What a wonderful way to start the New Year. Maryborough Highland Gathering has been held on New Years Day every year since 1859 in the Victorian town of the same name. This year is no exception, with the event commencing at 11 am with a street parade. The parade leads to the main activity at Princes Park where Pipe Bands will put on displays (including Massed Pipe Bands), Highland Dancers will compete, and Highland Games will take place.
For more information contact the Maryborough Highland Society: events@highlandsociety.com.au
The December issue of the Australian “MacFarlane’s Lantern” is now available in the Members Area, along with back issues.
In the well-researched article “Two McFarlane Tragedies” by Dr. Tony Stimson, we learn the fate of Alexander Dampier McFarlane and son Bruce, in South Australia.
In “Scotland and the Slave Trade”, Malcolm Lobban reveals that one of our own Clan (Andrew MacFarlane, son of John MacFarlane, 8th Laird of Gartartan and Auchantroig) is listed among “the many slave masters and merchants that became multi-millionaires.”
Giving us some background information on his own family name, Lobban, Malcolm tells us that “The greatest concentration of the name Lobban (or Loban) is in the north-east counties of Scotland, particularly Banffshire and in upper Aberdeenshire.” Many families of that name also settled in Australia.
Ron Marsh reports on the Annual Joint Clan Luncheon held on October 23rd in Adelaide in which three clans participated – Clan MacFarlane, Clan Donald and Clan MacNeil. We also have details of our Annual General Meeting held on November 27th at which Jason Moore was elected our new President.
The Scottish Assocations of South Australia Inc. welcome all to attend the annual Kirkin’ of the Tartan service to be celebrated at St Andrew’s Anglican Church (Cnr. Church Terrace and Fuller Streets, Walkerville) on Sunday 13th November, 2016 commencing at 9.30am. For further details please click on the link below.
kirkin-of-the-tartan-church-service-general-invitation-2016
3ZZZ 92.3FM, Melbourne’s only full time ethnic community radio station, has a Scottish Program which is prepared and presented by dedicated volunteers every Monday at 11pm for the benefit of the local Scottish community. Bev Tait, Convenor of the Scottish Program gives an indication of what listeners can expect:
“We present news and current affairs from home, broadcast the latest music, interview local and international performers, and promote local events, community organisations and services for Melbourne’s Scottish community. In addition to our local audience, we also have listeners tuning in through the website from all around the world.”
If the late hour of 11.00pm is not convenient, you can also access the program at 3zzz.com.au for up to seven days following the broadcast.
The September 2016 issue of the Australian MacFarlane’s Lantern (No. 139) is now available to download from the Members Area, along with back issues. If you are interested in becoming a member please see membership information or email the Secretary.
Please feel free to make comments via the website, or by email to the Editor.
July 3 – Brighton, Victoria – Performance of 18th century Scottish music with a botanical theme
Here is a great opportunity to attend a performance of Scottish baroque and traditional music by Evergreen Ensemble. This presentation is titled Airs For The Seasons named after the series of works written in 1747 by Scottish composer, James Oswald, each of which was named after a flower or plant.
The performers are Shane Lestideau (baroque violin and violin d’amore), Jess Foot (baroque oboe and violin), Rosanne Hunt (baroque cello) and Simon Rickard (baroque bassoon). Not only is Simon a renowned bassoonist, he is also a skilled horticulturalist. He will therefore also be providing some commentary during the program about the various botanical specimens represented.
Date: Sunday, July 3, 2016 – 2.15pm
Place:Trinity Uniting Church, 15 Black Street, Brighton, Victoria
Duration: One Hour
Cost: $10 (under 18 free)
For further information please call (03) 9699 8417
You may have sung “Auld Lang Syne” as the clock ticked over into the New Year, or listened to the ode “To a Haggis” during a Burns Night celebration here in Australia, but how much do you actually know about the life of Robert Burns and his other notable works?
If you would like to learn more about the legacy of this 18th-century Scottish poet, take a look at Robert Burns: Poems, Songs and Legacy, which is a free online course run by the University of Glasgow. It begins on 18 July, 2016 and runs over a three-week period requiring only four hours of your time each week. All you need is an interest in Robert Burns – no previous experience or qualifications are necessary.
The June 2016 issue of the Australian MacFarlane’s Lantern (No. 138) is now available to download from the Members Area, along with back issues. Here you will also find a summary of the contents.
For the benefit of others who may be interested in joining, below are some of the highlights in the current issue.
- Our leading story in this issue concerns Lachlan MacFarlane of Oakfield, Mount Barker, South Australia (1806-1892), who came from the Buchanan parish on the eastern shores of Loch Lomond. Lachlan MacFarlane married a daughter of Mr Lubasch of Hahndorf. We would be pleased to hear from descendants of both the MacFarlane and Lubasch families.
- Next, part two of ‘Conflict at Glen Fruin 1603’ is published.
- We also have Billy Scobie, local writer/historian from Dunbartonshire, to thank for sending the article on the Loch Lomond Bell.
- In Root Lines we publish more about the MacFarlane settlers at Broken River, Victoria including family tree information on seven generations from Blair Atholl, Perthshire (c.1722) to Benalla, Victoria (c.1946) in the hope that it might open up new discussion on this MacFarlane family in Australia.
- There is also an article on the sept name ‘Miller’ which, in Scotland, appears to be more commonly spelled ‘Millar’.
Please feel free to make comments via the website, or by email to editor@clanmacfarlane.org.au
