2011 1st Quarter

Clan Arthur Worldwide,

Chief John Alexander MacArthur of that Ilk

Dear Clans folk, We hope you have had a good summer. As most of you know Loraine and I attended the U.S. North Carolina Highland Games in July. We enjoyed our first night in the states with Dan and Faith McArthur and it was a special treat to talk to astronaut Col. William McArthur in Houston, Texas by the phone. The Games were a good occasion as both the society and the Association were flying the flag for the Clan. Lorraine and I were overwhelmed by every ones generosity. It was great to meet you all on your home turf and to be able to put faces to names.  Following the games we toured the northeast with Bob McArthur and Robert McArtor. The highlights of the trip were visits to the General Douglas McArthur’s Memorial, George Washington Mount Vernon, Washington D.C and a private tour of the Capital building arranged by Robin Naysmith of the North American Scottish Government Council. We finished the trip with a visit Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania where I served as an International Horticultural Trainee thirty-five years ago. It was also a special treat to spend some time with Rear Admiral (Ret.) Ken Wilson, an old friend who knew my dad in Scotland.                              Yours Aye, Chief John and Lorraine

2010 1st Quarter

The license for the reproduction of the Lewis Chessmen came with some restrictions and conditions. The photo could not be altered and the British Museum Board of Trustees had to approve how it was used. We sent a copy of the cover and a description of the article. Later we received this one word reply. ABSOLUTELY!! The Chessmen take a playful look at the Round Table Logo and appear to have just posed for the cover. We are pleased and honored to have the Trustees Blessing for this issue. Dr Dan McArthur

Hi all clans folk. We hope that the winter weather was not too severe in your part of the world. Here in Scotland it was the coldest we have experienced for many years. About four inches of snow fell around the 18th of December and lay on the ground for several weeks. We then had a thaw followed by a hard frost and cold winds. This all had a severe affect on the plants in the garden as the ground was frozen and the plants could not take up water. Now the signs are that we have lost many plants. What has happened to our climate? It is finally spring, but so far it has been very wet and cold. Here in Britain we are planning our annual Clan Gathering on the 13th of June in Inveraray. We will be meeting at the George at 1:00 for good food and fellowship.
We are very pleased to announce that our youngest son Calum will graduate from Glasgow University on the 24th of June. Lorraine and I are looking forward to our visit to America in July, and to meeting you all at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. It will be nice to put faces to names, and to attend the games that my Father and Mother remembered so fondly. We know it will be a memorable time for us and the Clan.
Have a great Spring.

Yours Aye Lorraine and Chief John

The 2010 UK Clan MacArthur/Arthur Gathering will be held at the George in Inveraray, Argyll on June 13th. You are invited to enjoy the fellowship. The present George Hotel, Inveraray, was originally two private houses completed in 1770. They were part of a project by the 3rd Duke of Argyll, started in 1744, to build a whole new town in Inveraray. This was to be the first example in Scotland of a planned town.

http://www.thegeorgehotel.co.uk/index.htm
Call 01499 302111 to make a reservation

( Reception is open from 8am until 9pm ).

http://www.inveraray-argyll.com/attract.htm#_self

Conducted Tours of Inveraray
Learn about Inveraray's history, its buildings, industries and its place in a modern Scotland. A leisurely paced walking tour of approximately 1¼ hours. Niall Iain McLean was Head Guide at Inveraray Castle for over 10 years until he retired in 2009.

Scotland Week ran from Saturday 3 - Saturday 10 April.

The Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP and a cross-party delegation of MSPs lead this year’s Tartan Day Parade as part of the Scottish Parliament’s Scotland Week programme in America. The Delegation traveled to New York, Boston, Concord, Manchester and Washington DC, taking time while in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire to visit their State Parliaments and address two local universities about the Scottish Parliament.
During their time in the US, Alex Fergusson, Jamie McGrigor, Pauline McNeill and Gil Paterson, focused on three key areas - climate change, sustainable transport and opportunities around the green economy, themes that link directly to the current work of the Parliament and its committees. They met key individuals, agencies and campaigners in New York, Boston and Washington DC and reported their findings to help further inform the Parliament's future scrutiny and understanding in these areas.
Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP said: "The annual Scotland Week celebrations have grown out of the 1998 Tartan Day resolution which tells the story of the unique bond between Scotland and America. "This year’s programme reflects the history of that bond, and will celebrate our rich, shared heritage but it will also look to the future and explore our environmental and economic links around the green agenda with the United States."

Faith McArthur, interviewed Sir Jamie McGrigor the week following his return
to Scotland. That exclusive interview will be posted soon on clanarthur.com and in the next Round Table.
 

http://www.scottish-blackface.co.uk

When visiting Scotland, one of our favorite sights are the Scottish Blackface lambs frolicking over the hillsides. Blackface sheep are found in monestary records dating back to the 12th century. The strong, coarse wool was used by the monks to make clothes, and export to Europe. King James IV of Scotland introduced an improved breed of blackface sheep in the 16th century. Their popularity continued through the 17th century. In the early 19th century the high price of wool from the cheviot breed made keeping flocks of blackface sheep less profitable, but by the end of that century the Scottish Blackface breed had an upsurge of interest. Though the breed is uncommon in the USA, it is the most popular in the UK with over a million head in Scotland alone, and considered the backbone of the sheep industry there.
The Scottish Blackface are medium sized sheep with the ability to withstand harsh environments and thrive on less than perfect pastures. They are prized for their lean, favorable meat. Their wool is sought after by Italian mattress makers; and is used for making carpets and Harris Tweed woolens. Blackface ewes are excellent mothers and willing to adopt orphaned lambs, which can lower infant mortality in the breed.

This flock of Scottish Blackface sheep pose cautiously for the photographer on Clan MacArthur ancestral land overlooking Loch Awe in Argyll. Photo courtesy of proud owner, David Fellows

Peter MacArthur, Clan MacArthur Society Member in Inveraray, Receives Service Award:

Congratulations to Peter MacArthur. In Feburary Peter was presented with a long-service award for hard work and dedication to the Argyll Estates in Inveraray, Scotland. Peter started with the Estates straight from school at the age of 15. His Grace the Duke of Argyll congratulated Peter, and Iona, Duchess of Argyll then presented Peter with a framed Certificate from The Royal Highland & Agricultural Society, along with a long service medal. Well done Peter.

Photo Inveraray: US President Faith McArthur Presenting Peter his Society membership in 2008

http://www.skwebpages.com/inveraray/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&p=51#p51

Chris MacArthur, USA (Photo Left) http://www.chrismacarthurmusic.com/
To hear Chris’s music visit chrismacarthurmusic.com. There is a small player at the top of the home page and a larger player on his music page.
As always we will have some easy web site links on your clanarthur.com

Chris MacArthur, UK (Photo Right) http://www.myspace.com/chrismacarthurmusic
To hear Chris’s music visit http://www.myspace.com/chrismacarthurmusic  There is a player on the page. As always we will have some easy
web site links on your clanarthur.com site

The British Museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through a three year funding agreement. Its aim is to hold for the benefit and education of humanity a collection representative of world cultures and to ensure that the collection is housed in safety, conserved, curated, researched and exhibited. It holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain’s architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collection is free. The Museum has continually sought to make its collections available to greater and more diverse audiences, first in London, subsequently the UK and worldwide. http://www.britishmuseum.org

The Museum is governed by a board of 25 trustees outlined in the British Museum Act of 1963 and the Museums and Galleries Act of 1992. Trustee appointments are governed by the code of practice on public appointments issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments

The Lewis Chessmen (Paperback) by James Robinson
5 pounds ($10.00 Amazon)
These enchanting chess pieces consist of elaborately worked walrus ivory and whales’ teeth in the form of seated kings and queens, mitred bishops, knights on their mounts, standing warders and pawns in the shape of obelisks. They were found in the vicinity of Uig on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, in mysterious circumstances some time before 11th April 1831. Various stories have evolved to explain why they were concealed there, and how they were discovered. This book takes a lively look at the many theories surrounding the ownership of the pieces, why they were hidden and how exactly they were discovered, and places them in the wider context of the ancient game of chess and secular culture of the Middle Ages.

Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: British Museum Press (December 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0714150231
ISBN-13: 978-0714150239
Lewis Chessmen DVD 9.99 pounds

http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org

The Lewis Chessmen and the Enigma of the Hoard by Neil Stratford
$64.00 to $ 157.00 (new)
$23.53 to $ $87.70 (used)
Paperback: 64 pages
British Museum Press (September 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0714105872
ISBN-13:978-0714105871

http://www.amazon.com
 

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