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Lieutenant Colonel Sir Alexander Fergus Matheson of Matheson, 8th Baronet of Lochalsh and 28th Chief of the Clan, succeeded to the baronetcy and to the chiefship on the death of his father on 27th January 2017. He was born on 26th August 1954, the only son of Major Sir Fergus and The Hon Lady Matheson. His father had succeeded in 1993, following his elder brother, Torquhil, who in 1975 had succeeded to the chiefship by tanistry on the death of Colonel Bertram Matheson of Matheson MC, 25th Chief and last of the Bennetsfield branch of the Clan.
Sir Alexander was born at Birdsall in Yorkshire, the home of his mother's family. He was educated at Sunningdale School, Eton College and Durham University. He followed his father, grandfather, three uncles, three first cousins and both godfathers into the Coldstream Guards in which he served as a regular officer from 1973 - 2001, seeing service in England, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, The Gambia, Belize, France, Germany and Hungary. From 2001 - 2005 he was the Executive Director of the British Schools Exploring Society, and from 2005 - 2014 he was Secretary, Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood at St James's Palace, being appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order in 2013. From 2015-2022 he was a Gentleman Usher to HM Queen Elizabeth II and 2022-2024 to HM King Charles III. From 2022 he has been an Extra Equerry to HM King Charles III.
In 1983 he married Katharine, only daughter of Sir Michael Oswald GCVO and The Lady Angela Oswald CVO. Katharine has been a lecturer at law since 1987. They divide their time unequally between Berkshire and the Isle of Skye, and have three children: Andrew, Archie and Louisa.
If you would like the contact details of officers specific to a branch of the Society, e.g. the Chief's Lieutenant for the Australian branch, the Hon. Secretary for the New Zealand branch, or the Hon. Secretary for the UK branch, then please select the "Branches" option on the main menu, and choose the appropriate branch for further information.
Thank you for visiting us! Here are a few of the more notable sites, currently on the world wide web, that we would like to recommend. Just click on any of the links below, to access a site. If you know of any others that you feel are worthy of a mention, please get in touch.
Wikipedia
To join the Society, you need to contact your nearest global branch, where the relevant officer or secretary will be able to provide you with further instructions.
Each branch has its own overheads and costs, so fees may well vary from one to another. Please contact your nearest global branch for further details.
If you would like to become involved in the Clan DNA Project, please see the "Genealogy" topic elsewhere on this page where there is a lot of useful information. As noted there, we are unable at the moment to provide clear advice on the best choice of test.
Each branch publishes details of forthcoming events on its own website, or you can contact your branch directly for further information. International gatherings are usually well publicised and will also be featured on this, the main international site.
The Clan Society Newsletter is published annually, and some branches may issue their own Branch Newsletters on a more regular basis. Electronic copies of past Clan Newsletters are generally available on the web sites. Printed copies and the current edition are usually only available to paid-up members of their Branch. For further information, please contact your Branch Secretary.
If you are an existing member, you can obtain a copy of the 'Extended Genealogy of the Clan Chiefs' in the members-only section of the site. This document, which has been produced by our Clan Genealogist Mr John Faid, is an extensive and meticulously prepared insight into the genealogical structure of the Clan Chiefs.
For some further details please see the genealogy page listed under the History tab above.
The septs of Clan Matheson are MacMath, MacPhun and Mathie.
We regularly update and maintain our website so, should you encounter any technical issues, please contact our Clan Webmaster, who will endeavour to resolve any problems as soon as possible. His details can be found in the "Officers Of The Clan" topic, elsewhere on this page.
We recognize that user privacy over the internet is of the utmost importance. The following information explains how and why we collect data and what the practices of this website are, when using such data. If you have any questions or concerns regarding our privacy policy, please email our Clan Webmaster. If you prefer, you can write to us at the following address: The Old Rectory, Hedenham, Norfolk. NR35 2LD. United Kingdom.
Identifying InformationIn general, you can browse through our website without telling us who you are, or providing us with any information about yourself. However, there are one or two exceptions, such as when you send us an email. In such instances, we only retain the information that's needed, to enable us to provide a service to our members. Any identifying information gathered, is kept in the strictest of confidence and only for as long as it is required. Thereafter it is securely erased.
What Happens To Your Information?If you choose to submit personal information, it is retained by the Society and will only be used to support us in assisting you. We will not add you to any mailing lists or newsletters, and will only contact you if further information is required for us to take care of your needs. We do not share, rent, or sell any personally identifying information provided through our website (such as your name or email address), to any outside organization for its own marketing purposes.
Third Party LinksWhilst we provide links to other websites, these may well have very different privacy and data collection practices to those of our own site. Once you leave www.clanmatheson.org, we cannot control and have no responsibility for, the privacy policies or data collection activities at another site.
CookiesAt times, we will use a feature within your web browser to send your computer a "cookie". We do not use cookies to retrieve any personal information from your computer. We only use cookies to enhance our website, and to give you a better, more personalized service while visiting. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or indicate when a cookie is sent. However, some features of this website may no longer function correctly as a result.
Changes To This PolicyWe may, from time to time, revise our privacy policy. You should therefore periodically visit this page, so you are aware of any such changes. We will not, however, use your existing information in a manner not previously disclosed. You will be advised and have the opportunity to opt out of, any new use of your information.
The site has been designed with the objective of making it a central point of reference for information about the Clan and a portal to the global branches. Set out below, is an overview of the layout.
Home: Main index page of the website Membership: Drop-down with information on membership (general and member-only) Branches: Drop-down with links to global branch websites and/or contact details History: Drop-down with pages on Clan History and Clan Genealogy Information: Multi-topic page featuring the following topics
There are three main emblems of the clan. The first is the Chief's Crest. The crest is a hand, holding a scimitar, emerging from a five-pointed crown; the correct heraldic description of this is "issuant from an eastern crown or, a dexter hand holding a scimitar, in fess all proper". The Chief's Crest is the exclusive personal property of the Chief and can solely be used by him. The second is the Clansman's or Clanswoman's Badge. This badge may be worn by the Chief's clansmen or clanswomen and differs from the Chief's Crest, as it is surrounded by a strap and buckle carrying the Chief's motto or slogan "Fac et Spera" (Do and Hope) as shown below. The third is the Chief's Coat Of Arms. Comprised of a red and black shield with a gold lion, supported by two brown bears each with a gold crown around its neck, topped by a helmet on which sits the crest as described earlier. Beneath the shield is the Chief's other motto or slogan "O'Chian" (meaning "of Old"). The Chief's Coat Of Arms is the exclusive personal property of the Chief, and can solely be used by him.
Chief's Crest
Clansman's Badge
Chief's Coat Of ArmsA tartan is defined not simply by colour, but by the pattern of threads in warp and weft (the sett). The Scottish Register of Tartans lists nine Matheson setts. Of these, the Clan Chief encourages use of the so-called 'modern' red dress tartan and the 'modern' dark blue hunting tartan as shown below.
Dress Tartan
Hunting TartanThese images were derived from high resolution images kindly provided by Lochcarron Weavers. The high resolution versions of these and the 'ancient' tartans are available for members in the members-only section of the site.
The Clan Society aims to build up a history of the Clan and its scattered representatives across the world in three main ways: research of the wider historical record; the Clan DNA project; and research and recording of Clan Society members' own histories, in which your own efforts as a Clan Society member will play a key part, alongside the work of the Clan genealogists. Data from the initial researches included in your original society application form will (unless otherwise indicated) be included in Clan Society records.
For further details please see the genealogy and history pages listed under the History drop-down above. Whilst we aim to put information about individuals under genealogy and about events under history, the split it not always clear-cut: for example aspects of the history of the Chiefs appear in both. The genealogy and members-only pages include ways in which members can contribute information, e.g. to the DNA project and the genealogical database. Both can help in bringing relatives together but only if members contribute the necessary information.
The books and articles pages contain lists of publications relevant to the Clan, mainly relating to its history and genealogy, which we hope may helpful to people in their own research. Where a book is currently in print, we generally just give the details. Where it is not, we aim either to have a copy on line or to provide a link to where one is. In the main the articles were originally written either for the annual Clan Newsletter or for a Branch newsletter or web site and copies are help on this site for ease of access and archival purposes.
These pages can be accessed here: the books list and the articles list. Links on each make it easy to flip between them. We greatly welcome suggestions of other publications which members have found useful and which might be added to the lists.
The Clan Scociety publishes an annual Newsletter. Previous years' Newsletters are available to everyone online here; the current year's is available only to members both as a free printed version and online in the members-only section. The newsletters usually contain articles on Clan history or genealogy and there is a section of this website on both these topics (see History tab above) as well as a list of those articles of especial general interest.
We've amassed a number of photos over the years of locations and buildings with a Matheson connection, our Chiefs and Clan emblems, and from events, most recently from the Edinburgh Tattoo of 2017. Aside from the examples included in the gallery above this link (click on the images) and elsewhere on this website, you'll find a wealth of further images on the UK branch website: Click here for a direct link.
Our Facebook page is also being developed as a source of interesting and useful material and as such is a good place to view photos, submitted by both the Society and members alike. If you've any photos of your own, that you feel are notable and worthy of inclusion, then do please post them up. We would love to see them.
If your browser does not automatically play this video or you are attempting to view it on a portable device, please click here to view it, or press the play button if displayed.
This innovative video clip, captures "The Gathering" (which took place at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh 2009), in a time lapse format and is reproduced with the express and kind permission of its creator, Andy Younie, and remains his copyright. For further details, please visit his website: Planet Mediocrity.
This short film (produced as a feature on the "Homecoming Scotland" website by 29 Studios), is an overview of "The Gathering" that took place at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh in 2009, at which Clan Matheson were in attendance and well represented amongst the many others present. This footage is reproduced with the express and kind permission of Visit Scotland and remains their copyright. For further details, please visit their website: www.visitscotland.org.
We've amassed a number of photos over the years of locations and buildings with a Matheson connection, our Chiefs and Clan emblems, and from events, most recently from the Edinburgh Tattoo of 2017. Aside from the examples included in the gallery above this link (click on the images) and elsewhere on this website, you'll find a wealth of further images on the UK branch website: Click here for a direct link.
Our Facebook page is also being developed as a source of interesting and useful material and as such is a good place to view photos, submitted by both the Society and members alike. If you've any photos of your own, that you feel are notable and worthy of inclusion, then do please post them up. We would love to see them.