Clan MacThomas

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     For News about Genealogy please click here.   


Memorials Policy                                                                         !!  NEW  !!     

 

The Society has published for consultation a proposal for providing members with a personal physical link with the Clan's ancestral lands in Glenshee. Council is keen to have the opinions of as many members as possible on the suggested policy.

 

The proposal will be circulated to all members in the Clach A' Choilich at the end of August. However members who have applied for access to the Members Secure Area of this website can view the proposal now by clicking here and respond using the form provided. 

 

If you would like to apply for access to the Members Secure Area please click here and complete the application form. 

 

Added 30/07/2010 


Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs

 

The Society is delighted to report that its President, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, the 19th Chief of Clan MacThomas, was elected to the Executive Council of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs at its Annual General Meeting on 13th July 2010.

 

It is a great honour for our small Clan to have a its Chief on the council of this important organisation and recognises the work that Finegand has done over the years to promote Scottish Clans in general and Clan MacThomas in particular.

 

Congratulations Finegand!  

 

Please click here to find out more about the Standing Council. 

 

Added 15/07/2010


Website Anniversary

 

This new Clan MacThomas Website was launched one year ago this week. In those early days there was only a limited number of pages and photographs, but all seemed to agree that the new site was better than the one that it replaced.

 

With considerable help from the membership we have continued to add to the site and a recent count showed that we now have something like 350 pages and 500 photographs - although a few will not be live at any one time. Many thanks to everyone for their contributions and supportive comments.

 

Please click here to read an article about the website that appeared in a recent edition of the US and Canada Branch newsletter.

 

Happy Birthday Website!!

 

Webmaster.

 

Added 10/07/2010  


Clan Gathering 2011

  

It has already been announced that the 2011 Clan Gathering will be be based on the Dalmunzie Hotel in Glenshee over the weekend of the 27th to 30th of May. Will members who are planning to attend please use this Registration Form to inform the Society.

 

Please click here for further information about this important event.

 

Further photographs of the Dalmunzie Hotel, some taken this year, will be added to the website shortly. 

 

Added 27/06/2010


The Cockstane (Clach na Coileach) 

                                                                                              

The President and Webmaster were in Glenshee towards the end of May 2010 and were keen to see how the new planting in the area around the Cockstane had survived the terrible Scottish winter. Locals had advised that the snow in the area had been up to three feet deep. It was a pleasant surprise to discover how little damage there had been and how much new growth was evident. Please click here to view some new photograhs taken during the visits.  

 

Added 27/06/2010


40th Anniversary Dinner                                                      

 

Some thirty Clan members, families and friends gathered at Abden House, Edinburgh on 29th May 2010 for a Dinner to celebrate to 40th Anniversary of Andrew MacThomas of Finegand becoming the 19th Chief of the Clan MacThomas. A splendid five course dinner in wonderful surroundings was enjoyed by all those present. The Vice President spoke of the contribution that the Chief had made to the Clan and the Society over 40 years and Finegand responded.  Music was provided by one of the Clan's own pipers.

 

All fuller report on this event together with photographs will appear in due course. 

 

Added 30/05/2010 


Society AGM                                                                             

 

The Society's Annual General meeting was held at the Minto Hotel, Edinburgh on Saturday 29th May 2010. The meeting was chaired by the President and fifteen or so members attended. The European Secretary was elected to Council and the US and Canada Convenor was re-elected. The President thanked the Australian Secretary who has retired from the Council. There was some lively discussion on a number of the topics on the Agenda. The full minutes of the meeting will be published in the 2010 edition of the Society Magazine, Clach A' Choilich.

 

Added 29/05/2010


40th Anniversary

 

Tuesday 18th May 2010 is the 40th anniverary of Andrew MacThomas of Finegand becoming the Chief of Clan MacThomas and President of the Clan Society. Many messages of congratulation have been received from the Branches and individual members and these can be viewed by clicking here together with the Chief's response. 

 

Members of the Clan from the UK will gather in Edinburgh on 29th May to celebrate this significant milestone. Click here for full details of this event which is sadly now fully booked.  

 

Added 17/05/2010

Updated 18/05/2010


Clan Sennachie

 

We are delighted to report that our Chief, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, has today appointed Grahame Thom to the role of Clan Sennachie.

 

Many Clan members will already know Grahame who comes from Victoria in Australia and has been a member of the Clan Society for some 35 years. He is already the chairman of the Society Archives Committee and has contributed much of the information about genealogy on this website.

 

One of the key roles of the Sennachie is to advise members on matters relating to genealogy and to assist them in tracing their ancestors.  This position has been vacant since Roger Pye died in 2002.

 

This appointment, which has been made personally by the Chief, is particularly important at a time when interest in genealogy is growing.

 

Please click here to read Grahame's biography.   

 

Added 10/05/2010


Dates for your Diaries

 

The Society is pleased to announce the following dates

for events during 2010 and 2011.

 

2010

Saturday 29th May 2010   -  Chief's 40th Anniversary

                                                     Dinner in Edinburgh.

                                                -  please click here for details.

                                                -  Now Fully Booked.

Saturday 29th May 2010   -  2010 Annual General Meeting in Edinburgh.

                                                -  please click here for details and the Agenda. 

 

2011

Friday 27th May 2011 to    -  2011 Clan Gathering based around the Dalmunzie

Monday 30th May 2011         Castle Hotel in Glenshee, Scotland.

                                                -  please click here for more details and the expected

                                                    itinerary. 

 

Full details will also be published in the 2010 Society New Year Newsletter which is currently being mailed to all members.

 

**** Stop Press ****

  

New Year Newsletters to all members in UK, Continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have now been mailed from the UK.

Copies for members in the US and Canada have now been mailed from the US. 

If you would like to recieve an advance copy by e-mail please click here.

 

Added 30/12/2009

Updated 31/12/2009

Updated 08/01/2010 

Updated 25/04/2010


New Honorary Vice President

 

We are delighted that Rodney Thomas Mooney from the USA has accepted the President's invitation to become an Honorary Vice President of the Society with immediate affect. Rod has been a member of the US and Canada Branch for many years and is the editor of the Branch newsletter. Additionally Rod acts as the Clan Bard.

 

Please click here to read Rod's biography.

 

Added 15/11/2009

Amended 08/01/2010    


Interview with our Chief

 

The October edition of the Scottish Banner newspaper, which was recently published, features an interview with the 19th Chief of Clan MacThomas, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand.

 

A transcipt of the article can be found here . 

  

Please click here for more information about the Scottish Banner newspaper.

 

Click here to see this edition of the Scottish Banner

 

Added 27/09/2009  

Updated 30/09/2009 & 08/10/2009

Updated 12/02/2010


Strathardle Highland Gathering

Kirkmichael, Saturday 28th August 2010

 

The Society will as usual sponsor the Highland Dancing at the 129th Strathardle Highland Gathering in Kirkmichael near our homelands in Scotland. This gathering was first held in 1871 and, in addition to the dancing, featured Piping, Heavyweight Events, and Home Industries and Agricultual Shows. The Chief's former Personal Piper, Dr Nigel Malcolm-Smith, is expected to be amongst the judges. The MacThomas Cup, in memory of James Thomson, will be awarded.   

  

< < Click  on image for

        further details and

      maps.

 

 Added 19/2/2010


International Gathering of the Clans

Edinburgh 24th to 26th July 2009

 

The Clan was represented at this unique event. We hosted a Clan MacThomas tent in Holyrood Park on both the Saturday & Sunday of the Gathering and also took part in the Clan Parade up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle on the Saturday evening.

 

Further information about our participation together with photographs will appear here soon 

 

For further details of this once in a lifetime event please visit the Gathering website:  www.clangathering.org

 


Clan MacThomas History
     

 

The new book on the "History of The Clan MacThomas" by Andrew MacThomas of Finegand was launched at International Gathering of the Clans in Edinburgh in 2009.

 

Click here for details of how to order your copy.

 

Last updated 20/08/2009 


Clan Chattan Band of Union 2009

 

Members will probably know Clan MacThomas is one of twelve associated clans of Clan Chattan and our chief, Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, is a vice president of the Clan Chattan Association.

 

2009 is the 400th anniversary of the signing of the great 1609 Clan Chattan Band of Union which marked the evolution of Clan Chattan as the first true 'super' clan. To mark this anniversary Clan Chattan Association hosted four days of celebrations and events in August 2009. At the heart of the celebrations was a modern day re-signing in Inverness on 6th August of the Clan Chattan Band with wording which reflects the clan confederacy in the 21st century. Clan MacThomas was represented at this ceremony by our Chief’s personal piper, Mr Ron Thom.

 

Uniting the modern clan online, the band is still available for Clan MacThomas members around the world to sign online. This is a unique opportunity to join in the making of history by being part of the signing of the 21st century band.

 

To sign the band or find out more information about the celebrations please click here. 

 

Updated 08/08/2009 


Clach A' Choilich

 

Preparation of the 2010 edition of the Society's magazine, Clach A'Choilich, has started. Contributions from members would be most welcome. It is hoped that copies will be mailed to members worldwide at the end of July. Copies of many previous editions are still available from the Treasurer.

 

Added 19/02/2010


Cockstane Update

 

During the 2008 Gathering at Glenshee the expert who had designed the planting scheme for the trees around the Cockstane noticed that the layout was not as originally planned. Council felt that this was not ideal and asked the original contactor to put things right. The price that they quoted was not acceptable to the Society.

 

And so it was that in the Spring of 2009 the expert and Finegand found themselves  spending a couple of long days in Scotland replanting trees in the pouring rain. In a letter to the Society the expert writes "Finegand must be the first MacThomas Chief for over 300 years to have tilled the land in Glenshee. The clan is indeed lucky to have such a devoted Chief".

 

The expert assures us that he is totally confident that the trees and shrubs are now all planted in the correct places and that, in time, they will create a wonderful atmospheric amphitheatre at the Cockstane and a lasting legacy for the Clan MacThomas.

 

Last Updated 19/2/2010