CONTROVERSY OVER CHIEF OF ROBERTSON CLAN

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 August 1949, Page 5

CONTROVERSY OVER CHIEF OF ROBERTSON CLAN

KINGSTON (Jamaica), Aug. 16 (Heed. 7 p.m.)— Langton George Duncan Haldane Robertson, history master at Jamaica’s Munro College, said today that efforts are being made to oust him from the chieftainship of the Scottish clan Donnachaidh (the Robertsons). Robertson, who is the 25th chief of the clan, said he cancelled his ceremonial visit to Scotland because he would not submit to a “revolting and insulting parade and examination of his colour.’’ He would wait in Jamaica until “his right by birth and law, irrespective of colour’’ had been established. He had heard from Scotland that when he visited there he would apparently be “paraded, microscoped, and even vivisected.” Action had been taken in Edinburgh by a minority group of the clan to oust him and probably set up a “clan republic.” Mr. Robertson said he was in “no hair-tearing state about his inherimnee of coloured blood.’’ Giving the “V - history of his ancestry, he explained *hat his great grandfather, Robert Joseph Robertson, settled in Jamaica

> early in the 19th century. By a Scottish declaratory marriage, which also • was solemnised by a priest, his great- . grandfather married Jane - Eliza i Chambers, who was so beautiful that ! she was known as the “Venus of the > island.’’ Mr. Robertson said his great- ‘ grandfather was “the younger son of • Captain Alexander Robertson, of • Struan, of Drumachine, and of In- > verack. 17th chief of the Clan Donl nachaidh." 1 Mr. Robertson concluded :“It should ’ be remembered the English have a ’ strain of coloured blood. There has I not been a pure race of any colour on I earth for 10,000 years.” -Mr. Robertson has sent a long air- -' mail letter to Scotland bitterly critii cising certain factions of the 10,000 ? strong Robertson clan for assertions ) that their chief is a “black man.” In Edinburgh Mr. James Robertson. ) secretary of the clan society, said the - society had not objected to the chief ? but some members thought, the clan i should have a chieftain resident in t Britain rather than one 3000 miles i away.—Reuter.