Clan Donald Australia

President Neil Macdonald being congratulated on his appointment by Norman Macdonald, High Commissioner of Clan Donald Australia.

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Contacts:

President:        Neil Macdonald

                        Email:  clandonaldqld@optusnet.com.au 

                        29 Pinewood Street

GEEBUNG  QLD   4034

Phone:             0412 090 990

Secretary:        Marie Hodgkinson

                        Email:  william.hodgkinson@bigpond.com.au  

Suzanne Lambkin, Commissioner of Clan Donald Queensland, with Donald Macdonald Clan Donald South Australia, Neil Macdonald President Clan Donald Queenslans, Norman A. Macdonald High Commissioner Clan Donald Australia, Malcolm C.McDonald Toiseach Finlaggan Council and Lachlan Macdonald Secretary Clan Donald New South Wales.   Suzanne  Lambkin was invested as Commissioner for Clan Donald Queensland at the AGM held 28^th May 2011. 

Clan Donald Society of Queensland.

Clan Donald Society ofQueenslandis the home of kith and kin of the great Clan Donald, the greatest of all the Highland Clans – it’s main branches being : The Isles; Clanranald; Keppoch; Glencoe; Sleat; Antrim.

The role of the Society is to maintain communication for and with the clansfolk of Clan Donald and it’s Septs, and :

• · to foster an appreciation of the culture ofScotland;
• · to encourage and support research into the history and genealogy of Clan Donald and its  people, and it’s contribution to the development ofAustralia;
• · to organise and assist in the conduct of functions and events inQueenslandrelating to the above.
• · to disseminate this through a quarterly Newsletter.

Membership in the Society assists in all of these aims.

MEET YOUR COMMITTEE:

President: (written on Neil’s behalf)

Alexander Neil Macdonald (known to all as Neil) and was elected President of Clan Donald Queensland at the recent Annual General Meeting.  Neil was born in Manly NSW to Alexander James Macdonald and Rosemary Helen White and his family descends directly from the Lord of the Isles.

Neil is a “Macdonald of Monkstadt”. This is a cadet family of the Macdonald’s of Sleat.  Neils 7^th great grandfather was Sir James Mor Macdonald 9^th of Sleat, 2^nd Baronet and his 3^rd great grandfather Hugh Peter Macdonald was the last factor at Monkstadt on the Isle of Skye for Lord Macdonald and it is through Hugh Peter that the Macdonalds of Monkstadt descend.   Flora Macdonald the famous heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape is also connected to this line of the family.

 Neil’s 2^nd great grandfather Alexander migrated to Australia in 1864 along with his 2^nd wifeMeta and 3 young children. They first settled inBrisbane but later moved to Inverell where they had a further nine children.   Alexander was one of 11 children, 8 of which came toAustralia to settle and raise their families.  One of Alexander’s sons from his first marriage, Hugh Peter Macdonald wrote the Boer War Song “Call of the Empire” and became MP for Coonamble NSW.   Hugh and his 2 siblings who were left in Scotland with relatives, did not come to Australia until much later only to find that their father had died before they could meet up with him again.  

Neil and his family have always been aware of their ancestral line and proud heritage.   Neil’s mother who passed away in 1984 was the instrument in starting Neil’s interest in finding out about his heritage and  it has been carried on through his father James, brother James (little Jim to us) and sister Johann. 

Neil and Judy although they have no children they do have one very spoilt pooch named Emma.  Neil has been self employed in the building industry for most of his working life and has owned and run  a property maintenance business inBrisbanefor the past 25 years. .   Neil is currently away inScotlandbut would like to send an invitation to all members to contribute to the newsletter by way of stories, recipes, and any coming events that you are aware of.  He is committed to helping Clan Donald grow and is looking forward to working together with the new committee and newly appointed Commissioner of Clan Donald Queensland, Suzanne Lambkin in expanding Clan Donald inQueensland. .

Recently Neil had the honour of being the guest of Clan Donald NSW at both the Bundanoon and Glen Innes Gatherings and would like to thank Callum (Commissioner of CD NSW) his wife Elizabeth, Lachie Macdonald (Secretary CD NSW) and his wife Wilga for their hospitality. Their help, friendship and encouragement made these events an enjoyable and informative experience and he looks forward to many more to come. 

Treasurer:

Judy (Neil’s wife) was born and bred inBrisbane, and she too comes from a very noble Scottish family theDunbarsand has been able to trace her family back to the early 1100’s.   Judy’s interests are her family, her genealogy work and helping others trace their ancestors.  

Secretary: 

I am Marie Hodgkinson and I was elected secretary of Clan Donald Society of Queenslandfor the next twelve months. I am married to Bill, who has a great grandfather Alexander Mackenzie who migrated to Queenslandfrom Aberdeen. We have two daughters and four grand-children. We live in and we were both educated in Toowoomba where we met at secondary school and married after I had completed my teaching bond with the Queensland Government. I worked for almost thirty years as a primary school teacher mostly in Catholic Schools and Bill worked for 24 years and 6 months in the Schoolof Education, Universityof Southern Queenslandin Toowoomba where for eleven years he headed the Graduate Diploma Program before we both took early retirement in 1997.

  My interests as well as anything Scottish include family history and I am a member of the Darling Downs Family History Society, an environment and conservation group called Darling Downs Field Naturalist, our local Probus Club where we are Speakers  co-ordinators , family,  gardening , computing and walking. In fact there are not enough hours in the day to do all we both wish to do. We have completed several distance walks and my greatest achievement was in 2005 when with six long standing friends and colleagues we completed the 305 kilometre coast to coast walk – Wainwright’s walk- inEnglandthrough the Lakes District, the Yorkshire Mores and the Yorskshire Dales.  We have, with the same group of friends also completed shorter but no less demanding walks of the Milford Track inNew Zealand, the Cinque Terra inItalyand the Overland Track inTasmania. Bill says he has one more long walk in him but I at this stage am uncertain.

 My interest in Clan Donald was fuelled when I began to trace my family in the late eighties. Amongst my immediate ancestors are Sutherlands from thevillageofLothbegin Sutherlandshire, Wilsons from Cromarty on the Black isle, Frasers from Boleskine on Loch Ness and MacDonald’s from theIsle of Skye

As I stated one of my primary interests is all things Scottish and I belong to a number of Scottish organizations both in Australia and Scotland including Aussie Scots in Brisbane and although I am committed to Clan Sutherland which was the Clan about which I knew most growing up and when I started my family quest I look forward to learning about and serving Clan Donald and using my experience and expertise to help the Society function and grow.

Committee members:

Alexander James Macdonald (Jim) – father of Neil.   Jim lives in Buderim with his partner Eileen and since retiring has become involved with the local bowls club.  Jim was born in Inverell where his great grandfather lived after arriving inAustralia.  During his working live he became a shearer and wool classer and then went on to setting up his own business in the building industry. 

Jim Macdonald – brother of Neil.   Jim lives in Nundah – a confirmed bachelor – and works for the SES Kedron.  Jim has recently returned from a trip toNew Zealandhiking the mountains of theSouth Island.

Noel Denning – Noel is also a direct descendant of Sir James Mor 9^th of Sleat 2^nd Baronet and shares the exact same lineage as the president, Neil (Neil and Noel being 4^th cousins).  Noel’s 2^nd great grandfather Donald, younger brother of Neil’s 2^nd great grandfather, Alexander, was known as “Skye Lochinvar” and is famous in Scottish history for eloping with his young wife Jessie Macdonald of Balranald, North Uist.   Donald and Jessie migrated toAustralia in 1852 and started their family life settling inVictoria and had 10 children.  Books have been written about Donald and Jessie’s elopement for eg: “Courtship and Marriage of Donald Macdonald of Monkstadt” c.1900 by William Mackenzie,Edinburgh: “The Skye Lochinvar” The Story of Donald of Monkstadt and Jessie of Balranald by Donald Budge c.1961.  See the genealogy page for the story of Donald and Jessie’s elopement.   Noel and his wife Heather live inMapleton,Queensland and are also involved in family history, Heather being the main historian for Noel’s family.   They are both retired and enjoy travelling and are active “walkers