Vol: 1
Issue; 2
Date; April 2008
THE ARM AND CROWN
Clan MacQuarrie
Spring is arriving slowly here in New Hampshire and as much as I hate to see
summer go it is only 6 months away from the New Hampshire’s Highland games. This
year will be the first year that Clan MacQuarrie will have a tent in the Clan
village and it’s own athlete competing in the field events. It is also planned
to have a tent at the Southern New Hampshire games in June (see Highland
Events). The southern games are small, only one full day. And again in Aug. the
tent will be put up in Brunswick, Maine. The year is pretty much planned out. It
is hoped that if you cannot make it to New England this fall or early summer
then you can attend the games or events in your area. And don’t forget to take
along some membership forms. Clan Alpin or the St. Andrews Society will let you
place them at their tent.
The membership is slow we have 19 dues paid members, however if we count wives,
which I guess we should, then we are at almost 40. It is hoped that every one
can make our first gathering in September at Loon Mountain, but we realize that
all will not be able to get here. Don’t worry everyone will be informed as to
the goings on.
Speaking of goings on, here is a list of Highland Events around the country for
spring and summer; Check with the state coordinators for places to stay or
directions.
4 Apr. WhiskyFest, Chicago, this one sounds like fun
4-6 Apr. Clan Leslie Society International Gathering, part of Tartan Day, St.
Charles, Mo
5 Apr. Dundedin Military Tattoo, Dunedin, Fl
5 Apr. Kern County Scottish Gathering & Games, Bakersfield, CA
5 Apr. NYC Tartan Day Parade, NY City
5 Apr. Oregon Scottish Heritage Festival, Albany, OR
5 Apr. Pace Scottish Festival & Highland Gamers, Pace, FL
5 Apr. Pittsburgh Tartan Day, Pittsburgh, PA
5-6 Apr. Hawaiian Scottish Festival & Games, Honolulu, HI
5-6 Apr. Manchester Indoor Scottish Festival, Concord, NH
5-6 Apr. Minden Tartan Festival& Kirkin, Minden, LA
5-6 Apr. San Antonio Highland Games, San Antonio, TX
5-13 Apr. World Men’s Curling Championships, Grad Forks, ND
6 Apr. Kirkin of the Tartan, Tempe, AZ
6 Apr. Maine Tartan Day, Belfast, ME
6 Apr. National Tartan Day- if you got a kilt wear it, a day of Scottish pride
12 Apr Dunedin Highland Games, Dunedin, FL
8 Apr. Lexington Scots-Irish Festival, Lexington, VA
18-20 Apr. Arkansas Scottish Festival, Batesville, AR
18-20 Apr. Loch Norman Highland Games, Huntersville, NC
19 Apr. Highlands in the Burg, Warrensburg, MO
19 Apr. Tallahassee Highland Games& Celtic Festival, Tallahassee, FL
19 Apr. Tartan Ball 2008, Fitchburg, MA
19 Apr. Tartan Day Scottish Faire, Fremont, CA
19-20 Apr. Las Vegas Celtic Gathering & Games, Las Vegas, NV
25-27 Apr. Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival, Woodland, CA
25-27 Apr. Scottish Country Fair, Sumter, SC
26 Apr. Celtic Festival of Southern Maryland, St. Leonard, MD
26-27 Apr CeltFesTexas, Odessa, TX
2-3 May Triad Highland Games, Greensboro, NC
2-4 May N. Central W. Virginia Scottish Festival & Celtic Gathering, Bridgeport,
WVA
2-4 May Sam Houston Folk Festival, Huntsville, TX
3 May Savannah Scottish Games and Highland Festival, Savannah, GA
3-4 May Celebration of Celts, Chatham, NY
9-10 May Celtic Festival & Highland Games, Winston-Salem, NC
9-11 Kentucky Scottish Weekend, Carrollton, KY
10 May Frederick Celtic Festival, Frederick, MD
16-18 May Edinboro Highland Games & Scottish Festival, Edinboro, PA
16-18 May Gatlinburg Scottish Festival & Games, Gatlinburg, TN
17 May Fair Hill Colonial Highland Gathering, Fair Hill, MD
17 May Minnesota Scottish Fair & Highland Games, Farmington, MN
17 May Prescott Highland Games, Prescott, AZ
17 May Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival, Richmond, RI
17 May Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival & Highland Games, Albuquerque, NM
17 May Springfield Highland Games & Celtic Festival, Springfield, IL
17-18 May Houston Highland Games & Celtic Festival, Houston, TX
17-18 May Livermore Scottish Games & Celtic Festival, Livermore, CA
24-25 May Alma Highland Festival & Games, Alma, MI
24-25 May United Scottish Society Highland Gathering & Festival, Costa Mesa, CA
29 May-1 Jun Glasgow Highland Games, Lukas, KY
6-8 Jun. McHenry Highland Festival, McHenry, MD
6-8 Jun. Texas Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Arlington TX
7 Jun. Bonnie Bre Scottish Games, Liberty Corners, NJ
7 Jun. Greater Greenville Scottish Games & Highland Festival, Greenville, SC
7 Jun. Modesto Highland Games, Modesto, CA
7 Jun Scottish Fest/ The Milwaukee Highland Games, Glendale, WI
7 Jun. Southern NH Scottish Games & Celtic Music Festival, Jaffrey, NH
7 Jun. Stark County Irish & Scottish Festival, Canton, OH
7-8 Jun. Bellingham Scottish Highland Games, Ferndale, WA
8 Jun. Genessee Highland Games, Mumford, NY
13-14 Jun. Utah Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Lehi, UT
13-15 Jun. Kansas City Scottish Highland Games, Riverside, MO
14 Jun. Clover Scottish Games & Scotch-Irish Festival, Clover, NC
14 Jun. Indiana Highland Games, Ft. Wayne, IN
14 Jun. Potomac Celtic Festival, Leesburg, VA
14-15 Jun. Blairsville Scottish Festival & Highland Games, Blairsville, GA
20-21 Jun. Illinois St. Andrews Society Highland Games, Oak Brook, IL
21 Jun. Campbell Highland Games & Celtic Festival, Campbell, Ca
21 Jun. North Alabama Scottish Festival, Madison, AL
28 Jun. Ohio Scottish Games, Wellington, OH
28 Jun. Tacoma Highland Games, Graham, WA
28 Jun. Western Massachusetts Highland Games, Greenfield, MA
28-29 Jun. San Diego Scottish Highland Games, Vista, CA
28-29 Jun. Wyoming Celtic Festival & Highland Games, Gillett, WY
Hope that you can get to the event near you. If not look for more in the summer
issue.
MacQuarrie Stories
Hector MACQUARIE
(1794 - 1845)
Lachlan MacQuarries nephew, The Illegimate son of Charles MacQuarrie (1771
-1835) and Janet Maclaine. Born in 1794 at Moy, Isle of Mull. No other details
survive relating to Janet Maclaine who may have been employed at the time of
conception in the household of Murdoch Maclaine of Lochbuy. Why she gave up the
child is equally unclear.
Lachlan MacQuarrie promised his brother Charles (in 1800) to provide for the boy to whom he referred to as 'the hero Hector'. Consequently in 1801 he acquired an army commission for Hector (and one for another young relative, John Maclaine) in the 40th Regiment, despite the fact that the boy was only six or seven years of age.
By 1802 Hector had reached the rank of Lieutenant (on half pay) with the
regiment; but unfortunately for Lachlan MacQuarrie, in 1803 both boys were
placed on full pay by the War Office - and were required to report for military
duty immediately. At this stage MacQuarrie had returned from India and was
stationed in London, and he became desperate to disguise the true ages of the
boys as well as to mislead army officials concerning their real whereabouts.
Initially, he resorted to the 'fiction' of claiming that Hector MacQuarrie and
Maclaine had left for the West Indies six months earlier to become settlers.
However, when advised that if they did not return within six months they would
lose their commissions, MacQuarrie claimed that both of them had now returned to
Scotland and were keen to attend a military academy for 18 months (while on half
pay).
At this point a secret informant in Scotland (opposed to the Maclaines and the
MacQuarries) advised the War Office that Hector was in fact only seven years
old. This forced Lachlan MacQuarrie to abandon his next ruse of trying to find
substitutes amongst his kinsmen to impersonate the boys. After a War Office
inquiry, the boys' commissions were forfeited (without compensation), and
MacQuarrie was severely reprimanded. He was, in fact, extremely fortunate not to
have been dismissed from the army for this attempt at subterfuge and dishonesty.
The incident certainly damaged Lachlan MacQuarries credibility with senior army
staff and ruined his hopes of requesting that his tour of duty in England be
extended - and he was summarily sent back to his regiment in India. It was also
at this juncture that MacQuarrie proposed to Elizabeth Campbell asking her to
become his wife - and to wait for his return from India.
In 1808, after his return from India, Lachlan MacQuarrie found a placement for
Hector as a cadet in the Royal Military College in Marlow - this time accurately
listing his nephew's age as fourteen. Hector entered the army as an Ensign in
the 86th Regiment on 26 September 1811 and joined his regiment in India in
January 1813. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 12 February 1814; then, following
his uncle's advice, he transferred to the 48th Regiment, and was thereby able to
join the regiment for its tour of duty to New South Wales in 1818. He departed
from Calcutta on 7 October 1817 on board the brig Greyhound, arriving in Sydney
on 14 April 1818 (after landfall in Hobart on 25 February 1818).
After his arrival Hector accompanied MacQuarrie and his family on the tour of
inspection to Newcastle in July 1818; and he remained at the settlement at the
request of Captain Wallis (along with Ensign Roberts) for an additional few
weeks assisting with the administration.
When Lieut. John Watts resigned as MacQuarries aide-de-camp on 24 December 1818
Hector replaced him. His appointment commenced on 27 December 1818. However the
selection of another family member as a personal staff officer proved to be
another unfortunate choice (as it had been with the appointment of John Maclaine).
Hectors undisciplined behaviour created an endless series of incidents and
embarrassments for the governor.
Firstly, in August 1819, Hector was accused of raping a servant girl at
Parramatta - a 'half-sister of Mrs. Oakes'. This offence against a
well-respected family was 'punished' by Hectors removal from Government House
and his confinement to military barracks for one month.
Hector accompanied the MacQuarries on their tour of inspection in April-July
1821, visiting Port Dalrymple, Launceston and George Town, as well as joining
them on their tour of Port MacQuarrie and Newcastle in November 1821. However,
soon afterwards Lachlan MacQuarrie found it necessary to send the
heavily-indebted Hector to Van Diemen's Land to escape the demands of creditors
in Sydney.
He arrived on board the Lusitania on 8 January and very quickly made himself
extremely unpopular. His rudeness and arrogance led to his ejection from the
home of Edward Lord (1781-1859) and his wife Maria (nee Risely), one of the
leading Hobart Town families, while his advances on their eldest daughter,
Caroline, were similarly unwelcome. More dramatically, his slandering of Robert
Lathrop Murray (1777-1850) provoked the latter to publicly horsewhip him in
front of Government House in the presence of the Lieut. Governor Sorrell's
family, the soldiers of the main guard, and Lieut Lewis of the 48th Regiment. He
continued to try to ingratiate himself with the Lord family, but without success
and departed for Sydney on 27 January on board the Jupiter - arriving on 10
February 1822 three days prior to the scheduled departure of the MacQuarries for
England. This move was obviously designed to avoid or minimize any possible
confrontation with his Sydney creditors.
Hector joined the MacQuarries on board the Surry as a member of their 'suite'.
The ship finally sailed from Sydney on 15 February but there is virtually no
mention of him in MacQuarries 1822 journal of the voyage.
On 25 March 1824 Hector was appointed a Lieutenant in 98th Regiment. He traveled
with his uncle, Lachlan, from Mull to London in April 1824, bidding him goodbye
at Greenwich so that he could join his regiment at Chichester. (This was
probably the last time that he saw him alive - Lachlan died in London on 1 July
1824).
Hectors movements become unclear after this date; however, he joined his
regiment at the Cape of Good Hope until 'some blackguard conduct' lost him the
chance of the command of a company and he retired at his own request as
Lieutenant (on half pay) in 4th West India Regiment on 15 March 1827. He
subsequently joined his father, Charles, in Scotland and was living with him on
the family estate on the isle of Ulva in 1829-1830, before returning again to
the active list as a Lieutenant in the 55th Regiment on 30 December 1830.
There are even fewer biographical details after this date though he is known to
have been back in England by 1835, married, and again pursued by creditors (and
twice arrested). Shortly before the death of Charles MacQuarrie, on 27 March
1835, Hector wrote twice to his father from the ship Roxburgh Castle (in March
and April), advising him that he was about to join his regiment in India,
accompanied by his wife, Margaret (nee Simpson). They arrived in late 1835 but
she died, apparently during childbirth, on 7 March 1836 at Bellamy (in the
Madras Presidency).
Hector subsequently left the 55th Regiment, and by 25 December 1838 had become a
Captain (on half pay) without a regiment. His last appointment was as Staff
Officer of Pensioners at Coventry. He died there on 9 January 1845.
REFERENCES
Primary Sources:
Archives Office of NSW. Auditor-General: Appointments to Government Offices,
1814-1825 (2/812) p.68 [AO Fiche 756]
George Allen. Journal. 5 August 1819 [Mitchell Library (ML Ref: MSS 477/1 Item 2
p.10]
Lochbuie Papers. [National Archives of Scotland (GD 174/1-2404)]
Macquarie Papers: Letters to Charles from Lachlan Macquarie. [National Library
of Scotland (MS 3833)]
Wentworth Family Papers, Letter from Robert Murray to D'Arcy Wentworth 26
January 1822. [Mitchell Library (ML Ref: A754-1 ff.59-63)]
Research Notes;
If you are in Halifax, Nova Scotia, stop by the Public Archives on University
Ave. You will find issues of the Mac-Talla the old Atlantic Clan’s newsletters.
When looking for missing relatives don’t forget to try nicknames. Names like Red
Allen; Little Lauchie may show up on Internet sites.
That’s it from here until the summer issue
An T’ Arm Breac Dearg