Sunday, 20th November 2016 11.30 am

at

Andy McLennan’s “River Retreat” McLennan’s Lane, Waterview, South Grafton

Come along & celebrate Christmas

Lunch, tea and coffee will be provided at a cost of

Adults, children 12 and over, $25 per head Children under 12 years $10 per head Members, family and friends welcome

Lucky door prizes on the day Colouring in for the kids

For further information please contact:

Melba Austen 02 66 449 290 or 0427 862 980 Thora McLeod 02 66 421 479

RSVP & PAYMENT to Thora or Melba

by 9th November 2016 Remittance attached

Thora McLeod 27 Bimble Ave

SOUTH GRAFTON NSW 2460

Melba Austen 98 Eatonsville Road

WATERVIEW HEIGHTS NSW 2460

Clan MacLennan Association – Grafton Branch

2016 CHRISTMAS PARTY

Clan Chief Ruairidh Donald George MacLennan of MacLennan – Scotland Clan Chieftain Gregory Scott MacLennan – Australia

Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Newsletter…….2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Page 2 Membership Clan Meeting Page 3 President’s Report Secretary’s Letter Page 4 Flowers of the Forest Celebrations Page 5 Nymboida Dances Page 6 Maclean Pipe Band & Frank and Sarah McLennan Page 7 What’s everyone been doing? Bonnie Wingham Page 8 DNA Matching Clan Genealogy Page 9 World Clan Gathering 2018 Laurieton Coronation Day 1953 Page 10 Events Calendar Page 12 Clan Contacts

Image Page 1 – Clan McLennan pole at Maclean.

Clan MacLennan Association-Grafton Branch First branch in the world outside Scotland

Clan MacLennan OCTOBER 2016

CLAN MEMBERSHIP Please note that membership dues are payable on 1st July each year. Clan Membership is $10 family or $5 single You are currently paid to:

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019+ Overdue

Contributions can be forwarded to Treasurer Thora McLeod, 27 Bimble Avenue, South Grafton, 2460

Season’s Greetings

The Clan extends their wishes to all for an enjoyable festive season

shared with family and friends. May 2017 bring good health,

happiness, peace, friendship and prosperity to all.

Clan Meeting Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday 28th March at 1.00pm. It will be held at the Turf Street Rotunda in See Park, Grafton. Board members please add it to your calendar.

Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Newsletter…….3

Secretary’s Letter Dear Clansfolk, I hope you are all well and like me thinking that Christmas is coming around again so quickly. We are organising our Clan Christmas party and details are included in this newsletter. We hope to see as many of you as possible and to those attending, please feel free to bring along friends and relatives, as all are welcome. In September, my sister in law Fay and I travelled to Toowoomba with the Grafton Garden Club and spent the weekend at the annual flower festival. The gardens and parks were just beautiful and a spectacular street parade was held on the Saturday afternoon. I also spent two weeks with my son Peter and his wife Kris and their family, who live in Helensburgh, the nearest town being Wollongong. I enjoyed a lovely trip to Kiama and another to Mossvale. The tulip festivals were on and the colour was amazing. Our Clan member Joan Smith is celebrating her 90th birthday this month and some of our members are looking forward to attending a celebration for her. Our best wishes to those who are not well. Happy Christmas, peace and good will to all.

With kind regards

Melba

President’s Report Well, the end of the year and Christmas is all but upon us. With a rather turbulent world, we are thankful for loving family and friends and strong Clan connections. To celebrate Christmas and our family Clan, we hope that many of our members and their family will join us on 20th November for lunch and a few yarns and laughs. Kae and I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Malcolm

Flowers of the Forest

Kay McLennan passed away on 19th September, 2016. Loved wife of Reg, treasured mum, mother-in-law and grandmother of Michael, Kathy, Vicki, Peter and their families, loving sister of Mick (deceased) and Peter Johnson.

Reg is the son of Carl & Josie (nee Bennett) McLennan.

----------------------------------------------

What is Scotland’s National Anthem? (Scots Heritage Magazine) There is no official National Anthem of Scotland. However, Flower of Scotland, written by Roy Williamson of the folk group The Corries, is frequently sung at major sporting events and other special occasions. Whilst written fairly recently, in 1965, the song refers to Robert the Bruce’s victory over Kind Edward II of England’s army at Bannockburn in 1314.

------------------------------------- Famous Scots Authors (www.heartoscotland.com)

Sir Walter Scott - Sir Walter Scott is known as the father of historical fiction, popularizer of the Highlanders

Robert Burns - National Poet of Scotland, we sing Robert Burn's Auld Lang Syne every New Year's Eve

Robert Louis Stevenson - Author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, charming verses for children, and more, Robert Louis Stevenson pined for Scotland even when his health forced him to leave

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Elementary, my dear Watson, Conan Doyle was simply the best mystery writer Edinburgh's School of Medicine ever produced!

Other well-known great Scots authors:

J. M. Barrie - Author of Peter Pan. Kenneth Grahame - Author of classic children's tale The Wind in the Willows.

Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Newsletter…….4

Congratulations go to Erica McLennan and Dan Shipman who announced their engagement on 31st July. The Clan wishes them a beautiful life

together.

Congratulations to Joan Smith on the occasion of her 90th birthday. We hope that

Joan has a wonderful birthday.

Nymboida Dances 1940-1950’s style

“It’s on again the Local Dance. I’ve searched for hours for a hint of Romance” at least so the Song says.

Waiting for the dance to start was exciting and I couldn’t wait to get there. When the dull hall light came on we knew it was time to go.

I got a buzz from the fast dances, which I’d learnt from an early age. I also liked the jazz medley and progressive barn dance, where you’d get to meet everyone, albeit briefly. It was a privilege to be asked for the Monte Carlo, being played with cards on an elimination process with the lucky couple winning a box of Winning Post Chocolates, to be most envied.

Among many other dances was the Boston Two Step and the Swing Waltz with music such as Blueberry Hill, Don’t Fence me In, Seven Lonely Days and Are you Lonesome tonight?

Also songs such as ‘Cry, Ricochet Romance or Side by Side’ were pop songs of the era.

I found that amongst the men, Max Murray and Ronnie Metcalfe stood out as being the best dancers, with Boyd Cartmill as the worst with heavy shoes and large feet. Best woman dancer was by appearance, was Lucy Graham. Best flirts were the people from Tyringham and Dundurrabin. Best dressed were Ivy Graham, Poppy Cartmill and Snowie Simpson (Graham) who on one occasion, looked stunning in a hand knitted jumper with red/white oblique stripes. Most fashionable was Jean Sinclair (Waugh). The most romantic couple were Ruth Towns and Gaine Cartmill who of course later married.

Organiser was Ida McLennan, Phyllis McLennan on piano, occasionally Archie Cartmill and Eileen (Toosie) Austen on piano accordion, her favourite song ‘Lilly of Lagoona’, with my father Aub Ellis Emcee. Usually Boodge McLennan was on the ‘door’.

Some of those who were always in attendance were Bills Towns, Athol McLennan, his sisters Lola, Thora and Sandra, all good dancers and Kevin McLennan and my cousin Monte Simpson.

In between dances the kids would take over the floor, or Dick Reimer would do the snake dance and Byron Fletcher would delight in jumping out and frightening the kids in the dark.

While the dancing and frivolities were going inside, some of the same was going on outside, around the bon-fire, telling yarns, laughing and drinking. No drinking inside then, however soon after cabaret came in.

The supper was always great, with home style country cooking and second cups of tea.

Kay Webster

Save the date:

Maclean Highland Gathering April 14 & 15 2017

FRANK & SARAH (NEE FREEMAN) McLENNAN’S INFLUENCE ON MACLEAN PIPE BAND

The latest addition in a long list of players in Maclean Pipe Band from this wonderful couple is Cedar McLennan Starling who is the granddaughter of Ian McLennan. Cedar is currently the runner up in the Queensland State Tenor Drum Championships in her grade, after playing for only 10 months. In addition to Cedar, descendants of Frank & Sarah include Angus, a piper; Bob, a drummer; Don & Allan McLennan, both pipers; Ian, a piper; Graham Davison, son of Clarrie & Amelia, who was a bass drummer. Cedar’s sister Pearl has also started to learn to play the tenor drum. As well as the tenor drum, Cedar is an accomplished kit drummer, acoustic & bass guitar & ukulele player. All of the aforementioned McLennans’ were very good players in their own right, however, it should be pointed out that the accomplishments of Ian should be acknowledged in this article. Ian has been Pipe Major of two bands & during his pipe band career, he has played in winning bands of the following championships:- QLD, Grades 3 & 4; NSW ,Grades 1, 2, 3 & 4; NSW Mini Band Contest, Grade 1; East Coast, Grade 1; Australian Championships, Grade 1 & runners up in the World Championships, Grade 4. Ian would be the first to acknowledge that he is not among the best pipers produced in this area, however, surely is the most successful in the pipe band arena. Although this is about Maclean Pipe Band, we must acknowledge Iven McLennan who learned to play the pipes at a mature age with the Grafton Pipe Band & has made a very good fist of it. To identify Cedar in the photograph below, she is the little girl standing 2nd from the left, with the uneven socks, next to the PM!.

Maclean Pipe Band, taken at the Australian Championships on 1st October this year where they achieved 5th place out of 21 bands in Grade 4, a most notable performance for a small country town. Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Newsletter…….6

What’s everyone been doing……….. Anne Gray Left on Saturday 15th October for a Performing Arts Cruise, all classical music with Kiri Te Kanawa, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, David Hobson, Jonathan Welch, Marina Pryor & lots of other well -known names. Moira & Graeme McLennan are travelling to Newcastle to see Andre Rieu on 21st October. Erica McLennan has once again been part of the NSW Medical Team for the National Men's Masters Hockey Championships in September. Erica was in Adelaide during the extremely bad weather . Helen & Barry Ellis – the shed, being the first part of Helen & Barry’s building project at their new Glen Innes block, is taking shape fast and is already at lock up stage. Robyn & Steve Little are recently returned from a wonderful holiday in Europe. They visited Northern Ireland so that Steve could build on his family research information gained in Scotland. They also enjoyed a river cruise in France and visited Paris. Bruce & Prue McLennan have been enjoying a holiday in Canada. Kerryn Newton has been travelling in Japan, Vietnam and Honolulu this year.

----------------------------- Bonnie Wingham 2016 Unfortunately, none of the board members of Clan MacLennan Grafton branch were able to attend the Bonnie Wingham festivities held recently. However member David Freeman attended and Bruce MacLennan from Clan MacLennan Australia also attended and carried the MacLennan banner in the procession. Bruce and David report that this year’s Bonnie Wingham was a great success. The main events comprised: Thursday: Genealogy Day Friday: Poets Breakfast, Historic tour during day and a Scottish performance in the evening Saturday: Gathering (Clan tents, competitions), Cocktail party, and Grand Ball Sunday: Service, Breakfast, Clans meeting … something for everybody! Clan Genealogist Bruce McLennan spoke at the Genealogy Day – about Clan origins. Clan MacLennan had a tent in the Central Park during the Gathering – David Freeman was present to answer questions. Both Bruce and David attended the Cocktail Party and Grand Ball. Clan MacLennan has been invited to be “Clan of Honour” for the 2018 Bonnie Wingham Festival. There will be special emphasis put on our Clan’s contribution to the North Coast. All members are welcome to join in at future Bonnie Wingham events.

-------------------------------------

Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival – Sunday28th May, 2017 – Sunday 4th June, 2017 Clan MacLennan has been invited to be the Clan of Honour in 2018. The Manning Valley Historical Society Thirteenth annual Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival commences Sunday 28th May, 2017. Clans from all over the country descend on the town of Wingham to enjoy a Scottish Concert on Sunday, 28th May 2017. Then, from Thursday 1st June 2017, visit the genealogy fair (tutorial and research); Friday 2nd, poet's breakfast, bus tour, baking competition, nine hole golf tournament, social bowls, Scot's Family Night Out; and on Saturday 3rd June, the main festival with street parade,

opening ceremony, markets and clan stalls, Highland games and massed bands closing ceremony and, in the evening a grand Scottish ball. On Sunday 4th June: blessing of the banners, barbecue breakfast, luncheon and concert/Ceilidh. A Mayoral reception and official opening ceremony also take place during the weekend. Some events require you to purchase a ticket - order your tickets online on the Bonnie Wingham website. A complete programme of events and functions for Bonnie Wingham 2017, including booking forms for sites and events is available for perusal and/or download from the website. For more information: www.manninghistorical.org

Anyone interested in attending the 2017 event please register your interest

with Melba or Kris.

---------------------------------- DNA matching Our Clan has been active in DNA matching over the last year. We are very lucky to have a medical research former professor – Dr David MacLennan – to assist. David is pleased to advise members on the best tests to take. It is easy to waste money on tests that go nowhere – like some that are widely advertised. Testing by individuals in Scotland, Australia, Canada and the US has given an understanding of their common ancestor from 700 years ago. With so many Clan members having come from around Kintail/Lochalsh/Lochcarron – it would be wonderful to tie these lines together through DNA matching. The web page www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com/dna has an explanation of DNA matching and contact details for David MacLennan. If you are interested to learn more about your distant ancestors, please contact David MacLennan.

--------------------------------- Past Newsletter preservation In conjunction with Bruce McLennan, our newsletter editor is looking at electronic preservation of past newsletters. This will ensure that valuable Clan information is not lost.

----------------------------------- Clan Genealogy Our Clan has established a considerable genealogy database that is available to all financial members. Each individual’s entry on the database is supported by evidence gleaned from birth, marriage and death searches and certificates contributed. When made available, just one headshot portrait is included and a photo of their headstone. The site now includes 34,000 individuals and 6,500 media items – certificates, headstones, portraits etc. A number of books (known as “Histories” on the main menu) about North Coast individuals can be read from the website. We encourage everyone to get their ancestors properly documented in the Clan database. Any evidence you have available can be contributed. Please go to www.clanmaclennan-worldwide.com/genealogy If you do not already have a user-name and password, click on “Register for a User Account”, fill in the form and return it by email as shown there.

-------------------------------------

World Clan MacLennan Gathering 2018 in Inverness, Scotland

Following on from the success of the 2009 Gathering in Edinburgh, and the 2014 Gathering at the Beaufort Hotel in Inverness the Clan is now planning the 2018 Gathering to promote our Clan and to bring our global family together to celebrate our fine customs and traditions.

The 2018 Clan Gathering will be held on 4th – 8th July 2018 and will again be based at the Beaufort Hotel in Inverness.

More information will become available in due course and will be available on the Clan website. We really hope that as many of you as possible make it across for the Gathering, which will be a 40 year celebration of the formation of the modern day Clan MacLennan.

Booking Form – TBA

Programme - TBA

Location & Accommodation: The Beaufort Hotel, 11 Culduthel Road, Inverness, IV2 4AG - Web: http://beaufort-hotel-inverness-scotland.cote-dazur-hotels.com

------------------------------------

Laurieton Coronation Day Aquatic Procession 1953 - A Right Royal Regatta – contributed by David Freeman

This English made tankard was the prize for the best comical float in a river pageant celebrating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and is the only known surviving trophy from the Laurieton Coronation Day Aquatic Procession held on 2nd June 1953. It was awarded to Ron McLennan, Laurieton’s Assistant Post Master for his entry described as: The latest model water mobile. A jalopy that likes the water choppy.

Across Australia, communities celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s coronation with concerts, street parades and many other civil and community events. In the Camden Haven area, the people of Laurieton,

Dunbogan and North Haven joined forces and organised an aquatic festival. River parades have a connection with British royalty going back 600 years to the time of King Henry VIII with parades on the Thames.

The river procession made news around the country and was recorded on a Cinesound newsreel. It was reported that the procession included 13 fishing boats, droghers, rafts and more than 20 smaller craft decorated with flags and bunting paraded down the Camden Haven River to the entrance and back again. The population of Laurieton was nearly 1500 at the time and the procession decorations costing £400 were paid for by the community. More than 3500 people lined the shore to cheer the passing fleet of boats. The Aquatic Procession was followed by a sports programme, fireworks display and a grand Coronation Ball held in the School of Arts building.

http://www.oroh.com.au/our-history/creating-memories/ ---------------------------

Have a Laugh Someone once said: “There are two seasons in Scotland: June and winter.” (It seems it was fortunate we were there in June!)

------------------------------------- Calendar October 2016 Oct 5 –Nov 29 Royal Scots Dragoons Pipes & Drums

The world-famous Pipes & Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards will visit Australia. With the highest profile of the British military concert bands, this promises to be a spectacular concert, giving audiences a whole new experience in Scottish traditional classic tunes, superbly blended with modern music arrangements. Glasshouse Port Macquarie on Sunday 30 October, 3:30pm and many other venues.

October 29 - 30 Battle of Bannockburn 2016 Timeline Festival

Bannockburn Golf Club, Shelford-Bannockburn Road, Bannockburn, Victoria http://www.timeline.org.au/

November 2016

November 5 Clan MacLennan Society Australia Gathering/Ceilidh 6.30 pm, Roseville Memorial Club, Pacific Highway, Roseville, NSW Contact: Bruce McLennan, 0416 231 939

November 20 Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Christmas Party, “River Retreat”, Waterview, South Grafton, NSW. See first page of newsletter.

November 30 St Andrew’s Day, Celebrate Scotland’s national day and Scotland's patron saint. St Andrew's Day, is the feast day of St Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland. December 2016 December 25 Merry Christmas = Nollaig Chridheil

December 31 Hogmanay. Happy New Year = Bliadhna mhath ùr

January 2017 January 25 Burns Night. Celebrate the life and poetry of Robert Burns and be part of Burns

Night celebrations around the world.

--------------------------------

Interesting facts Arm and a Leg In George Washington’s days, there were no cameras. One’s image was either sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are ‘limbs,’ therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, ‘Okay, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg.’ (Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint.) Big Wig As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October). Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn’t wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term ‘big wig’. Today we often use the term ‘here comes the Big Wig’ because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy. Chairman In the late 1700’s, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was used for dining. The ‘head of the household’ always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the ‘chair man.’ Today in business, we use the expression or title ‘Chairman’ or ‘Chairman of the Board.’ Personal Hygiene Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread bee’s wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other if a woman began to stare at

another woman’s face she was told, ‘mind your own bee’s wax.’ Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term ‘crack a smile’. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt. Therefore, the expression ‘losing face.’ Corsets Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in ‘straight laced’ wore a tightly tied lace. Full Deck Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the ‘Ace of Spades.’ To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead. Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren’t ‘playing with a full deck.’

Merry Christmas & Happy Hogmanay

Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch

Dum Spiro Spero

We are always looking for information for the newsletter. Please share your family stories, interesting articles or other information with us. Email or mail your contributions for the newsletter to Kristene.

Enjoy the newsletter and photos in colour by receiving an emailed copy of the newsletter. If

you would like an electronic copy, email Kristene with your request.

Membership fees $10 family $ 5 single

CLAN CONTACTS President Malcolm McLennan PO Box 247, South Grafton NSW 2460 P: 0481 125 771 E: kaemac8@gmail.com Vice President Errol Newton 101 Cambridge St, South Grafton NSW 2460 P: 0488 424 566 Secretary & Newsletter Melba Austen 98 Eatonsville Rd, Waterview Heights NSW 2460 P: 02 66449290 M: 0427 862 980 E: melbaemail98@gmail.com Treasurer Thora McLeod 27 Bimble Ave, South Grafton NSW 2460 P: 02 66421479 Newsletter Kristene Maguire 53 Ironbark Ave, Sandy Beach NSW 2456 P: 02 66562895 M: 0458062895 E: edgraftonclanmaclennan@gmail.com or tmaguire53@gmail.com fb: Clan MacLennan Association – Grafton Branch (community)

Our Clan branch needs new members to help us keep connected – please consider joining and being involved in the research and

social activities of the “Clan MacLennan – Grafton Branch” Why not give membership to a family member as a gift.

Clan MacLennan Grafton Branch Newsletter.....12