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The senior Fraser line is descended from Sir Alexander Fraser, who took
part in the victory at Bannockburn in 1314, was appointed Chamberlain of
Scotland in 1319, and whose seal appears on the letter dated 6th
April 1320 to Pope John XXII, seeking recognition of the country’s
political independence under the kingship of Robert Bruce, which became
known as the Declaration of Arbroath. Sir Alexander Fraser (k. 1332
at Dupplin), by his wife, Lady Mary Bruce, was progenitor of the Frasers
of Philorth, Lords Saltoun. His descendant, Alexander Arthur Fraser now 20th
Lord Saltoun (1886-1979), was succeeded as Chief of Clan Fraser by his
daughter, Flora Marjory Fraser 21st Lady Saltoun.
Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland (1994) offers the following explanation
of Scotland’s early tribal organisation:
“Each social system borrowed from the other so that, in Professor T.C.
Smout’s definition, Highland Society was based on kinship modified by
feudalism and Lowland society was based on feudalism tempered by kinship.
The difference is most clearly shown by the feudal insistence on
succession by the eldest son as opposed to the ancient Dalriadic system of
tanistry; amongst the clans the latter continued to be invoked long after
general acceptance of primogeniture, thus affecting both Highland heraldry
and ‘official’ chiefly pedigrees. Historians, though, are cautious about
juxtaposing a national ‘clan system’ with the feudal system since this
would suppose an ethnic homogeneity which history emphatically denies.
Dalriadic Scots, later Irish, Picts, Britons, Norsemen and English all
held sway at different times and, along with Normans and Flemings, are
represented in the progenitors of the various clans. Thus, the Grants and
the Frasers are among those of Norman origin, while the Sutherlands and
the Murrays are among those of Flemish origin…”
Clan Fraser, A history celebrating over 800 years of the Family in
Scotland, by Flora Marjory Fraser (Edinburgh: Scottish Cultural Press,
1997), provides a simple explanation for the confusion as to the relative
positions of Lady Saltoun and Lord Lovat.
“People who are of Fraser blood are her kin. But Lord Lovat, who is
descended from a younger brother of Sir Alexander Fraser, the Chamberlain,
is Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat, and many of the names associated with
Clan Fraser, such as Sim and MacKimmie probably owe their allegiance in
the first instance to him rather than to her, particularly if they are
descended from boll o’ meal Frasers, that is, people of other names
who took the name of Fraser in return for land and food given to them by
Lord Lovat. But then they or their descendants must, in many cases, have
married people who were Frasers by blood.”
We are indebted to our Chief, The Lady Saltoun, for sharing her collection
of photos from the Montreal St Andrew’s Ball in 1961 when she and her late
husband, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, were guests of honour. [Captain
Ramsay, who was born at Clarence House 21 Dec 1919, died 20 Dec 2000, one
day before his 81st birthday.]
By coincidence, the president of the Montreal St Andrew’s Society was J.
Alasdair Fraser (1914-1988), which no doubt added to their enjoyment of
the occasion. The ladies will appreciate the comparison between the
formality of men in white tie and tails in 1961 and the event celebrated
40 years later when many of the men wore the kilt. [The Guests of Honour
at the Montreal St Andrew’s Ball in November 2001 were John and Pattie
Cleghorn, and John, by coincidence or design, wore the Ancient Hunting
Fraser tartan in honour of his grandmother who was a Fraser.]
Scotland’s Day Celebrated [The Gazette,
Saturday, November 25, 1961]
[Click on picture to get larger copy]
Attending
Among those attending were: The Hon. Mrs. Alexander Ramsay, in a Worth
gown of pale blue silk embroidered with diamante and chenille, and wearing
a diamond and blue topaz tiara, and a sash of Ramsay tartan;
Mrs. J. Alasdair Fraser, wearing a sheath gown of ivory and gold Indian
brocade, and a sash of Ancient Fraser tartan;
Mrs. J.F. Macfarlane, gowned in Italian antique gold brocade, having a
fitted bodice and a sheath skirt fashioned with back fullness, falling
into a slight train, and wearing a sash of Macfarlane tartan;
Mrs. Keith Hutchison, O.B.E., in a Norman Hartnell model of yellow matte
jersey, and wearing a sash of MacDonald tartan;
Mrs. Alexander Archibald in a gown of silver lame, having a softly draped
bodice and a skirt with back fullness, and wearing matching accessories,
and a sash of Rose tartan;
Mrs. W.C. Leggat, gowned in indigo blue satin, having a fitted bodice and
a sheath skirt, fashioned with a bow at the back falling into a slight
train, and wearing a sash of Wallace tartan;
Mrs. Robert S. Aiken, wearing a gown of cream and gold satin brocade,
having a fitted bodice and a sheath skirt, and wearing matching
accessories, and a sash of MacGregor tartan.
Mrs. A. Norton Francis, in a gown of French silk brocade in shades of elf
green and Jamaica yellow on a cream background overlaid with gold, and
having a flowing panel;
Mrs. Alexander Hutchison, gowned in blue poult de soie, having a fitted
bodice and a full skirt caught at the back with a bustle, and weaning a
sash of MacDonald tartan;
Mrs. C.J.G. Molson, wearing a gown with a fitted velvet bodice, and a
bouffant skirt of pink satin overlaid with tiers of black and blue net
caught at the back by a large velvet bow, and wearing a sash of Davidson
tartan;
Mrs. W.K.G. Savage, in a gown of emerald green satin, having a fitted
bodice and a slim skirt fashioned with back fullness;
Mrs. J.W. Knox, gowned in rose and green printed taffeta;
Mrs. N.C.D. Mactaggart, in a sheath gown of green and gold Italian
brocade, fashioned with back fullness, and wearing a sash of Mactaggart
tartan;
Mrs. W.A. Wood, jr., in a gown of candlelight silk, having a bodice beaded
with silver beads and crystals, and wearing a sash of Lindsay tartan;
Mrs. A.D.D. Tree, gowned in emerald green silk moire, caught at the back
with a bustle falling into a slight train, and wearing emerald jewellery,
and a sash of Douglas tartan;
Mrs. Egan Chambers, in a gown of black velvet, having a strapless bodice
and a skirt fashioned with back fullness falling into a slight train;
Mrs. H.A. Darney, wearing a gown of sea green poult de soie, with a fitted
bodice having a scoop neckline and a slim skirt with back fullness, and a
sash of Campbell tartan;
Mrs. Ian Roberts, gowned in blue silk, having a fitted bodice with a round
neckline and a full skirt, and wearing a sash of Campbell of Argyll
tartan;
Mrs. Frederick W. Cowie, in a model gown of jade green softly draped
French chiffon;
Miss Joan Francis, in a frock of sapphire blue velvet, fashioned with a
matching jacket lined with white poult de soie;
Mrs. R.J. Thompson, wearing a gown of blue poult de soie;
Mrs. John B. Merriman, gowned in blue poult de soie, fashioned with a
pleated bodice and a full skirt;
Mrs. James H. McMahon, wearing a gown of emerald green poult de soie,
having a fitted bodice and a sheath skirt, fashioned with back fullness;
Mrs. D.A. McIndoe, in a gown of pink and silver satin brocade, having a
fitted bodice and a bell-shaped skirt;
Miss Dale Perry, in a frock of blue satin, having a beaded bodice of
iridescent sequins;
Mrs. W.R. Vogan, wearing a sheath gown of printed matte jersey, and
wearing pearl jewellery;
Mrs. John G. Davies, gowned in black silk, fashioned with light blue
floating panels;
Mrs. W.G. Buchanan, in a gown of gold and silver brocade, having a fitted
bodice trimmed with pink silk;
Mrs. J. Seguin, gowned in black tulle over poult de soie, and wearing pink
accessories;
Mrs. John Lynch-Staunton, in a gown having a ruby red velvet bodice with a
matching stole, and a bell-shaped skirt of pale amethyst shantung;
Mrs. B.E. Gaynor, wearing a gown of black velvet having a fitted bodice
with a high neckline and a skirt falling into a slight train;
Mrs. W.R. MacBrien, in a gown of peach silk, having a fitted bodice and a
full skirt having a front panel embroidered with sequins;
Mrs. James Ward, gowned in gold poult de soie, having a ruffled bodice and
a full skirt, and wearing gold and pearl jewellery.
Committee-in-Charge
Mr. J. Alasdair Fraser is president of St. Andrew’s Society. Committee
chairmen were: honorary chairman, Mrs. Keith Hutchison, O.B.E., chairman,
Mr. James F. Macfarlane; men’s committee, Mr. Robert S. Aiken; ladies’
committee, Mrs. James F. Macfarlane; debutante committee, Mrs. A.N.
Francis; vice-chairman, debutante committee, Mrs. F.W. Cowie; finance
committee, Mr. N.C.D. Mactaggart; floor committee, Mr. G. Alex Hutchison;
public relations committee, Mr. William G. James; ticket committee, Mrs.
William Redpath; co-chairman, decorations committee, Mrs. A.D.D. Tree;
co-chairman, decorations committee, Mrs. William Pah; reels committee,
Capt. H.A. Darney, Mrs. C.J.G. Molson….[end of newspaper clipping]
According to The Montreal Star, Saturday, November 25, 1961:
Traditional Scottish colors and emblems were used to decorate the St.
Andrew’s Ball held last night at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel.
Columns in the foyer were encased in panels gaily decorated with thistle
designs and Highland dancers, as well as the St. Andrew’s Cross. Heraldic
standards were placed against the walls and in the grand ballroom the
orchestra played against a mural depicting Edinburgh Castle. The Ramsay
Coat of Arms supported by standards of St. Andrew were on view in the
supper room in honour of the guests of honour, Captain and the Hon. Mrs.
Ramsay, of Wester Tarbat, Kildary, Ross-shire.
Again, the ladies and their dresses were described in minute detail. It
seems that the ladies got much better press in the good old days, when men
wore traditional Penguin suits and white tie - with the exception of
Captain Ramsay, who knew better!
J
Where were you 40 years ago?
Court Circular, Sandringham, Norfolk
January 29 [2001]: The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were represented by
The Princess Royal at the Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of Captain
Alexander Ramsay of Mar which was held in St Peter’s Episcopal Church,
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, this afternoon.
The Times, Tuesday, January 30, 2001 reported as follows:
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were represented by the Princess
Royal, accompanied by Commodore Timothy Laurence, RN, and Queen Elizabeth
the Queen Mother by the Duke of Fife at a service of thanksgiving for the
life of Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, great grandson of Queen Victoria,
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Scottish Life Boat Council and
Vice-Patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Society, held yesterday at St
Peter’s Episcopal Church, Fraserburgh…
©
Article by Marie Fraser, Clan Fraser Society of Canada |
