Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
Encyclopedia
Dame
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, DBE (3 February 1878 — 4 November 1976) was the 28th chief
of Clan MacLeod
. Dunvegan Castle
in Skye
is the 800 year old MacLeod family seat.
, London, in 1878, the home of her grandfather Sir Stafford Northcote
, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer
In 1901 she married Hubert Walter, a journalist at The Times
, with whom she had two daughters. When her father, Sir Reginald MacLeod
, became chief of the Clan MacLeod in 1929, she was elected President of the clan's society and went to live with her father at Dunvegan Castle in Skye
, where she became a county councillor.
to tourists, turning it into a popular tourist attraction. Following World War II she travelled widely, establishing Clan MacLeod Societies throughout the British Commonwealth.
in 1953. She lived at Dunvegan Castle
until 1973 before moving to Ythan Lodge in Aberdeenshire
, where she died in 1976, aged 98. She is buried in the traditional Clan MacLeod burial ground near Dunvegan.
(born John Wolrige-Gordon, 10 August 1935 — died 12 February 2007, aged 71) succeeded Dame Flora, his grandmother. In 2000 he announced that he planned to sell the Black Cuillin
mountains, in order to raise money to restore Dunvegan Castle. The announcement aroused some local controversy.
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, DBE (3 February 1878 — 4 November 1976) was the 28th chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
of Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
. Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is a castle a mile and a half to the North of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, situated off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the...
in Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
is the 800 year old MacLeod family seat.
Early years
Flora Louisa Cecilia MacLeod was born at 10 Downing Street10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
, London, in 1878, the home of her grandfather Sir Stafford Northcote
Stafford Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh GCB, PC , known as Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt, from 1851 to 1885, was a British Conservative politician...
, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
In 1901 she married Hubert Walter, a journalist at The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, with whom she had two daughters. When her father, Sir Reginald MacLeod
Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod, KCB was the 27th chief of the Scottish clan Clan MacLeod.-Biography:...
, became chief of the Clan MacLeod in 1929, she was elected President of the clan's society and went to live with her father at Dunvegan Castle in Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
, where she became a county councillor.
As the MacLeod clan chief
On the death of her father in 1935 Flora MacLeod inherited the estate and was recognised as 28th Clan Chief. Years later, to raise income, she opened Dunvegan CastleDunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is a castle a mile and a half to the North of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, situated off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the...
to tourists, turning it into a popular tourist attraction. Following World War II she travelled widely, establishing Clan MacLeod Societies throughout the British Commonwealth.
Death
She was created a DBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1953. She lived at Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is a castle a mile and a half to the North of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, situated off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the...
until 1973 before moving to Ythan Lodge in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, where she died in 1976, aged 98. She is buried in the traditional Clan MacLeod burial ground near Dunvegan.
Successor
John MacLeodJohn MacLeod of MacLeod
John MacLeod of MacLeod, born as John Wolrige-Gordon, was the 29th chief of Clan MacLeod. Faced with the need for expensive repairs to the clan's seat at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, his proposed methods to raise funds caused considerable controversy...
(born John Wolrige-Gordon, 10 August 1935 — died 12 February 2007, aged 71) succeeded Dame Flora, his grandmother. In 2000 he announced that he planned to sell the Black Cuillin
Cuillin
This article is about the Cuillin of Skye. See Rùm for the Cuillin of Rùm.The Cuillin are a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The true Cuillin are also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish them from the Red Hills across Glen Sligachan...
mountains, in order to raise money to restore Dunvegan Castle. The announcement aroused some local controversy.
Legacy
- Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod Trophy for Open Piobaireachd; this award has been presented, since 1969, to the best bagpiper at the Grandfather Mountain Highland GamesGrandfather Mountain Highland Games-History of Scottish Games in North Carolina:The Scottish people have a long and rich history in the state of North Carolina. After the battle of Culloden in 1745, highland clearances left many Scottish clans with no home and nowhere to go. During the time after the clearances, North Carolina...
in North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.