FAMOUS CLAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22205, 4 September 1935, Page 14

FAMOUS CLAN

MACLEOD OF MACLEOD THE HEAD OF DUNVEGAN PROSPECTIVE CHIEFTAIN AUSTRALIAN CLAIMANTS [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Augr. 09 Following the death, reported by cable recently, of Sir Reginald Macleod, of Dunvogan, Isle of Skye, and chieftan of the clan, it is fairly certain that the successful claimant of the title of the Macleod of Macleod will be Austra-lian-born. There are several claimants in Australia alone, but it is understood from members of tho family and friends of the late Sir Reginald Macleod that tho question of the chiefship has been, settled for many years and that Mr. Hugh Vernon Macleod, of Portland, Victoria, who is known as Macleod of Talisker, will be the Macleod of Macleod. Mr. Hugh Macleod said that Sir Reginald Macleod of Macelod, the 24th chief, was tho last of the direct line of Macleods of Dunvegan. This line traced its descent in unbroken line from the eldest son of Sir Rory Mor Macleod. Sir Rory Mor had seven sons, and the second son founded the cadet branch of the Macleods of Talisker, the other sons being the orginators of other cadet families, such as Raasav and Cadboll. "Preparation for Succession" In 1818 the Talisker Macleods emigrated to Australia, Mr. Macleod's great-grandfather, Major Macleod, settling in Tasmania, and his grandfather, Mr. John Norman Macleod, taking holdings in the western district of Victoria shortly after the Hentys settled there. Alexander Magnus, the eldest son of John Norman, had no sons, but Donald Norman, the second son, who for some time was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, had six, of whom Mr. Hujih Macleod was the second. The eldest, Norman, died early, so that with his father's death, Mr. Hugh Macleod became head of 'the senior cadet Talisker branch. Last year Mr. Macleod received a letter from Mr. Pirie Gordon, of Burke's Landed Gentry, suggesting that he should fulfil certain formalities in connection with the coat of arms, "in preparation for your succession." Mr. Macleod is president of the Portland shire, and fought with the 13th Australian Light Horse in the Great War. 3'icture of Historic Castle / Mr. Norman Macleod, a Melbourne paint merchant, believes he has claims to tho succession. He is a direct desoendent of the Macleods of Dunvegan, and while yet he mak?s no claim to the ancient title, has in his possession the historic picture cf Dunvegan Castle, the ancient iaome of the chieftains. This has for long been an heirloom in the collateral branch of the family. Mr. Macleod's grandfather, James Macleod, a member of the Dunvegan clan, came to Australia 80 years ago, and was steeped in the lore of the Isle of Skye. James Macleod's son, also James Macleod, inherited the castle picture, which he :in turn handed to his eldest son, Norman, as. a traditional wedding gift. " I am not concerned about the matter, said Mr. Macleod. " I suppose search will reveal -the right chieftain. All I know n'sw for certain is that my family is of the Dunvegan Macleods." WEALTHY GIRL'S ROMANCE

TOO RICH FOR FIANCE FIITEEIN YEARS OF DEVOTION [from ou» own correspondent] By Air Mail 'LONDON. Aug. 17 Miss !STorah Cecilia de Vahl, of Westborirne Terraoe, Hyde Park, "who left £30,000 to her fiance, did not marry him because he refused to live on_ her moaey. Fifteen years ago Miss de Yahl, then a young and beautiful Polish Jewess, met Mr. Vivien Godwin Robert, handsome ex-officer of the Indian Army, home on leave from Burma, -where he held a judicial post in the Civil Service. They fell in love. She urged him to leave India; to return home to marry. He said his financial position would not permit retirement; she could not, for health reasons., live in Upper Burma. So he asked her to wait until he could retire on pension. Whenever Mr. Robert came home on leare she tried to persuade him to change his mind. She renounced her JeTrish faith and became a Christian. Sho last saw her fiance three years ago, when ha returned to Burma. He was about to serve his last period of service. They were to be married on his return. Last April, just when the happiness for which she had waited so long appeared 'to be within, her grasp, Miss de Vahl died. She left her fortune of £1(14,584 to her friends, her servants and her fiance. To Mr. Robert, too, she left "with all my fondest love, my diamond allround ring, which I always wear." It wais the emblem of 15 years of devotion. GROWTH OF AIR TRAVEL HOLIDAY TRAFFIC BOOM BRITISH SUMMER FIGURES [from our own correspondent] By Air Mail LONDON. Aug. 17 Rapid expansion of the demand for air transport is revealed in figures of traffic during the holiday season. The August bank holiday week-end saw especially heavy use of the air lines operating in and out of London. On the three days preceding the weekend Imperial Airwavs were obliged to run seven services daily in each direction between London and Paris, providing aggregate seating capacity over the route of approximately 450. On one day the service to Le Touquet was trebled, and that to Zurich doubled. Home air lines that use the Heston airport report a similar marked upward tendency. Comparison of July traffic figures for 1934 and 1935 shows that more of this year's activity is represented by commercial aircraft movements. In July, 1934, the Heston control station registered 4268 takeoffs and landings (excluding school flying). Of these 32 ]>er cent wero movements of commercial aeroplanes. In July, 1935, 4495 aircraft movements were registered; 43 per cent of them wero commercial. On one day in July no fewer than 637 take-offs and landings wore registered. On on average, therefore, an aeroplane took off and landed every minute of the controlled period at Heston, between 10 a.m. and 8 ri.m. Jersey Airways' London services carried 1337 passengers in July last, or 28 per cent more than in July, 1934. Altogether 3525 passengers on regular air lines passed through Heston in July, a 45 per cent increase on the figures for July, 1934..