probably the descendants of the Bysets ‘de la Ard’ who had become Frisealich am boll a mine [Frasers of the boll of meal]. The earliest reference in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland is in 1426 when James I confirmed to James of Douglas the ‘the lands and barony of Eddirdule’ within the earldom of Ross and the lordship of the Ardmeanach

[the Black Isle]. During the 15th century, ‘Eddirdule’ became the preferred

title. It probably referred to the area administered by the barony, whilst

the castle itself gradually became known as the ‘Reidcastell’.

The proprietorship of the Douglases came to an abrupt end in 1455 when Hugh Douglas, the Earl of Ormond, was executed by James II along with the Black Douglases and their allies. In consequence, his castles and lands (including

the Reidcastell), were forfeited

to the Crown and formally annexed in perpetuity by an Act of Annexation dated 4 August 1455. After the annexation, James II gave custodianship of the Ardmeanach to his allay Sir Andrew Moray, the Earl of Moray. Andrew appointed his half-brother Celestine (otherwise known as ‘Gillespie of the Isles’) as the keeper of the Reidcastell, the rent being £26-13-4d Scots. However in 1481 James III granted the ‘the fortalice of the Rubeum Castrum [Red Castle]’ to his second son, James Stewart the Marquis of Ormond, thus commencing a period of 87 years in which the title of Earl of Ross, together with the custodianship of Redcastle, was assigned to members of the Royal House of Stewart, or their sub-tenants.

In 1564, Mary Queen of Scots granted the earldom to her second husband Lord Henry Darnley and Mary visited Redcastle during her tour of the northern Highlands in the summer of 1564. Henry Darnley was murdered in February 1567 and Mary Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate in July 1567. Changes in the custodianship of the vacated Redcastle were imminent.

James VI, Mary’s infant son, fell heir to the Scottish crown with the Earl of Moray as his Regent. In 1568, he granted the fortalice of Redcastle to Kenneth Mackenzie (Coinneach ‘Na Cuirc’), the 10th Baron of Kintail, as a reward for his part in the arrest of Mackay of Farr who had been pillaging and plundering royal estates in Sutherland. Kenneth died that same year and was buried in Beauly Priory. His eldest son, Murdoch, had died in childhood, hence his second son, Colin ‘Cam’, fell heir to the Barony of Kintail and his third son, Rorie (known as ‘Ruairidh Mor’), inherited Redcastle.

Ruairidh Mor, who already owned land in Artafallie, then successively acquired charters of the ‘Lands of Killearnan’ in 1578, the ‘Milns of Redcastle’ in 1584, and of ‘Gargiestown, Newton of Redcastle and Easter Kessock’ in 1589. The latter refers to:

... all and whole the lands of Gargiestown and Newtown of Redcastle with alehouse croft thereof, commonly called the smiddy croft thereof, with the manor house, castle and fortalice of Redcastle and all and sundry the parts and pendicles thereof ... also of all and whole the lands and village of Easter Kessock with the ferry of Kessock as also with the fishings commonly called the Stell of Kessock, alehouse of Kessock and all and sundry parts, priviledges, commodities and pendicles thereof.

The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland for 1595 record that ‘the lands of Gargastoun and Reidcastell within the Lordship of Ardmannoch’ had been set in ‘few-ferme to Rorie Makenze’ for £100 Scots per year. Thus the tract of land, more or less recognisable as the modern estate of Redcastle, had been created by the end of the 16th century and was in the ownership of Ruairidh Mor, the 1st Mackenzie of Redcastle.

The staunchly royalist Ruairidh Mor of Redcastle and his brother, Colin ‘Cam’ of Kintail, were guerrillas who successfully commanded the Mackenzies in many of their clan skirmishes but who at times acted somewhat lawlessly. For example, the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland records that in December 1577 they attacked the Bishop’s house in Fortrose, apprehended

Part 1


all the servants and imprisoned them in Redcastle. Failing to appear at the subsequent court hearing, the brothers were denounced as rebels and put to escheat [ie made to forfeit their property to the Crown]. In theory, this judgement ended the Mackenzies’ ownership of Redcastle but the court’s decision was never implemented, presumably because of the royal associations. Several years later the brothers were detained in 1586 in Edinburgh to answer charges laid by Macdonald of Glengarry accusing them of the murder of several of his clansmen during various ambushes. On 5 October 1586, before a trial could be held, they were given a royal pardon for these and ‘all other past crimes’. Thus Ruairidh Mor Mackenzie regained the legal ownership of Redcastle and established the dynasty of nine generations of Mackenzies who were destined to own Redcastle for another 200 years.

One of the key events in Redcastle history occurred on 2 December 1608 when James VI of Scotland (who was also James I of England by the Union of the Crowns in 1603) under his Great Seal gifted the charter of Redcastle and its lands to Ruiaridh Mor and his son and heir, Murdoch, thus securing the estate for the male succession. The charter also refers to the holding of an annual fair in Redcastle on 7 July, called St Andrew’s Day. This fair is also mentioned in the Great Charter of Inverness of 1591 which refers to the ‘boyes-fair held at the Rudecastell’. Various artefacts that have been found in the fields around Redcastle indicate that fairs and markets have been held in the area from at least the 14th century. These include a 14th century annular ring brooch, an Edward III silver groat and a James VI silver sixpence, dated 1624.

As a consequence of the hereditary charter of 1608, the Redcastle estate was inherited in 1615 by Murdoch Mackenzie (2nd of Redcastle). Not much is known of Murdoch other than that he married Margaret, the daughter of William Rose, Baron of Kilravock, in June 1599 and they had five sons and seven daughters. However the eldest son, Kenneth, died as a young child in 1607 and Redcastle was inherited on Murdoch’s death in 1638 by his second son, Rorie (3rd of Redcastle). Rorie, who had been born in 1608, married Isobel, the eldest daughter of Alexander Mackenzie 1st of Kilcoy, in 1629, and they had four sons and a daughter. In common with his ancestors, Rorie was strongly royalist, a loyalty that was to have far-reaching consequences.

Charles I was executed by Cromwell on 30 January 1649 and Charles II was proclaimed King of Scotland on 5 February 1649. However Inverness Burgh declared loyalty to the Parliamentarians on 9 February 1649 and this precipitated an attack by royalist Mackenzie and Mackay clansmen (many of whom came from Easter Ross and the Black Isle, including Rorie Mackenzie of Redcastle). The clans took control of the town and destroyed the fort on Castle Hill. Parliamentary forces under Col David Leslie soon retaliated and re-captured the town. The clans fled back to Ross-shire, pursued by the Parliamentarians and, in May 1649, Rorie was captured near Fortrose and taken to Edinburgh where he was imprisoned. In his absence, Redcastle held out as the last castle in Scotland loyal to the Crown. However it was laid siege and ultimately captured, looted and set on fire by troops led by Col Gilbert Kerr. During the skirmish Rorie’s younger son, Kenneth, was shot and died after falling from the ramparts. Rorie was later released on payment of 7000 merks Scots (paid by Ross of Bridly, his maternal uncle) but died soon afterwards in 1650 from ‘grief and melancholy’ after seeing the ruins of his castle.

Colin Mackenzie (4th of Redcastle), Rorie’s eldest son, was born in 1630. He was known as Colin ‘Niag’ and was a Collector of Customs in Inverness when he inherited the remains of Redcastle in 1650. In 1651 and 1656, he was

granted charters from the ‘Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland’ [Oliver Cromwell] which authorised him to re-enter Redcastle and collect rents from the estate. Then, in 1661, after the restoration of the monarchy, he was awarded £21,777 in damages and compensation for the burning and looting of Redcastle by Kerr’s troops. Colin immediately ordered it to be rebuilt on its 12th century foundations in the form of the L-plan tower house that is still evident today. An engraved stone that is set into the northern elevation of the castle displays the initials R.Mk and is dated 1641 (Figure 1). The significance of the date is not clear but the initials probably refer to Rorie Mackenzie (3rd of Redcastle), Colin’s father. The stone had perhaps survived the sacking of the old castle and may have been incorporated into the rebuilt castle either in memory of his father or as a mark of his royal allegiance.

Another of the key events in Redcastle history occurred on 2 January 1680 when Charles II issued a ‘Charter of Resignation, Confirmation, Novodamus and New Erection’ to Colin Mackenzie. This ‘erected’ Redcastle as a Scottish Burgh of Barony. The charter reads:

By this Charter the said whole estate is erected into a Barony, called the Barony of Redcastle, and the village of Milntown of Redcastle is erected into a Burgh of Barony, called the Burgh of Barony of Redcastle with all the usual privileges, a weekly market to be held every Wednesday in the said Burgh. Another free fair [St Mathias’ fair] to be held on 24 February yearly, besides that formerly granted to be held the 7 July yearly [St Andrew’s fair]. With tolls and customs of said weekly market and two yearly free fairs with favour to the Proprietor, to elect and chuse (sic) baillies of said Burgh of Barony, deputes, clerks, dempsters, officers and other members of court and to change the same yearly. To erect and build a market cross, a tolbooth and prison, with liberty to build a sea port or harbour at said Burgh for the reception of ships and vessels and to impose and exact anchorage, shore dues and others at said port and harbour which is declared to be a free sea port or harbour in all time coming.

The existence of a market cross is recorded by the Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland but unfortunately the supporting bibliographic documentation, as well as the cross itself has been lost.

Colin Mackenzie (4th of Redcastle) amassed a substantial fortune from his business interests and was described as a very opulent man who in 1661-8 was the elected MP for Inverness-shire. He was married twice, firstly to Isobel, the eldest daughter of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie (1st of Coul) by whom he had three sons and four daughters, and secondly to Marjory, the daughter of John Robertson of Inches, who was a widow. To ensure that the succession of Redcastle followed the children of his first marriage, Colin made an entail of the Redcastle estate [also known as a ‘tailzie’]. Several records state that Colin was killed at Killearnan in 1704, although neither the circumstances of his death nor any corroborating evidence is given. He is said to be buried in Killearnan parish church.

Colin Mackenzie’s eldest son Roderick (5th of Redcastle) was known as ‘Ruairi Dearg’. He married Margaret, the daughter of James Grant 16th of Freuchie, and had four sons and three daughters. The eldest was Roderick (6th of Redcastle) known as ‘Ruairi Mor’. There are different accounts of Ruairi Mor’s marital history. He was first married in 1707 to Margaret, the daughter of Sir James Calder of Muirtoun and secondly to Katherine, daughter of Charles Mackenzie of Cullen, in 1727. Variously, there are reported to have been up to 30 children but other accounts record only two sons (Roderick and


Gibson Rivers McKenzie, Founder and First Convener of the Clan MacKenzie Society in the Americas.

In 1975 Gibson McKenzie and his wife, Marjorie, attended the 20th Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, North Carolina as “conveners” for the first official outing of the Clan MacKenzie Society in the Americas.

The Clan MacKenzie Society was organized July 12, 1974 at Banner Elk, North Carolina with the blessing of the Court of the Lord Lyon, Edinburgh acting in Her Majesty’s Service, and the Clan MacKenzie of Scotland.

Gibson was inspired by the other Scottish Clans and Societies in attendance at the Grandfather Mountain Games and took it upon himself to spearhead the organization and enlisted the help of others along the way.

Details in the first Tulach Ard newsletter, October 1975, produced by Gibson, reported on the activities of the MacKenzie’s at the Grandfather Mountain and Stone Mountain Games. Listing some of the other key members of our new society at that time were James Mackenzie-Frye, Gerry Smart, Rev. Charles Stewart McKenzie, Keith and Becky McKenzie, Nancy McKenzie, Saunders McKenzie Bridges, Ralph McKenzie and the McKenzie children, Gibson III, Lynn and Carol.

A Birmingham, Alabama native, Gibson is one of the pioneer members of the Saint Andrews Society of the Middle South. He studied at the University of Alabama and is both a mechanical engineer and an entrepreneur.

His career path covered companies such as Gulf States Steel Corporation, Republic Steel Corporation and F.J. Evans Engineering Corporation. He also served as a manufacturers

representative for International Boiler Works, Johnston & Fraser and Space-Ray Corporation. Gibson was recognized at each of these companies for his outstanding performance.

A true Scot, Gibson also founded his own business, Caledonian Imports, Ltd., that provided Scots throughout the southeast region with Scottish attire, weapons, books, bagpipes, recording, flags and other Scottish items for over thirty years.

Scottish Country Dancing was another love of Gibson and Marjorie’s. They founded The Tartan

Heirs Scottish Country Dance Ensemble in 1978 and performed many times for television, festivals and other society gatherings.

His ability to organize is evident in his involvement in the founding or growth of many other Scottish Societies including the Alabama Celtic Association, The Clan Smith Society, the Clan Baird Society, The Clan MacArthur Society, The Order of the Tartan in Columbus, Georgia, the Saint Andrews Society of Mississippi, The Alabama Highland Games, North Alabama Scottish Festival, The Scottish Highland Games of Mississippi, the Gatlinburg Scottish Festival, The Heart of Dixie Highland Games and the Oak Mountain Highland Games. He and Marjorie were also instrumental in the founding of Saint Matthew’s Traditional Episcopal Church.

He was married for 65 years to Marjorie Greta Elms of Boston, Massachusetts and they had three children, Gibson III Lynn and Carol. Gibson now has 3 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

Our first “Convener”, now 95 years old, lives with his daughter and son in law in Birmingham. He occasionally attends various Scottish gatherings, but no longer can travel with his business. Currently, he plans to sell off all his inventory at cost and save for what he refers to as “his old age”.

Our “Thanks” go to Gibson for his insight back in 1974 in establishing the Clan MacKenzie Society in the Americas and for his efforts in it’s continued growth and success for the past 35 years.

Gibson would love to hear from you and you can drop him a note at:

Mr. Gibson R. McKenzie205 East Edgewood DriveBirmingham, AL 35209-3913

Gibson at 95 yo: Gibson preparing for a Scottish Gathering

Founder and first convener in the Americas

Colin) and one daughter (Florence).A disposition of Redcastle in 1718 by Ruairi

Dearg to Ruairi Mor was to prove the turning point in the fortunes of the Mackenzies of Redcastle. Ruairi Mor immediately began to sell parts of the estate. The proceeds were probably intended to pay off his father’s debts but a sale of some land in Wester Kessock (to Capt Hugh Fraser of Easter Kessock) proved to be disastrous and commenced a long-standing legal dispute that extended for over 20 years and precipitated the eventual bankruptcy of the Mackenzies of Redcastle.

In May 1729 Capt Fraser successfully sued Ruairi Mor for 17,000 merks because Ruairi Mor was unable to produce any legal documentation proving his title to the disputed land and therefore his right to sell it. However, Ruairi Mor failed to pay and further actions taken in the High Court in Edinburgh in November 1730, October 1733 and April 1736 led to further fines and penalties (£2000 Scots) relating to Capt Fraser’s damages, interest and expenses. The outcome was sequestration of the Redcastle estate. Unfortunately, Ruairi Mor’s response seems to have been a less than sensible act of desperation. He arranged, apparently in collaboration with his son Roderick, for a set of counterfeit title deeds to be drawn up. They are

first recorded in 1739 but it was not until 1745 that Ruairi Mor finally admitted the fraud and provided the Sheriff Court with a ‘condescendence’ [written legal admission of guilt] in which he admitted being impecunious with forty thousand merks of debts due to borrowing (against bonds) ‘when no person in the country would credit Redcastle a shilling’. Ruairi Mor’s fine was set at ‘such sums as the Lords shall please’ but it is not clear whether the case ever reached the High Court as Hugh Fraser, promoted to Lieut-Col in 1741, was killed at the Battle of Fontenoy in 1745.

Ruairi Mor Mackenzie died in 1751 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Roderick (7th of Redcastle) and known as ‘Ruairi Ban’. In 1730, he had married Hannah (or Anna), daughter of Thomas Murdoch of Cambodden, and they had four sons and five daughters. Hannah died at the age of 39 in April 1755. Despite Ruairi Ban’s financial plight, he seemed determined to make the funeral of ‘Lady Redcastle’ a lavish event. The bill amounted to £64-11-2¼d which included £16-16/- for 16 dozen bottles of claret!

Whilst Ruairi Mor’s management of the estate’s financial affairs had been incompetent, Ruairi Ban’s was inept. In the period 1756-61 he became embroiled in at least two complex legal cases,

one involving his refusal to pay for the purchase of grain, the other involving money owed to a trust fund. In 1768, in a valiant attempt to keep the estate solvent, Ruairi Ban and his motherless young family relocated from Redcastle to Inverness where he was appointed as Collector of Customs at Inverness harbour – a position from which he was obliged to resign in 1780 due to the onset of blindness and the scandalous activities of his (second) son, Kenneth, who succeeded him in May 1785 (the eldest son, Murdoch, having died in childhood in 1746). By this time the castle had become seriously dilapidated and the estate was in trust, the trustees being Sir Hector Mackenzie of Gairloch and John Tait WS.

Some further reading:

Clark, G., REDCASTLE: A Place in Scotland’s History (Athena, 2009).

Origines Parochiales Scotiae; The antiquities ecclesiastical and territorial of the parishes of Scotland, Vol 2(2), pgs 524-31 and 840-42 (1855).

Inventory of the Title Deeds of the Barony of Redcastle (1578-1790), known as the ‘Redcastle Writs’, National Archives of Scotland, GD23/10/603.

Part 2 next issue


The 16th April 1746 is a date that stands out on the pages of Scottish and, particularly, Highland history books. This date was to bring with it the sucker-punch that was to destroy the Highland way of life that had existed for centuries and finally finish off the feudal structure of the Clan System. This system had, for years, been on its knees awaiting either a miracle-like cure for its ailments or a cataclysmic end to its slow and painful demise. The date, however, also heralded the beginning of what could be argued as the ‘improved’ modern era in both Scotland and the Highland region, an era that we are still getting to grips with today in some respects. It is for these reasons, amongst many others, perhaps more poetic and romanticised or more academically justified, that great numbers of clans people and re-enactors appear on the boggy muir at Culloden every year to pay homage to ancestors or to respect the events of the past.

This year’s event was no exception to the rule and many people congregated to partake in what became a pleasantly memorable day for all involved. The day began with a gathering in the foyer of the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre, on its official first anniversary weekend, and from there the skirl of pipes led the various groups towards the grave area and Cairn where the mix of colour and dress was a clear indication of pride and compassion for what had happened in that area of the field.

The service and speech were beautifully arranged and delivered. The use of Gaelic was well placed and even those who clearly understood nothing of what was said seemed to follow the proceedings with a great amount of respect. The speech itself was full of well researched reminders of what was happening across

Culloden Battlefield Memorial DaySaturday 18th April 2009

the Highland region during the Jacobite period and that our modern perspectives are all too often created with far too much emphasis on hindsight. With this in mind, the gathering was treated to a beautifully arranged piobreach, and the piper’s use of the Memorial Cairn itself as a sound curtain created the most delightful eeriness which left the congregation mesmerised.

The wreath laying was a great spectacle and went on for some time, as the great number of groups that had attended the event each announced its presence before respectfully laying their wreaths beside the Cairn. This duty was bestowed upon the capable shoulders of Hamish Mackenzie and Ian Blake for the Clan Mackenzie Society and was carried out in fine fashion.

With the proceedings at the Cairn over, the clans and re-enactment groups scattered across the muir to find their own space to remember the events that came to pass on the battlefield itself and the events that were happening all over the Highlands during 1745 and 1746. These were the events which, collectively, created the historical stirring pot that still inspires a huge amount of intrigue in every possible age group. And long may that continue!

Clan members from all over Australia gathered in Albury, on the border of the States of Victoria and New South Wales at the Soldiers, Sailors and Airman’s (SS&A) Club for our 4th National Gathering. All functions and meals were at the Club, where the service and quality of meals and was excellent.

We opened with a Whisky Presentation co-hosted by Alex Berry from Pernod Ricard, Australia and the Scottish Chivas Regal Ambassador, James Buntin, from Bonny Scotland. What a great time everyone had, even those who didn’t drink had a wee nip of whisky and the Presentation by James was outstanding. We all know a lot more about Whisky now. This created a great atmosphere for our opening event that continued throughout the three-day function.

At the Welcome Dinner on Friday night, we caught up with old friends and chatted with new members, which is always fun. Many had travelled long distances, some over 2000 kilometers so it wasn’t a late night. Our own Clan Piper Pat Johnson was a roaming Piper during the various functions at the Gathering.

Saturday is always the highlight, starting with everyone having breakfast together. Genealogy is most popular and our Clan Genealogists were able to assist those researching their family.

A room was set up with Clan and members Genealogy records, which could be searched by those present. Some found family links and others met relatives at the Gathering,

that they hadn’t met before, making it an exciting occasion for them all.The sale of Clan goods trading table opened with great fanfare. It was like

Myer’s Sale on Boxing Day and everything was sold out in a few minutes and people wanted more. The Competition for the function was John Alexander Mackenzie Bear, made by Jo Brennan and her mum Margaret Brennan dressed him in a Mackenzie Tartan Kilt, Jacket, Cap. He was gorgeous and everyone wanted to be able to take him home.

During the afternoon the swirl of the Bagpipes filled the air with the Albury Wodonga Pipes and Drums presentation of our favorite Scottish Songs, complemented by Highland Dancing, in front of a waterfall, certainly touched the heart strings and many shed a tear of joy. Some members remarked that they felt they had been to Scotland for the weekend.

Pre dinner drinks and nibbles were served before the Clan Dinner commenced with the Address to the Haggis and some tasted the Haggis for the first time. After the three course-dinner, we were entertained by the Celtic Larrikins Band, which included a wee Scottish lass, who sang and played the violin. Some joined in the Scottish Country Dancing and a great time was had by all.

We aim for a warm and friendly atmosphere with everyone being welcomed as part of the family of Clan Mackenzie and it works. We are a happy Clan who look forward to our next Gathering.

The Mackenzie Banner was flown with pride throughout the Gathering, and more members are wearing kilts, including some of the younger members, which is great.

Sunday morning breakfast arrived all too soon. Our own Mackenzie Choir under the leadership of Val McKenzie and Jessie McLean closed the Gathering with “Will Ye No Come Back Again” and “Auld Lang Syne.” It was then time to say farewell to until we meet again.

Lorraine McKenzie, Convener.

Australian National Clan Mackenzie Gathering May 2009


New Zealand

It has been a momentus year for the Society in New Zealand. After ten years of fund raising and arranging it was wonderful to be able to welcome the Cabarfeidh to our country in April. At least a third of our members were able to attend one of the events where he could greet them. During his stay with me we had some discussion time and I suggested that it was time to pass the Lieutenants job on to Donald. All hands thought it would be nice to make the job a five year committment and so at our AGM where the Chief was present, I retired and Donald Mckenzie of Greenbush, Fortrose, Invercargill became the new Lieutenant to Cabarfeidh in New Zealand. I will continue with the genealogy at present and will also at least begin to put together a History of the mackenzie’s ibn New Zealand and the Society. The fifteen years that I have been in office in the Society have been wonderful and I have enjoyed the friendship and contacts I have made worldwide. My door will always be open to travelling clansmen. Keep those letters coming please. All good wishes to Donald in his new role.

Sonia Mackenzie, [email protected]

Prior to our Annual Clan gathering in Nelson I was asked by Sonia Mackenzie to accept the position of Lieutenant to Cabarfeidh which I agreed to. It was a great honour to be presented with the Clan Commissioners Certificate by The Cabarfeidh and was something special I will long remember.

I would like to thank Sonia and her late husband Jock for their input into establishing Clan Mackenzie New Zealand. Their dedication and tireless work has been very much appreciated by Clan members.

In May, Ann and I travelled to the Orkney Islands to attend a nieces’ wedding. The weather was perfect, locals very friendly and we very much enjoyed our stay and managed to catch up with Herbert Mackenzie who was our bus driver in 2000.

We returned to Scotland and Inverness to stay with Willie MacRobbie and were taken to the new building at Culloden which is very impressive and The Cabarfiedh gave us a special tour of Castle Leod which we appreciated.

We were invited by Hamish Mackenzie to have lunch with him at Portmahomack and a tour

2009 was a year in “demi teinte”, a rather difficult year with the economical world crisis which was not without some repercussions on our own projects.

It was more difficult to organise different manifestations and also more difficult to recruit new members but it was nonetheless an interesting year, preparing already for the International Gathering in 2010.

We have, of course, honoured our unavoidable annual rendezvous.

Saint Andrew’s and Burns Night dinner dance organised by the Caledonian Society of France as well as the Franco Scottish Festival at Aubignt sur Nère where we, traditionally, hold a Clan Mackenzie information stand. Unfortunately the weather was not very good this year.

This always takes place on the 14 of July which is also the Fête Nationale Française.

We also had a stand at the Luzarches Highland Games, representing the Clan Mackenzie, to the evident delight of many visitors extremely interested by the culture of the Highlands.

Yet another occasion to sell some personalised clan Mackenzie items and thus raise some funds for the association.

One of our members who is a musician has informed us of a rather ambitious programme.

He hopes to form a pipe band which will wear our clan’s colours and could represent us at special events.

Indeed a wonderful project, that we fully support and encourage, but which will be extremely difficult to achieve in France where Scottish music does not hold a very important place and this despite the far distant Celtic origins of some provinces such as Brittany.

We will follow the evolution of this project with benevolence; our best wishes and encouragement accompanies it.

2009 was also the year of the festivities of the Homecoming in Edinburgh, a much publicized event which assembled (those with Scottish connections) (the Scottish Diaspora) from all over the world.

Unfortunately , we were not able to send a delegation as no member of our association informed us of being able to represent us .

We prefer to give preference to our International Clan Gathering in 2010 which, from our point of view, is much more important and which we would not miss for anything in the world.

A small delegation from the clan Mackenzie Society of France are eagerly preparing their participation.

A few more months patience till we meet again our “cousins” from all over the world.

Didier BAULANDPresident & Lieutenant to Cabarfeidh

A momentous year for the New Zealand Society

of some of the heritage sites which were very informative.

Returning to our ancestral roots at Kildonan on Little Loch Broome was a highlight along with making contacts with family members from the surrounding area

Donald McKenzie email info@greenbush.

Cabarfeidh in the middle with retiring NZ Lieutenant Sonia MacKenzie and Newly appointed NZ Lieutenant Donald McKenzie at the NZ AGM in Nelson NZ.

World reports

France


World reports

America

Austria

We’ve participated in over 40 Highland Games or Events during the year and held our election for officers to serve during 2010-2012.

We have also had a very successful sale of Clan MacKenzie Favorite Family Recipes cookbooks. Selling 500 copies and raising approximately $3,800.00 for the Clan MacKenzie Charitable Trust for the Castle Leod restoration project. In September Cabarfeidh sent us a “Thank you” message for our contributions along with his enlightening article on “Running a Castle”.

On December 15th we will announce the winner of the third year of our “new membership” contest. The individual that signed up the most new members during 2009 will receive a beautiful Clan MacKenzie Afghan for their efforts. The current membership roll has the USA Society at approximately 625 members and growing slowly, which is not all bad, as many of our fellow US Clan Societies membership rolls have declined from 20 to 30%.

Vice President for the Southern Region, Col. (Ret) Wayne Morgan and I represented the USA Society at The Gathering in Edinburgh as well as attending the Clan Convention with Carbarfeidh at the Scottish Parliament on Friday, July 24th. We had a great time meeting and greeting fellow MacKenzie’s from around the world. Folks from 13 countries stopped by the MacKenzie tent to say ”Hello” and share their family story with us.

The 2010 International Gathering information has been published in several issues of our newsletter, Tulach Ard, as well as posted on our website and promoted at our games tents. Many are still a little unsure of the economy and we believe

that may be the cause of the delayed responses for attendance to date. We will continue to promote the 2010 event as the “Best MacKenzie Event in Scotland”.

Our Annual General Meeting was held at the Meadow Highland Games and Celtic Festival in Virginia on October 23-25, 2009. While Saturday was a test in keeping dry, we managed to complete our meeting agenda in between heavy downpours. Reports were presented by each Regional Vice President as well as the minutes from last years meeting and the current treasurers report. We also took the opportunity to install Asa Gene McKenzie as the incoming President and Lieutenant to Cabarfeidh for 2010-2012.

Twenty eight Society members and guests gathered for dinner that Saturday night to continue our fellowship. The 2010 AGM is planned for the Loon Mountain Highland Games in mid September 2010.

As I close out my term as President of the USA Society I would like to thank Cabarfeidh and all the International Society leaders for their support and friendship. Debbie and I are looking forward to seeing many of you at the 2010 Gathering in August and trust that you and yours have a wonderful year.

Yours aye!B. Donald McKenzie

As a few friends of mine and I had been interested in Scottish clans for a long time we decided to find a Clan which might accept us as members.

Clan Mackenzie seemed to be such a large family where people who do not enjoy the privilege to have Scottish ancestry are welcome as well and are not regarded as intruders. So I wrote a letter to Cabarfeidh asking him for permission to join Clan Mackenzie.

We were very fortunate when he accepted our request and offered us to set up a Clan society in Austria. As all societies in Austria have to be

registered with the authorities we had to take a few bureaucratic hurdles in order to be finally registered in the official register of societies and associations.

In October 2008 we could hold our inaugural meeting in order to elect the committee and to take some basic decisions. We decided not to grow at any price and to grow gradually into the global family of Clan Mackenzie. We had a few informal meetings during the past year which wasn’t always easy as the members of our society live in different states of Austria.

Our second AGM took place in October 2009 where a message of congratulation was be read out which Cabarfeidh had sent to us previously.

2009 has been a very busy year for the USA Society

We discussed whether it would be possible for us to attend the international gathering in 2010 and planned the next events of our society which will certainly include a talk on Scottish history and a visit to the Innsbruck Christmas Market.


GermanyAustralia

World reports

Greetings to all Mackenzies world wide from the Clan Mackenzie Society of Germany!

Despite the world wide economic crisis, 2009 was very successful for us. We gained a lot of new members, loosing only a few. The new year started with a Burns Supper on 24. January together with our friends from the Clan Alliance followed by our AGM on 21. March. The AGM was very prosperous and it was the starting shot leading us into times of activity! Our Committee has been completed by our new Commissioners John Mackenzie and Dirk Stranowsky. We have lots of ideas for the future and we are sure to make the Clan Mackenzie more famous in Germany. We socialised with many other associations to create a network which gives us the chance to take part in many events. We are going from strength to strenght an we become more popular evey day! As a highlight of the year we held Highland Games together with the Clans MacKay and MacLaren on 27. and 28. June. We had a wonderfull weekend and about 4500 visitors were enthused! Our Clan Tent filled with facts and history of the Clan Mackenzie and Scotland acted as a crowd puller! On 26. September we had a ceremony to manifest our friendship with a Society called “Clan McEL”. They are representing Scottish and Irish culture and traditions in Germany and they are doing it very well! The ceremony took place in Waigolshausen, near Würzburg in Bavaria. The mayor of Waigolshausen joined our ceremony and signed the document! We have found true friends to foster the Highland Spirit in Germany! The Clan Mackenzie Society of Germany is planning lots of activities for 2010. For the first time we will take part in the “Peine Gathering”, one of Germanys most popular Scottish Events! We will run a Mackenzie Clan Tent and everyone attending the Gathering is invited to visit us. We are planning to run our Clan Tent at the British Days in Hamburg, too. We will also continue to promote the 2010 International Gathering of the Clan Mackenzie. I am sure that you will see a German delegation at the Clan Parade!

I hope that all of you will have a prosperous and happy 2010!

Looking forward to seeing you in Strathpeffer!

Markus Kewitz, President

Greetings to all Mackenzies/McKenzies world wide, from a hot and dry Geelong in Victoria Australia. We have had an extremely dry year for the twelfth year in a row and already the temperature in late spring is more than 35 Celsius. This follows last summer’s tragic fires on Black Saturday February 7 when thousands of homes were lost 172 people were killed and property damage was enormous. The temperature on that day reached 48 Celsius-almost 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

0ur Clan Mackenzie Society in Australia continues to thrive. This year in May we held our National Gathering at Albury New South Wales where more than 130 members, friends and families attended from all over the country for a 4 day fun filled time. The convener and organiser was Lorraine McKenzie my wife who, .along with a band of helpers produced a great event. See an attached report on the gathering

Ron and Helen Mackenzie from Sydney have retired from their position as editors of our quarterly magazine Tulach Ard after 15 years of professional and dedicated service. Both were made life members of our society at our recent A.G M. Rosemary McKenzie from Canberra has accepted the task of our new editor. Many thanks, to Rosemary for volunteering to take on this important position.

Quite recently we lost one of our long serving

members and original piper for our National Gatherings; Howard McKenzie. I had known Howard since I was a school boy in Dimboola and I, like many others, admired his piping and his contribution to our society and all things “McKenzie” To Dawn, his

widow, and his three daughters and their families, we offer our grateful thanks and our deepest sympathy.

We now have about 250 members including 22 new members at our Albury Gathering. Our committee is hard working with many long serving members of our executive. Best wishes to all Clan Mackenzie Societies especially the newer ones in France, Germany and Scandinavia. To Hamish Mackenzie and all members of his committee and Cabarfeidh and family in Strathpeffer we also send good wishes. To Sonia Mackenzie from N.Z who has retired as N.Z. Commissioner, myself, Lorraine, and all of our members say many thanks for a job well done over a long number of years. Unfortunately, Lorraine and I won’t be able to attend next year’s International Gathering, but we will to be represented by some of our members and hope it is a great success.

Ian McKenzie

NorwayNorway

Since its inception in July 2008, the Clan Mackenzie Society of Norway has gone from strength to strength, and now has approximately 60 members.

The society hosted the fourth Snefjord Highland Gathering in 2009.

The Snefjord Highland Gathering is an event run over 4 – 5 days and is always over the first weekend in July. It features highland games, art, lectures, exhibitions, theatre, sports, games, concerts, ceilidh and much more for all the family to enjoy.

The Children’s Highland Games was introduced for the first time and it proved to be a great hit with the children and youngsters of the Association with events like Longbow shooting, throwing a spear, rock hurling (Braemar stone) and tossing the caber – with a

caber of suitable proportions for the youngsters!! The Tug O’ War proved an ever popular crowd

pleaser and has become a major event at the Snefjord Highland Games.

The traditional ceilidh followed the prize giving in true traditional manner with the march of all competitors and dignitaries to the music of the bagpipes, followed by an evening of music and dancing.

The Snefjord Highland Gathering 2010 will this year celebrate its 5th anniversary and a warm welcome will be extended to all participants – visitors and competitors alike! The event will take place from 30th June to 3rd July 2010. For

more information on the Clan MacKenzie Society of Norway, visit us online at www. mackenzie.freevar.com.

Greeting from Australia

Greeting from Norway


CharlesCharlesonClunesCluniesCrossIverachIversonIvoryKennethKennethsonKinnach

Septs of the Clan MackenzieDo you recognise a name here? Your name, mother’s name, grandmother’s name or even the mother-in-law? If so, you too could be entitled to join The Clan Mackenzie Society.

KynochMacaweeneyMacBeolainMacBeathMacBethMacConnachMacCureMaceurMacIverMacIvorMacKenna

MacKenneyMacKerlichMacKinnaMacKinneyMacKinnieMacLeayMacMurchieMacMurchyMacQueenieMacThearliachMacVanish

MacVennieMacVinishMacVinnieMacWeenyMacWhinnieMakiverMurchieMurchisonSmartTuach

Hereditary Chief, ex. OfficioThe Earl of CromartieCastle Leod StrathpefferRoss-shire IV149AA

PresidentHamish Mackenzie, O.B.E. Firthview Main StreetPortmahomackRoss-shire IV20 1YS

Past PresidentDr Ian M BlakeBlair CottageAultgrishan, MelvaigGairlochWester Ross IV21 2DG

Hon. Vice PresidentLady Julia MackenzieTigh na FraochCraigtonCullicuddenDingwallRoss-shire IV7 8LL

Officers of the Committee

Members of the Committee

Executive ChairmanDr Ian M BlakeBlair CottageAultgrishan, MelvaigGairlochWester Ross IV21 2DG

Vice Chairman & GenealogistGraeme Mackenzie24 Rangemore RoadInverness IV3 5EA

Roderick BalfourTorran GormCantrayCroyInvernessIV2 5PS

Donnaie MackenzieTigh na H’athDulnain Bridgeby Grantown on SpeyMorayshirePH26 3NU

Honorary SecretarySusan WeinmannThe GrangeClachan RoadArdersierInverness IV2 7SSTel: 01667 462072

Membership SecretaryBrian M Mackenzie - Usill149 Hummersknott Avenue,Darlington DL5 8RLTel: 01325 355979


Our annual remembrance of Roderick Mackenzie at his graveside in Glen Moriston took place on July the 11th.

It was a small group this year. The Leitch family, direct descendants, complete with piper; Jenny Mackenzie from Fort Augustus who, year after year ensures the grave and the riverbank (where we have the memorial bench to her daughter Sasha, late Clan harpist); John Mackenzie from the Borders; John Graham and I stood for the piped tribute and poured the traditional dram at the stone which marks Roderick’s interment. We were blessed by a fine day and, miraculously no midges – which were far less prevalent in the Highlands this year.)

Greatly to our dismay and indignation, the 19th Century monument on the other side of the road was almost invisible and the railed path to it virtually impenetrable. This was a great disappointment. Nellie had written several letters over the past three years. There had been had an article about her concern in the Press and Journal in 2007 which I had followed up in December 2008 with a letter reminding the paper that still nothing had occurred. We had then been led to believe that the authorities were taking the matter in hand. Finally Nellie had written to Holyrood and the First Minister. This finally produced some sluggish movement from Historic Scotland but not until after our visit. They telephoned to ask me about the monument and I was not even sure they knew where it was!

It therefore gave me great pleasure to be able to

The Roderick Mackenzie Commemoration 2009

say ay that no thanks to them the matter had been resolved and that thanks to the good offices of one our members, namely John Graham who had prevailed upon the Probation Service to do what should have been done years before. I was able to send them pictures showing the transformation. We hope that from now on the Highways Authority will keep it vegetation free and that perhaps Historic Scotland will effect some repairs; the stonework has suffered root-damage. Perhaps by the time of the Gathering this too will have happened. (It is

from near here that if the projected expedition to Prince Charlie’s Cave takes place, the helicopter will uplift the participants.)

I find it significant that no official body bothered to stir its stumps to tidy up a memorial to one of the most memorable and romantic sacrifices of the ‘Forty-five, even for their much vaunted Homecoming Year – during which The New Culloden Centre was opened with great ballyhoo and carefully selected highhiedjins mainly from outwith the Highlands on the anniversary of the last battle on British soil. The general public were not even permitted to stand outside the building and hear those in the admittedly restricted reception area speechify (congratulate themselves?) How ironic therefore that the first exhibit to greet the eye is a battered set of bagpipes recovered on Drumossie Moor in the immediate aftermath of the defeat: its dusty faded tartan is Mackenzie. Perish the thought that those running our historic institutions are Hanoverians at heart!

IMB Nov 09

After the area was clearedBefore the area was cleared


Alexander Mackenzie, better known as ‘Black Sandy’ or Aly-Dubh is legendary to Strathglass, being one of the, - if not THE last – of the drovers in the area.

He was born in 1843 and died on 26 October 1932, aged 89 year. I remember him as a very old man with a white, flowing beard, stained brown in places from drinking strong tea. He was retired in a neatly thatched cottage, and in the 1920s I used to take him a flagon of milk on my way to school.

In later years I worked along with his sons and I learned much about their father and the many stories that he had passed on to them.

Sandy, a native of Gairloch on the west coast, came to Strathglass as a young man. He worked for a while at the bobbin-mill near Fasnakyle. While there he courted a girl from Glenurquhart, they eventually got married, and went to live at the far west end of Glen Cannich. The ruin of their house is still visible today and the place is still called Allt-cam after the twisting burn beside it.

There were several families living in that area amongst very steep, green hills, where cattle and sheep grazed well in the summer months; but in winter the grazing became scarcer and the surplus animals had to be sold off.

This is where Sandy came in, taking the cattle and sheep to the trysts in the south to be sold. At that time there were many small townships and crofts throughout the north and west in remote glens and green straths; each household would have about thirty small, hardy, black cattle and as many sheep. The animals to be sold would be gathered at certain places for the drovers to collect.

The drovers usually chose the shortest routes through the hills. They were very hardy men accustomed to scanty fare, so they would travel many miles without much nourishment. The heavy homespun tweeds they wore smelt of peat smoke and heather, and if they has to spend a night in the open, they had a rough tweed plaid to put over the tweeds and this, along with a dram from their flask, helped to keep the warm.

As I worked the greater part of my life amongst the hills where ‘Black Sandy’

lived, and travelled them many times myself at deer stalking and shepherding, I am going to roll back the years – and in my imagination accompany him with his drove …..

It is an autumn day, the clear blue morning sky has a crimson glow in the east, where the rising sun has kindled a fire. There is a stillness and a freshness in the morning air, the silence disturbed only by a cock crowing in a nearby shed. Sandy comes out of his small cottage with two black collies following at his heel.

He is a stalwart young man with a spring in his step, a pipe in his bearded mouth, filled with bogey-roll tobacco, and on his back, a small bag containing oatmeal, cheese, bannocks and a flask of whisky. He also carries a tweed plaid over his shoulder. He has a long, very black, flowing beard – hence his by name of ‘Black Sandy’.

His drove rounded up with the help of his collies, it is headed for Gleann-a-Choilich (Glen of rapid burns). The six mile long glen is flanked by lofty hills, Carn-Eige (3 877ft) and Mam-Sodhail (3 862 ft) being the highest. The hill slopes are very steep, with an abundance of good summer grazing. The main stream winds its way through this wild romantic glen, joined by many side burns, which rush down the slopes in wet weather.

Today, however the weather is fine as Sandy moves his drove slowly along the east side of the stream, wher the ground is fairly level, giving them time to eat as they go. It is a brilliant day, with the sun glieteningon distant rock faces, sunshine and moving shadows on the hill sides, from where comes the roaring of rutting stags. The fragrance of the peat-bogs is in the air, as the drove churn up peat with their feet, and overhead, a Golden Eagle wheels, looking for its breakfast with its far seeing eye.

It is very slow work so the drover has plenty time to enjoy the wild, majestic scenery, the changeless yet ever changing hills. He knows every rock-face, waterfall, burn, lochan, boulder filled corrie and bealach, all of which have a

My Yester Years

By Duncan MacLennanTaken from chapter 5 ‘Black Sandy’

in Glen Affaric


memory for him. Away in the distance to the right, Squrr-nan-Ceathream (the hill of quarters)

commands the head of this great glen, its pointed peak very clear reaching into the blue sky. Four estates have their boundaries on this hill – hence its name.

The drove is now nearing the end of Gleann-a-Choilich, with the bealach in sight. This is the lowest point on the route between Glen Cannich and Glen Affaric. A zigzag path leads fairly steeply up, and the collies are at their best here, getting the drove to move in single file along the narrow path. Once a leader heads on, the others follow; it is a very slow process and cannot be hurried.

Once over the bealach, they are into Glen Affaric, and a good track leads down into the main Glen where the River Affaric meanders through lush green meadows. Blue plumes of smoke can be seen coming from cottages alongside the river, filling the evening air with the aroma of peat.

By this time the day is well spent. The scarlet drapery of the western hills is fading, as the sun sinks lower, and the outlines of the hills darken, As Sandy and the tiring drove arrive at a large meadow with a cottage nearby.

In this cottage, known as ‘Old Colan’ (the hill above called ‘The Colan’), lives a bard, who makes Sandy welcome, and while he rests, the drove is glad to rest too, on the green meadow.

The Cottage is the only ruin in the Glen that has rounded corners, very cleverly constructed and the four walls are still standing today. The story goes that the bard lost all his black cattle in a snow storm, and that he made a sad song about his loss and then left the glen.

After a good night’s rest in the bard’s hospitable home, Sandy is ready to move on again with his drove. He heads eastward along the north side of the River Affaric, crosses the river at a ford near Athnamulloch and follows a track on the south side of Loch Affaric for a distance of about six miles. Then

he leaves the lochside and takes a track through Knockfin to Guisachan, from where he crosses the hill into Glenmoriston and heads on the rest of his long, weary way south …

‘Black Sandy’ and his family had to leave their home at the west end of Glen Cannich after a cloud burst on the hill above. The burn came down in spate, swept through their cottage and they all had to climb out of a window. They moved down the glen to a cottage with a small croft near Fasnakyle. He got work on the Fasnakyle Forest, along with my father, helping with the cattle and

sheep and looking after a kennel of pointers.He was employed by Colonel Clarke, who had a long lease

from the Chisholm Estate of Fasnakyle Forest and grazings. When Sandy retired in 1920 at the age of

seventy seven, Colonel Clarke gave him a pension of ten shillings a week.

I have a notebook of my father’s stating that ‘Black Sandy’ drove eighteen highland

cattle from Beauly Station to Fasnakyle, a distance of thirty five miles. He would have been seventy years old then.

‘Black Sandy’s’ cottage near Fasnakyle was also beside a burn and he called it ‘Burnside Cottage’. In his time it had a thatched roof. In later years, when his son Willie retired to it, he put a

corrugated tin roof on it. It still stands today, but the windows and dorr are

gone, and sheep seek shelter in it.At the head of Glen Cannich, there is just

a heap of stones to show where the house was that Sandy once called home. On many

occasions, after his trek South with his drove and his long walk home, his humble cottage in the

remote hills must have been a very welcome sight to him. I imagine him on his return, resting with his feet up, smoking

his pipe, with his family around him listening to his stories, as the quietly burning peat fire cast moving shadows on the walls helping a candle light up the room. What a contrast to the sitting room of today with its electric light, central heating and noisy, antisocial television set in the corner.

At the 2005 Gathering, I had the pleasure of taking a beginning class in Scottish Gaelic, a native language of Great Britain. The different clans have very different roots. Some, like the Bruces are of Norman origin. The Mackenzies trace their roots to Gaelic stock, and so have an inherent interest in Scottish Gaelic. Scottish Gaelic is one of a number of modern Celtic languages spoken currently or in recent history in Celtic Britain. Others include Cornish, Irish, Welsh, and Manx. As historical linguists reconstruct the picture, the original single language that they all stem from, Proto-Celtic, is a descendant of an earlier language, Proto-Indo-European, spoken in the vicinity of the Black Sea around 6000 BC. As groups of speakers of this language migrated to other parts of the world, their language evolved into other languages including Proto-Germanic, Proto-Romance, Proto-Persian (yes!), Proto-Slavic, and Proto-Hellenic, among others. The Celts were the earliest or one of the earliest IE

A Brief Sketch of Scottish Gaelicgroups to migrate, as indicated by the fact that their languages occupy the western-most fringe of the western-migrating Indo- Europeans. Into Roman times, Celtic language varieties were spoken in what is now Germany, Spain, Northern Italy, and France (the Gauls). As the Germanic invasion of the British Isles progressed and the Romans withdrew, the Celts were pushed to the fringes of the Isles, a fact reflected in the current distribution of these languages in Britain and Ireland.

One way in which languages have been classified is

according to how they position the major elements of a sentence, the subject (S), verb (V), and object (O). Languages such as English are fundamentally SVO (‘Mary saw Bill’), the normal order of the parts of a simple English sentence. Languages such as Spanish and Ukrainian share this basic order.

Other languages such as Japanese, Quechua (a native language of South America spoken by the Incas), and Apache (a North American native language) are SOV (‘verb-last’). The Celtic languages are VSO— ‘verb-first’. They share this basic ordering with other languages such as Arabic and Hebrew, though there is no historical relationship of Celtic to either of these.

Scottish Gaelic is pretty tough to learn to read, because, like English spelling, the pronunciation has deviated from the retained older spellings significantly. Just as English words like ‘knight’,

‘rough’, and ‘through’ are spelled in accordance with much older pronunciations and spelling traditions, Scottish Gaelic pronunciations also show a shift away from what were more phonetically true spellings, as in the

inset examples:Should you wish to rise to the challenge, the study

of a language such as Scottish Gaelic is a rich and rewarding experience, one made all the richer for its historical ties to the Clan.

1 http://scotgaelic.tripod.com/phrases.html

“Bha e brèagha an-de.” (Vah eh BREE-uh un-DJEH) “It was beautiful yesterday.”“Dè an t-ainm a tha oirbh?” ( Jeh un TAH-num uh HAW-ruv?) What’s your name?“Chan eil fhios agam.” (CHAHN-yel iss AH-kum) “I don’t know.”1

Nick Sobin


DUNDONNELL OF THE MACKENZIESDundonnell is a former Mackenzie estate situated along the rugged western coast of Scotland, north of Skye. This illustrated study of the estate throws light on the fascinating history of this corner of highland Scotland and will be enjoyed by all those keen to know more about its special past · ISBN-10: 186077461X · ISBN-13: 978-1860774614

CASTLES OF THE CLANSBy Martin Coventry. Published in 2008 by Goblinhead.ISBN 978-1-89987-436-1.Despite its large format size, this is not so much specifically a coffee-table book but is more a superbly detailed reference volume (640 pages), with line drawings throughout rather than colour illustrations. The book is arranged alphabetically by clan or family name and includes all the major clans as well as hundreds of smaller landowning families, listing all associated ancient strongholds, castles, tower houses and fortified houses under each name; also under each entry is a small map indicating clan territories and main seats etc, along with locations, current ownership and whether the place can be visited or stayed at, plus relevant websites and contact information. A superb reference book for anyone with an interest in Scottish clans and their castles! Order from any good bookshop or online.

POCKET SCOTTISH HISTORYEdited by Dr James Mackay. Published in 2008 by Lomond Books.ISBN 978-1-84204-043-0350 pages and packed with colour illustrations, this thick but very handy-sized book is ideal when you want to read a quick few concise paragraphs on any event or person from Scottish history but don’t need in the first instance to wade through chapters of bigger volumes and can’t face the Google trawl of half a million website pages in descending order of useful/lessness(!). Extremely well-suited to short-burst reading, this title makes a particularly good bedside book telling you all sorts of things you never knew and reminding you of the rest. Order from any good bookshop or online.

TARTANSby Brian Wilton. Published in 2007 by Aurum Press.ISBN 978-1-84513-098-5Written by the director of the Scottish Tartans Authority, this is a superb, 200-page coffee-table book which showcases more than 400 tartans, explaining how they were created, what they mean and when and by whom they are worn. Alongside the classic Scottish tartans are many other examples from across the world, from Argentina to the Detroit police, all accompanied by facts and stories about tartan past and present and the many remarkable characters who have worn it, inspired it and designed it. Included occasionally throughout the book are invaluable, half-page contributions of historical insight written by the late Jamie Scarlett, who was well-known to many Clan Mackenzie Society members. Order from any good bookshop or online.

COMPLETE BOOK OF TARTANby Iain Zaczek and Charles Phillips. Published in 2005 by Anness.ISBN 978-1-84477-347-3Another superb coffee-table book (250 pages) packed with colour illustrations and detailing over 400 tartans but slightly differing from the afore-mentioned title in that this book offers a superb, very accessible, well-illustrated ‘preface’ to the whole story of tartan and its indelible link to the history of the Scottish

Highlands and the clan system. Highly recommended for the serious tartan fan who wants a tartan reference book but also an extremely well-written concise history of tartan and the clan system put in its overall historical context. Order from any good bookshop or online.

MY YESTER YEARS IN GLEN AFFRIC By Duncan MaclennanThis is an intriguing privately published and limited edition book about Duncan Maclennan, a man who spent his whole life, man and boy, with the deer and game of Glen Affric. Son of the stalker, he stepped into his father’s shoes and re-tells the recent history of that marvellous area. Of particular interest to Mackenzies is chapter five which tells the story of “Black Sandy”, otherwise known as Alexander Mackenzie, possibly the last drover in Scotland. Available from Morrisons Ironmongers, Beauly

WILLIAM MACKENZIE INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY BUILDER AND CIVIL ENGINEER by David Brooke This book results from the discovery, in 1988, of a huge and unsuspected collection of documents relating to the activities of William Mackenzie, one of the most prolific of mid 19th century building contractors. Restoration and cataloguing by the Institute of Civil Engineers revealed a

rich archive covering Mackenzie’s work chiefly in Britain and France, but also in Ireland, Belgium and Spain. Published by the Newcomen Society (2004), price £28.50 order from [email protected]

THE DIARY OF WILLIAM MACKENZIEedited by David BrookeISBN: 9780727728302History has not been kind to the memory of William Mackenzie. While the names of Telford and Stephenson continue to be well known today, that of William Mackenzie, one of the most important figures in the engineering world during the first half of the nineteenth century, has slipped from prominence.The Institution of Civil Engineers has now published The Diary of William Mackenzie, a fascinating new book which presents a unique record of this important figure and also of the Victorian world in which he lived.Published by Thomas Telford Ltd. www.thomastelford.com

WAITING FOR GINGER ROGERS AT LOCH OICHby Ian Blake2007, ISSN 1460-681X (W1) diehard, £3.00 Published by The Callander Press, 91-93 Main Street, Callander, Scotland. FK17 8BQ. www.poetryscotland.co.uk

REDCASTLE, A PLACE IN SCOTLAND’S HISTORYBy Graham Clark, Published 2009 Athena PressISDN 978-1-84748-563-2 This book is a fascinating and, at times, extraordinary history of a remarkable part of Scotland, based on a collation of primary source documents and other records relating to Redcastle. A place rich in history from the dangerously unpredictable Kenneth Mackenzie to the gentle reverends who tended the people who lived there. Over two hundred years of Mackenzie history liberally endowed with murder, mayhem and debauchery. In 1564 Redcastle was given by Mary, Queen of Scots, to her first husband, and in its latter days had connections to the Slave Trade. That is just a fraction of the history from motte to ruin that is contained in this book.

Books for sale


BOOKS FOR SALE FROM THE CLAN SOCIETY (see page 32 for how to order)

THE MACKENZIES OF SCATWELL, THEIR RISE AND FALL by Evelyn Mackenzie of ScatwellThis is a private book written by Evelyn Mackenzie finished in 1940 but never published. A few notes were added over the following twelve years. George Jackson inherited it from his aunt Norah Mackenzie in 1983 and has since scanned it onto disc and edited it. We now have copies available on CD. It has never been published in book form.£12 each. Contact the Secretary.

THE CLAN MACKENZIE by Jean Dunlop, £4 each. Please add P&P per book: UK 50p, Europe £1, Rest of World £1.70.

KILCOY CASTLE A Short History by Hugh Courtney & Anne Robinson, £11 each. Please add P&P per book: UK 95p, Europe £1.90, Rest of World £2.80.

KINKELL The Reconstruction Of A Scottish Castle by Gerald Laing, £15 each. Please add P&P per book: UK £3, Europe £8, Rest of World £9.

THE HISTORY OF UDRIGLE HOUSE by Roy Wentworth, £6.50 each. Please add P&P per book: UK 90p, Europe £1.70, Rest of World £2.80.

ACHGARVE, THE HISTORY OF A WEST HIGHLAND CROFTING COMMUNITY by William MacRobbie, £12 each. Please add P&P per book: UK £1.90p, Europe £3.30, Rest of World £6.20.

GRUINARD AND LETTEREWE, THE LAIRDS AND THE CLEARANCES

by William MacRobbie, £7 each. Please add P&P per book: UK £1, Europe £2.10, Rest of World £3.70.

DISCOVERING YOUR FAMILY TREE by David Iredale and John Barrett, £6.99 each. Please add P&P per book: UK £1.60p, Europe £2.60, Rest of World £4.60.

GRAVESTONES IN THE OLD CEMETERY, LAIDE (A Listing of Stone Inscriptions, plus disk of pictures of stones) by William MacRobbie, £7 each. Please add P&P per book: UK £1, Europe £2.10, Rest of World £3.70.

UNDERSTANDING TARTAN by James D. Scarlett, £4 each. Please add P&P per book: UK 70p, Europe £1.20, Rest of World £1.70.

“TYPICALLY NEW ZEALAND” RECIPE BOOK £3.90 each, booklet produced by the Clan Mackenzie Society of New Zealand. Please add P&P per booklet: UK 70p, Rest of World £1.30.

THE BRAHAN SEER TRAILcolour- illustrated 16-page booklet, £2 each. P&P FREE but please note this is not available as a lone item but can be ordered at the same time as any other book/s above. Thank you.

Please note this is only a basic list. Full order forms for all goods, with descriptions, sizes etc can be obtained from the address at the end of this listing or the Membership Secretary; or you can view and print out forms from our website www.clan mackenzie.org.uk, where there are also many colour pictures. Please note that all overseas orders are sent by AIR MAIL (unless an optional Surface Mail price is quoted), and most items are held in stock, though do please allow for occasional re-stocking delays of some items. Thank you.

TARTAN TIES AND SCARVES - made in Scotland from finest worsted wool. Four principal Mackenzie variations available: Modern (Seaforth), Dress, Ancient, and Weathered.TIES, £13 each. P&P FREE in the U.K., please add flat rate for overseas P&P no matter how many ties ordered: Europe £1.50, Rest of World £2.SCARVES, £22 each. P&P FREE in the U.K., please add flat rate for overseas P&P no matter how many scarves ordered: Europe £2, Rest of World £3.

CLAN MACKENZIE CLAN CRESTS(All items available in 3 Mackenzie designs: Burning Beacons, Stag’s Head, and Society shield.)

MOUNTED CLAN CREST / SHIELD, £39 each. Please add P&P per item: UK £3.60, Europe £5.20, Rest of World £9.60.

Goods for sale 2010Worldwide mail order direct from Scotland

FRAMED CLAN CREST / SHIELD, £39 each. Please add P&P per item: UK £3.60, Europe £5.20, Rest of World £9.60.

CLEAR ACRYLIC COASTERS: Please note coasters are ONLY SOLD IN SETS OF THREE at £6 for each set (a “mixed” set

comprises one of each design). Please add P&P per set: UK £1.50, Europe £2.50, Rest of World £4.

PLASTIC FRIDGE MAGNETS, £2.50 each. Please add P&P per magnet: UK 80p, Europe £1, Rest/World £2.

LEATHER-BACKED KEYRINGS, £3.50 each. P&P free if ordered with other items but ONLY SOLD IN SETS OF THREE IF ORDERED ALONE (a “mixed” set

comprises one of each design). For sets of three ordered alone, please add P&P per set: UK 80p, Europe £1, Rest of World £2.

CLEAR PLASTIC KEYRINGS, £2 each. P&P same as above for leather-backed keyrings.

ENAMEL-PAINTED METAL LAPEL BADGES, £2 each. (N.B. Please note that Stag’s head lapel badge is rectangular, not strap-and-buckle.) P&P same as leather-backed keyrings.


NEW PRODUCTS FOR SALE

Hamish Teddy Bear – Mackenzie £17.95 Bella Bear – Mackenzie £19.99MacMeerkat £15.00Tartan Cufflinks – Mackenzie £13.00Silk Cummerbund Set – Mackenzie £55.95Tartan and Velvet Hat – Mackenzie £55.00Earings – Mackenzie £11.50Feather Stick Pin – Mackenzie £13.95Lapel Pin – Mackenzie £12.00Scrunchies – Mackenzie £ 7.99Keyring Dog – Mackenzie Tartan £ 4.90“Luceo Non Uro” Necklace £15.95Inverlochy Ice Block 3.5” – Mackenzie £18.82Chairn Bhrain Rock Tablet – Mackenzie £48.18Maps and Books(general)Clans and Tartans £4.99Scottish Cookery £4.99Clans and Tartans Map £5.99Clan and Family Names £5.99

Above items postage and packaging UK/Europe £2Rest of world £5

OTHER GOODS

HAND-PAINTED MACKENZIE-THEMED SILK SCARF, £45 each. Scarves are individually hand-drawn and painted on smooth, lightweight silk; two designs available, both with Luceo Non Uro “burning beacons” Clan Mackenzie crest: see website for pictures. Please add P&P per scarf: UK £3, Europe £6, Rest of World £8.

CD “SONGS FOR CELTIC HARP”, £10 each. Superb collection of songs and tunes performed by the late Sasha MacKenzie on the clarsach. Please add P&P per CD: UK £1.50, Europe £2, Rest of World £3.

VIDEO (45 minutes long), £16 each, including many scenes from the first-ever Clan Mackenzie Parliament 1995 boasts historical background on the Clan and an interview with the Clan Chief. Please add P&P per video: UK £2, Europe £3, Rest of World £4.50.

BACK-NUMBERS OF THE SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MAGAZINES, £5 each. See index for articles contained in specific back-numbers. Availability

varies, so please forward an enquiry or request an order form (or print one out from our website) before ordering. Thank you.

MAGAZINE BINDERS, £5.50 each. Each ‘leather look’, dark red binder holds 8 magazines. Please add P&P per binder: UK £1.20, Europe £3, Rest of World (Air Mail) £4.90, (Surface) £2.50.

GENEALOGICAL HISTORY

CLAN MACKENZIE FAMILY TREE, £3.70 each. Photocopy showing the Clan Chief and all major cadet families from the 13th Century to the present day. Please add P&P per tree: UK £1.60, Europe £3.50, Rest of World £4.

FINDON TABLES. Good quality photocopies of these famous and unique genealogical charts published by Major James D. Mackenzie of Findon in 1879, available singly or as a set, along with an accompanying handbook. Also available is an enormous, updated version of the Gruinard Findon Table. Please request an order form (or print one out from our website) before ordering any of these items. Thank you.

Payment by CREDIT CARD (VISA or MASTERCARD) or by DEBIT CARD (MAESTRO INT, VISA DELTA, DEBIT MASTERCARD, ELECTRON, MAESTRO DOM, SOLO, JCB) is welcome. Also, a £ STERLING CHEQUE, £ STERLING POSTAL ORDER or £ STERLING INTERNATIONAL MONEY ORDER is welcome as an alternative (made payable to Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland & The UK).

Please note orders can only actually be received by us in the post (not placed on our website, and please do not use e mail to send your credit/debit card details). Orders placed by letter without an order form are welcome, but please make sure all relevant details are included of different designs, colours etc as well as postage and packing added. Include an e mail address if possible, as this can help to sort out queries quickly. (N.B. If writing a letter with your credit card details, please remember we cannot process payment without the “security code” from the signature strip of your card. For some Debit Cards, we will require the issue number. Thank you.)

Please send orders, enquiries, and requests for full, detailed order forms to: Mark Courtney, Clan Mackenzie Society of Scotland & The U.K., Soilsean, Tomatin, by INVERNESS, Scotland, United Kingdom, IV13 7XY.

PAYMENT

clan mackenzie magazine2010

Documents

howard mackenzie

gathering report

north american society

chairman ian blake

post of chairman

vice chairman

world reports america

new zealand