We are pleased to announce that, as of October 2020, Dr Peter Carruthers of Holmains as Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers having been duly elected in that Carruthers are now fully represented on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. As hereditary Chief, this seat is passed down to his heir.
Peter, who was confirmed into his hereditary Chiefship by the Lord Lyon in August 2019, is the first Chief of our clan and family since his 4 x Great Grandfather, John 12th of Holmains, 8th Baron, 210 years ago and the first ever Carruthers to hold a seat on the Council. He had pleasure in attending, by Zoom, his first AGM as of Friday, November 13th, 2020 as our Chief. The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs is the definitive and authoritative body for information on the Scottish Clan System. It was founded in 1952 by Diana Hay, 23rd Countess of Erroll, who at the time held the title of Lord High Constable of Scotland.
Objectives of the Standing Council
The objectives of the SCSC are stated in its constitution:
The Objects of the Council, which is non-political, are to consider matters affecting Scottish Chiefs and the Clans and Names which they represent and to submit their views and interests to HM Government, to Departments of State, the Scottish Government, to Local Authorities, to Press and Public, to Associations connected with Clan and Family in Britain and overseas; also to educate the general public in matters connected with the rights, functions and historical position of Scottish Chiefs, together with the Clans and Names which they represent and to take such steps as may seem expedient to protect the titles, armorial bearings or other insignia of Chiefs from exploitation or misuse in trade or otherwise.
Convenor
The present the current Convenor is Donald MacLaren, Chief of the Clan MacLaren (Clan Labhran)
Donald MacLaren of MacLaren and Achleskine, to give him his full title, was born in 1954 and succeeded his father as Chief in 1966. He is the twenty-fifth head of the Clan since Labhran, name-forefather of the Clan eight hundred years ago. He is descended from King Lorn Mor of the fifth century.
Donald was educated at the Dragon School in Oxford and Trinity College Glenalmond in Perthshire, where he learned to play the pipes; and from there went on to Edinburgh University, graduating with an MA Hons. degree in Classics and English. A keen sportsman, he also played rugby for the combined Scottish Universities XV.
He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1978 and after postings in Berlin, Moscow, Havana, Caracas and Kiev he served in Tbilisi, Georgia as Her Majesty’s Ambassador. He left the FCO in 2008 and now runs a partnership teaching people to speak persuasively, called Perfect Pitch.
Donald married Maida Jane Aitchison in 1978. They have three sons and two daughters (Donald, Florian, Louis, Iona and Marina) and a grand-daughter (Anna). Their eldest son, Donald, has served with the British army in Iraq and, as a Royal Marines Commando, in Afghanistan.
The Chief’s home is Kirkton, Balquhidder, Stirling in the heart of the ancient duchus, which is the special patrimony of the Chiefly House of Clan Labhran. Clan MacLaren are represented by the Clan Maclaren Society, based in Scotland, with branches in North America, Australia and Germany : https://www.clanmaclarensociety.com/history.html
The Past Convenor of the Standing Council of Scottish was Andrew Bruce, Earl of Elgin and Chief of Bruce.
