Clan Carruthers: Clan MacEwan – en route to a Chief

Some wrongly chose to suggest that the confirmation of a Chief or Commander of a Scottish clan by the Lord Lyon King of Arms are only for the Scots members of the clan or family.

This of course is grossly inaccurate and seems to be perpetrated to feed some business agenda. In the case of Carruthers, our Chief; Dr S Peter Carruthers of Holmains, retains the hereditary title of Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers.

Therefore, when a Clan Chief or Commander is accepted and confirmed by the Lord Lyon, it is for the benefit and enrichment of the whole clan or family internationally, not simply those living in Scotland as the chief is the chief of the clan not a portion of it.

Without stating the obvious, this clarifies that all Carruthers or derivations/variations of the name now have an official and more importantly, legally recognised Chief, from wherever they hail.

In fact most recognised clan societies have international membership, which are made up of individuals and families who remain proud of their heritage and wish to celebrate and respect the history and culture of the lands of their birth or that of their forebears.

Clan Carruthers Society International, acting as the official representative of the ancient Scottish clan of the same name, welcomes all who still retain that deep seated pride and passion for Scotland in their hearts.

To emphasise the international appeal, clan societies, again with an international following, continually approach the Lyon Court for recognition. This is either through Chiefship, if the genealogy is there as in the case of Carruthers, or a Commander through a Derbhfine, as in the case of MacEwan if no genealogical link still exists. Here is a piece by ‘History Scotland’ on the latter scenario from earlier this year:

Clan MacEwen prepares to welcome its first chief in 500 years

‘Reviresco – We Shall Rise Again’ is the motto that is coming true for Clan MacEwen, a chiefless clan for 500 years who are about to make history when they appoint a new chief.

Sean A McCuin, Clan MacEwen’s chairman, takes up the story:

At one time an important and numerous Cowal Clan, in the 15th century the MacEwens fell into a decline which led to them losing their lands by Loch Fyne to the Campbells. Their chief at the time, Swene MacEwen, proved to be their last.

With the revival of the clans in the 19th century, the clan began to re-organize and established their tartan, their crest (an ancient oak tree sprouting forth new growth) and their rallying cry, “Reviresco” which means “We shall rise again”. Then, in the 1950s, the poet and parliamentarian Sir Jock McEwen was approached to see if he would consider becoming Chief.

The subject lapsed for a while but in the 1990s was revived when Sir Jock’s grandson, Sir John McEwen, Baronet of Marchmont and Bardrochat, an actor and writer resident in Berwickshire, was asked by the Clan Ewen Society if he would be interested in taking on the burden of Chiefship. Other clans were claiming MacEwens as members and the MacEwens were powerless to prevent this because they had no Chief. Sir John agreed to seek recognition by the Lord Lyon.

Clan MacEwen Commander

After considerable negotiation, in 2014, at a derbhfine (family convention) in Clydebank overseen by Adam Bruce, the Marchmont Herald from the Lyon office, Sir John (pictured left), was recognised as Commander of Clan MacEwen.

Now the time approaches for this recognition to be renewed as one further step towards Sir John being recognised as Chief of the Name.

On 1 June, the MacEwens are gathering from all over the world at the Kilfinan Hotel, Loch Fyne, near the site of the ancient Castle MacEwen, and together compose a very important petition of support to be sent to the Lord Lyon explaining why it is believed that Sir John McEwen should be Chief of Clan MacEwen and that we are happy with his leadership. Thus will this great Clan of poets and musicians, doctors, politicians and engineers, be restored to its rightful place in Scottish life and indeed rise again!

If you would like to learn more about Clan MacEwen, and their journey to Chiefship, or would like to attend the derbhfine/gathering in Kilfinan, more information can be found at the Clan’s website.

Clan Carruthers

In the same vein as other Chiefs and Commanders and in fact many members of other clans as well as our own, our own Chief Carruthers of Holmains has been contacted by Sir John to offer his congratulations.

The ability of Scots and their descendants to be able to anchor themselves back to Scotland itself is a momentous thing. Many of us still retain deep pride for their heritage and history and great respect for their culture. Having a Chief, especially one who can trace his ancestors to the first Carruthers of Carruthers in the 12 c, through Mouswald and on to his own ancestral house of Holmains, is a strong position for a clan to be in.

Hereditary Clan Chiefs also ensure that the clan themselves are recognised in Scots law as a ‘Noble Incorporation” allowing Clan Carruthers to take its rightful place amongst the official clans of Scotland. This in itself will be reflected in any media covering either the Clans and Families of Scotland or the Border region itself.

The Clan Carruthers Society International (CCSI) was founded in January 2017 and is officially recognised by the Chief of Carruthers as representing the worldwide Carruthers family. It is non-commercial, apolitical and non-partisan and is open to any member of the international Carruthers family and derivatives of that name. The Society is based in the United Kingdom, but is represented by an internationally led Executive Council made up of Carruthers from Scotland, England, Canada, US, Europe and Australia.

Carruthers has risen to ride again!!!

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