Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod, sometime before 1906.
|
|
| Born | 1 February 1847 |
| Died | 20 August 1935 (aged 88) |
| Title | The 27th Chief of Clan MacLeod |
| Predecessor | Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod (brother) |
| Successor | Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod (daughter) |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote |
| Children | 2 daughters: Flora MacLeod of MacLeod Olive Temple |
Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod (born February 1, 1847 – died August 20, 1935) was an important leader. He was the 27th Chief of Clan MacLeod, a famous Scottish clan. Sir Reginald was born into a well-known family. His father, Norman MacLeod of MacLeod, was the 25th Chief of the clan.
Sir Reginald went to school at Harrow and then studied at Cambridge. These were both very respected schools in his time.
Contents
Sir Reginald MacLeod: A Clan Chief's Story
Early Life and Family
Reginald MacLeod was born in 1847. His mother was Louisa Barbara St. John. She was the only daughter of the 14th Baron St John of Bletso.
In 1877, Sir Reginald married Lady Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote. Her father, Sir Stafford Northcote, was a very important government official. He was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, which means he was in charge of the country's money. Sir Reginald and Lady Agnes had two daughters together.
A Career in Public Service
Sir Reginald had a long career helping the public. In 1885, he tried to become a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party. He did not win that election.
In 1889, he took on a special job called the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer. This role involved making sure the Crown (the government) collected money that was owed to it.
Later, in 1900, he became the Registrar General. In this role, he was in charge of the 1901 census. A census is a count of all the people living in a country.
Two years later, in 1902, he became the Permanent Under Secretary for Scotland. This was a very senior position in the Scottish government. For his important work, he was knighted in 1905. This meant he was given the title "Sir."
After another try at politics in 1911, he retired from government work. He then joined the board of directors for several companies, including Shell, a big oil company.
Becoming Clan Chief
Sir Reginald became the 27th Chief of Clan MacLeod in 1929. This happened after his older brother, Norman Magnus, passed away. As Chief, he was the leader of the entire MacLeod clan.
He was also the laird, or owner, of the St Kilda islands in 1930. These islands were very remote. In 1930, the last people living on St Kilda left the islands. In 1931, Sir Reginald sold the islands to Lord Dumfries.
Sir Reginald was also involved in preserving clan history. He helped to properly display the famous Fairy Flag of the MacLeods. This is a very old and special flag for the clan. People from the Victoria and Albert Museum talked to him about the flag's history. Sir Reginald believed the flag was a magical gift from fairies, a story passed down through his family.
The MacLeod Family Legacy
Sir Reginald's daughter, Olive, was known for her adventurous spirit. In 1910–1911, she traveled about 3,700 miles (5,955 km) into Africa. She went there to visit the grave of her fiancé.
There are even waterfalls named after her, called the MacLeod waterfalls, on the Moa Kabi river. Olive later married Charles Lindsay Temple. He became an important leader in Northern Nigeria.
Passing on the Leadership
Sir Reginald's older brothers had both passed away without sons. His younger brother's only son, Iain Breac, had died in 1915 when his ship, HMS Goliath, sank.
Because there were no immediate male family members to take over, Sir Reginald was succeeded by his oldest daughter. Her name was Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod (1878–1976). She became the 28th Chief of MacLeod. She was also the second woman to lead the clan.
