Veronica Maclean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Maclean
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| Born |
Veronica Nell Fraser
2 December 1920 London, England
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| Died | 7 January 2005 (aged 84) Strachur, Scotland
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| Known for | Culinary writing |
| Spouse(s) | Alan Phipps (1940 – 1943; his death) Fitzroy Maclean (1946 – 1996; his death) |
| Children | Susan Phipps (b. 1941) Jeremy Phipps (1942–2021) Charles Maclean (b. 1946) Alexander Maclean (b. 1949) |
| Parent(s) | The 16th Lord Lovat Hon. Laura Lister |
| Relatives | David Stirling (cousin) |
Veronica, Lady Maclean (born Fraser, later Phipps; 2 December 1920 – 7 January 2005) was a Scottish writer and hotel owner. She was known for her cookbooks and for running a family inn. Her family owned Creggan's Inn, a hotel located by Loch Fyne in Argyll, Scotland.
Lady Maclean's first cookbook introduced a new style of cooking. She shared recipes from her family and friends. This was different from the fancy French cooking, called haute cuisine, which was popular in hotels back in the 1960s. Her approach was more about home-style or country house cooking.
Her first book, Lady Maclean's Cook Book (1965), was very popular. It included special dishes like the Duchess of Devonshire's fish soup. Other recipes were Lady Diana Cooper's blackcurrant leaf ice and Lady Lovat's oxtail. Her husband's "plov from Samarkand" was also a hit. This book was printed many times because people loved it. She wrote other cookbooks too, such as Lady Maclean's Diplomatic Dishes (1975). She also wrote Lady Maclean's Book of Sauces and Surprises (1978). Her last book was Lady Maclean's Second Helpings and More Diplomatic Dishes (1984).
Contents
Who Was Veronica Maclean?
Veronica Nell Fraser was born in London on 2 December 1920. She was the fourth of five children in her family. Her father was the 16th Lord Lovat.
Early Life and Marriages
At the start of the Second World War, Veronica worked in a mobile ambulance unit in France. In 1940, she married Lieutenant Alan Phipps. He was a brave officer who served in the Arctic Convoys and the Mediterranean. Sadly, Alan was killed in 1943 during the Battle of Leros. Veronica was only 23 years old and had two young children.
In 1946, she married Fitzroy Maclean. Fitzroy had been an officer with her cousin, David Stirling. Stirling was important in starting the SAS, a special forces unit. Fitzroy Maclean was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lancaster starting in 1941. In 1957, he was given the title of a baronet. This meant Veronica became Lady Maclean. Fitzroy continued to serve as an MP for Bute and North Ayrshire until 1974.
Her Children
Lady Maclean had two children from her first marriage to Alan Phipps. They were Susan Rose "Sukie" Phipps (born 1941) and Jeremy Julian Phipps (born 1942). Sukie later married the writer Derek Marlowe. Jeremy became a Major-General in the British army. He also served in the SAS.
Sir Fitzroy and Lady Maclean had two sons together. Their names were Charles Edward (born 1946) and Alexander James Simon Aeneas (born 1949).
Public Appearances and Legacy
Lady Maclean appeared on a BBC cooking show in 1988. It was called Floyd on Britain and Ireland and was hosted by Keith Floyd. The episode was filmed in May and shown later that winter.
Lady Maclean passed away at her home on 7 January 2005. She was 84 years old. Her home was Strachur House in Strachur, Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Sir Fitzroy had died earlier, in 1996, from a heart attack.
