Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod
Encyclopedia
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod, KCB
(1 February 1847 – 20 August 1935) was the 27th chief
of the Scottish clan
Clan MacLeod
.
(1812 – 1898), 25th chief
of Clan MacLeod
and his wife Louisa Barbara St. John (1818–1880), only daughter of the 14th Baron St John of Bletso
. He was educated at Harrow
and Cambridge.
On 17 April 1877, MacLeod of MacLeod married Lady Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote ( – 26 October 1921), the daughter of Sir Stafford Northcote, later 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, and Cecilia Frances Farrer. They had two daughters.
In the 1885 General Election he stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in Inverness-shire
losing the seat to an Independent Liberal.
In 1889 he became the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
(an office of the Court of the Exchequer which was originally concerned with the recovery of dues, penalties and debts owed to the Crown.) In 1900 he became the fourth Registrar General. In this role he presided over the 1901 census
. Two years later, was appointed Permanent Under Secretary for Scotland. He was knighted in 1905.
After a further unsuccessful attempt to be elected to Parliament in 1911 he retired from public life and became a director of Shell
, the first of several directorships he held.
Sir Reginald became 27th chief
of Clan MacLeod
in 1929 on the death of his elder brother Norman Magnus
and died six years later in 1935.
His daughter Olive was noted for her journey of 3,700 miles into the heart of Africa to visit her fiancé's grave. The MacLeod waterfalls on the Moa Kabi river are named after her.
The famous Fairy Flag of the MacLeod's was mounted by Sir Reginald. An expert from the Victoria and Albert Museum
discussed with Sir Reginald the possible origins of the flag, avoiding reference to the supernatural. The chief listened and said, "You may believe that, but I know that it was given to my ancestor by the fairies."
Sir Reginald was the owner of the island of St Kilda
when the last inhabitants left the island in 1930. He sold the island to Lord Dumfries, later Marquess of Bute
in 1931.
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
(1878–1976), 28th chief and first female chief of the clan
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1 February 1847 – 20 August 1935) was the 27th 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 the Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
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...
.
Biography
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 1 February 1847. He was the son of Norman MacLeod of MacLeodNorman MacLeod of MacLeod
Norman MacLeod of MacLeod was the 25th chief of the Scottish clan Clan MacLeod.-Biography:Norman MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 18 July 1812 at Dunvegan, Skye. He was the son of John Norman MacLeod of MacLeod , 24th chief of Clan MacLeod and his wife Anne Stephenson...
(1812 – 1898), 25th 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...
and his wife Louisa Barbara St. John (1818–1880), only daughter of the 14th Baron St John of Bletso
St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso
St Andrew St John, 14th Baron St John of Bletso PC FRS was an English politician who sat in the British House of Commons from 1780 until 1806 when he inherited a peerage....
. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Cambridge.
On 17 April 1877, MacLeod of MacLeod married Lady Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote ( – 26 October 1921), the daughter of Sir Stafford Northcote, later 1st Earl of Iddesleigh, and Cecilia Frances Farrer. They had two daughters.
In the 1885 General Election he stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness-shire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1918....
losing the seat to an Independent Liberal.
In 1889 he became the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
The Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer is an officer in Scotland who represents the Crown's interests in bona vacantia, ultimus haeres and treasure trove....
(an office of the Court of the Exchequer which was originally concerned with the recovery of dues, penalties and debts owed to the Crown.) In 1900 he became the fourth Registrar General. In this role he presided over the 1901 census
United Kingdom Census 1901
A nationwide census was conducted in England and Wales on 31 March 1901. It contains records for 32 million people and 6 million houses, It covers the whole of England and Wales, with the exception of parts of Deal in Kent. Separate censuses were held in Scotland and Ireland...
. Two years later, was appointed Permanent Under Secretary for Scotland. He was knighted in 1905.
After a further unsuccessful attempt to be elected to Parliament in 1911 he retired from public life and became a director of Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, the first of several directorships he held.
Sir Reginald became 27th 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...
in 1929 on the death of his elder brother Norman Magnus
Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod
Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod, was the 26th chief of Clan MacLeod.-Biography:Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 27 July 1839. He was the eldest son of Norman MacLeod of MacLeod , 25th chief of Clan MacLeod and his wife Louisa Barbara St John , only daughter of the 14th Baron St John...
and died six years later in 1935.
His daughter Olive was noted for her journey of 3,700 miles into the heart of Africa to visit her fiancé's grave. The MacLeod waterfalls on the Moa Kabi river are named after her.
The famous Fairy Flag of the MacLeod's was mounted by Sir Reginald. An expert from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
discussed with Sir Reginald the possible origins of the flag, avoiding reference to the supernatural. The chief listened and said, "You may believe that, but I know that it was given to my ancestor by the fairies."
Sir Reginald was the owner of the island of St Kilda
St Kilda, Scotland
St Kilda is an isolated archipelago west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom and three other islands , were also used for...
when the last inhabitants left the island in 1930. He sold the island to Lord Dumfries, later Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute
John Crichton-Stuart, 5th Marquess of Bute was the son of John Crichton-Stuart, 4th Marquess of Bute and Augusta Bellingham....
in 1931.
Succession of the chiefship after his death
Sir Reginald's elder brothers had both died without male issue and his younger brother's only son had been killied in action in 1915. As there were, therefore, no immediate male heirs, he was he was succeeded by his eldest daughter DameDame (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
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, DBE was the 28th chief of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle in Skye is the 800 year old MacLeod family seat.-Early years:...
(1878–1976), 28th chief and first female chief of the clan