The cover picture shows two
performers in the GR2002 "Finlaystone Fantasy" historical
pageant.
They are current Clan Centre trustee David Brown from Langbank, Scotland
- on the left -
as Robert Burns, a frequent visitor to Finlaystone when it was still
owned by the Earls of Glencairn;
and past trustee David MacMillan from Washington, DC, USA, as "Don
Roberto" Cunningham-Graham,
who lived at Finlaystone in his youth, before seeking fame and fortune
amongst the gauchos of Argentina.
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 12 & 1
CLAN CENTRE NEWS
Nigel
S. C. Macmillan (pictured right) has retired as a Trustee of the Clan
Centre. Nigel, a past President of the Clan MacMillan Society (of
Scotland), served as Secretary to the original Board of Trustees; and
since relinquishing that post has continued to give unswerving and
enthusiastic support to the Centre - and indeed to all clan activities.
Nigel's father, Major Cameron Macmillan, had also been President of The
Clan MacMillan Society; and his son Gordon is the society's current
President. Nigel and his wife Nette have frequently travelled to clan
gatherings in Canada and the United States and they recently notched up a
hundred percent attendance at the events of GR2002 in Lochaber and
Inverclyde. The Chief, the Trustees, Pauline, and especially Graeme, have
reason to be very grateful to Nigel for all his hard work and enthusiasm;
and we're delighted to report that Nigel intends to remain a participant
in all aspects of clan activity.
GR2002 was notable for the enthusiastic involvement of another family who have been leaders of The Clan MacMillan Society for a number of generations. Our Treasurer, Brig. Alistair Macmillan, was joined at the gathering by his father, Sir Graham Macmillan, who is a past President of the Scottish Society. Graham's father, James Orr Macmillan had also been President, as had his grandfather Donald - who was also a founder member of the society in 1892. The family group at GR2002 was completed by Alistair's wife Lesley, along with his sister Janie and her husband John Howell.
Bill Vineyard: We very much regret to report the death recently of John W. ("Bill") Vineyard. Bill had also been with us during GR2002, but sadly caught pneumonia on his return to the United States, and died a few weeks later. Bill was a M'Millan by birth, but had been adopted as a child by a family called Vineyard; and only really discovered his clan heritage relatively late in life. He attended the Clan Gathering in Scotland in 1996 and so enjoyed it that he became a keen supporter of clan events in both the USA and Scotland. His career in the geology side of the oil industry had brought him considerable wealth, and he became the most generous of all individual benefactors to the Clan Centre - for which the Trustees and staff here owe him a deep debt of gratitude. Our deepest sympathies go out to his son John and to the other members of his family.
Phillip
C. McMillan (pictured left), President of the Clan MacMillan Society
of Utah, has been appointed a Trustee of the Clan Centre. Following his
attendance at the Clan Conclave in June 2000 where his positive
contribution was much appreciated by the Chief and Trustees, Phil
volunteered to open an American bank account for the Centre which would
save us a great deal of the trouble and expense of having many small sums
of US dollars exchanged into Sterling. This has been a great boon, and
Phil's continuing advice to the chief - and unstinting help to one and all
at GR2002 - earned him a unanimous vote of welcome to the Board of
Trustees.
A German Branch of Clan MacMillan: We were surprised and delighted recently to be contacted by a European businessman who is descended from a McMillan of the Brockloch family who settled in Altenkirchen in Germany in the 17th century. Graeme will be following up this fascinating story, and will hopefully have more to report about it in a future issue of the newsletter.
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 2 & 11
CLAN NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
APPALACHIAN
BRANCH OF CLAN MACMILLAN has had a very busy year. President Robert
Bell outlined his October programme thus:
As for Games - Stone Mountain? That is but one this month! Last weekend
was Red Springs, NC (used to be called Waxhaw, now located in the town
that Flora MacDonald lived when she came to America following her
imprisonment over BPC escape), this Saturday is Radford, VA, next long
weekend is Stone Mountain, GA, and the following weekend in Richmond, VA -
that's four Games this month! At both Radford & Richmond the pipe band
that I am with is playing and competing.
Earlier in the year Robert survived having his knees judged twice at the
Glasgow Highland Games in Kentucky - see picture to the right - where Sue
had no difficulty in recognising her husband's knobbles both times
(probably just as well!). The Appalachian Branch is currently sponsoring a
new international raffle in aid of the Clan Centre. The prize is a unique
wooden replica of the MacMillan Cross at Kilmory, Knap, which has been
generously donated by branch member Greggory Schaffer from South Carolina.
A picture of this attractive prize will be posted on our website, along
with details of ticket costs and availablility (also available by post
from Robert & Sue Bell - please see their address on the Appalachian
branch page).
CLAN MACMILLAN SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND will be participating in a special ceremony during the Waipu Highland Games on New Years Day. The games are held at the place on the North Island where the Rev. Norman Macleod landed a hundred and fifty years ago with a party of emigrants that had just sailed from Nova Scotia - to which they had emigrated from Assynt, in the Scottish Highlands, some years before. Clan Centre trustee Dr. Lamar McMillin and his wife Carol are travelling from the USA to New Zealand to join in the celebrations along with the New Zealand society, led by fellow trustee, Margaret Pool (who should be contacted for further information - see address etc. on the New Zealand Society page).
PACIFIC BRANCH OF CLAN MACMILLAN held a "Clan Camp Out" in the mountains of California during 9th to 11th August. Ron Mullins reports that the weekend included a visit to the Laguna Observatory, a geocaching expedition ("a hiking activity that involves a GPS receiver and looking to find a hidden box"), and a "potluck" supper. Ron's report appears in the October issue of the branch's newsletter, which is currently called "The Highland Herald" but which may be renamed "The Tonsured Times" - if the membership vote for such a change (what a great name for a M'millan publication!).
CHLANN AN TAILLEAR (a.k.a. "The Viginia McMullans") gathered this summer in Georgia to celebrate the unveiling of new insignia on the gravestone of their emigrant ancestor from Ireland, John "The Tailor". The ceremony was organised by John's 4xGreat-Grandaughter Kay Tucker Cleveland in conjunction with the John Benson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution - in recognition of "The Tailor" having been a veteran of the American War of Independence. Though John died in Georgia he had previously settled at "McMullen" in Virginia, and next year the "Chlann an Taillear" will meet there for a reunion on the weekend of 24/25 May. Further details from Emily McMullen Williams.
THE SEPT OF BLUE met as usual for their Annual General Meeting at Boone, North Carolina, in the course of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in June, when Jana Blue was appointed as Vice-President alongside the existing slate of officers. The meeting generously agreed to make their usual donation to the Clan Centre, alongside their continuing sponsorship of a scholorship at the Berea College.
CLAN MACMILLAN SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA held their AGM at South Yarra in Victoria on the 13th of October; and earlier in the year had held an enjoyable picnic at Geelong which is pictured in the July edition of their newsletter. The branch now have an excellent website of their own - compiled by Kaye O'Reilly - which can be found at http//clanmacmillanaus.freeservers.com.
CLAN MACMILLAN SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA will be joined by the Chief and his wife next year for their biennial International Gathering, which is to be held in New York City from 11-17 August. Details of the programme will be available in due course from the President, Andrew MacMillan, at the address given in the Clan Directory (or see the News page on our website).
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 10 & 3
Page 4
Page 4 contains an article about Clan MacMillan's newest branch, which can be found reprinted on that branch's page of our website; i.e. Clan MacMillan North Central States
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 4 & 9
Page 5
Page 5 contains news about the branch/society pages on this website (which can normally be accessed through the Organisation page) and about developments relating to Project MAOL
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 8 & 5
Pages 6 & 7
Pages 6 & 7 contain an article by Chief George giving his "Impressions of The Great Return 2002" - to read which please go to the GR2002 pages of this website
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 6 & 7
Page 8
Page 8 contains further news about GR2002
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 8 & 5
Pages 9 & 10
Pages 9 & 10 contain the Clan Directory as of November 2002 (most of the information in which is available through the Organisation and individual branch/society pages of this website)
CLAN MACMILLAN'S
COMMUNITY OF THE TONSURED SERVANT
Supporting the Clan MacMillan Centre at Finlaystone,
Scotland,
and providing educational materials and events for
Clan MacMillan and Sept members around the world.
On 30 June 2002, CTS held a Vesper Service and
Investiture of new members, and also had a Re-Investiture of several
existing members, at Iona Abbey, Argyllshire, in conjunction with The
Great Return 2002. Thank you to Graeme Mackenzie who arranged the
transportation to Iona Island including three ferry boats and long bus
rides across Morvern Penninsula and the Island of Mull. During the half
mile walk from the ferry to the abbey (no other choices!) there were gale
winds and the rain was careening sideways rendering the 100+ MacMillans
and all their finery drenched. It was a relief to enter the dry for our
service, in the medieval abbey founded as a monastery in 563 AD by St.
Columba.
The service began with a procession piped in by the
Chief's piper for GR2002, Sandy MacMillan of Nova Scotia. Five "Daughters
of Glengarry" came from Glengarry County, Canada. Sine McKenna, Fiona
Fraser, Julia Danskin, Linda Kathan and Judy MacLeod sang in Gaelic,
sometimes accompanied by Fiona on the harp and also by Hugh Allen
MacMillan on the violin. Their haunting music was so in tune with the
atmosphere of the abbey and set the tone for our Vesper Service. Bill
MacMillan of Quebec played the piano and organ, and Charlie Zham of
Pennsylvania sang "Amazing Grace" unaccompanied. Beautiful.
There were thirty one people who assisted at the service with readings,
prayers, Celtic poetry and greetings. Thank you to all who participated.
The Abbot of CTS, Blanche McMillan, presided over the Vesper Service and
the Investiture and Re-Investiture Services, assisted by our Chief,
George, and Rev. Canon Malcolm MacMillan, snipping a "lock" of
hair from each candidate, and presenting them with their regalia - the
MacMillan cross, the crest badge, the sash and Letters Patent. There were
nine candidates invested at Iona, and three more at Finlaystone on Sunday
7 July. Seven candidates were invested in absentia, but their spirit was
felt strongly at the abbey that day. Seventeen CTS members were
re-invested, which allowed them to renew their commitment to Clan
MacMillan and CTS. No one will forget our journey that special day, with
the wind and rain whipping up the kilts, standard, and flags, and
whistling through the windows of the abbey.
TRIBUTE FUND: In 2003 CTS will be initiating a Tribute Fund to honour Rev. Malcolm and the late Sally MacMillan. Malcolm is Abbot Emeritus and the Founder of the Community of the Tonsured Servant. Sally was very instrumental in making CTS a reality. Please watch for details soon. This is our chance to say a personal thank you to Father Mac.
2003 INVESTITURE: The next CTS Investiture Service will be held on Sunday 17 August 2003 in conjunction with the Clan MacMillan Society of North America's gathering in New York City, USA, 12 - 17 August 2003.
GRANTS TO CLAN CENTRE IN 2002 & 2003: CTS granted US$630 to the Clan Centre in the first half of 2002, and an additional US$1000 grant was voted at the CTS Business Meeting held at Finlaystone on 7 July 2002. The total to date for 2002 is therefore US$1630. Because of the success of its fundraising at Iona Abbey on 30 June 2002, CTS will grant an additional US$5000 to the Clan Centre, to be distributed as follows: US$1000 before the end of 2002, and US$4000 in January 2003. The total of CTS grants to the Clan Centre in 2002 will therefore be US$2630; and in 2003, US$4000 minimum.
Blanche McMillan, Abbot CTS, 13 Nov. 2002
Click here for colour PDF of Pages 10 & 3
Page 12
Bill MacMillan, Susan Drinkwater and Duncan
McMillan
from the Glengarry & Ottawa Valley Branch of Clan MacMillan
after the unveiling of the branch's plaque in memory of the 2002
emigrants
Finlaystone Fantasy players. From the left:
Duncan D. McMillan (ON), Rowene Conn (CA), John B. McMillan (ON)
Chief George & David Brown (both Scotland)
Front Page | Page 2 | Page 3 | CTS Page
The Chief's Impressions of The Great Return 2002 (with pictures)