Clan Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Clan Forsyth is one of Scotland's wealthiest clans
.
The name Forsyth (sometimes spelled Forsythe, with an "e") derives from the Gaelic 'man of peace'. Members of the clan can now be found all over the United Kingdom
, in Canada
, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
, U.S.A, Australia
, New Zealand
and South Africa
, in fact there are now more Forsyths living in the Scottish Diaspora than those remaining in Scotland
.
In early history the Forsyths of Scotland were a royal Scandinavian family that bore the Griffin
as their symbol. Thus the ancient history of the Forsyths can not only be traced through the Clan's name, but also its symbol - the Griffin Sergeant.
An alternative history is that the Forsyths were much later arrivals in the British Isles, arriving only in 1236. This tradition places the Forsyths as the descendants of Forsach, one of the Norsemen who settled on lands on the River Dordogne in Aquitaine
. From here the Viscomte de Fronsoc accompanied Eleanor of Provence
to London
to marry Henry III
and lived at the English court from 1236 to 1246. It is believed that his family obtained lands in Northumberland
, and thence to the Borders of Scotland.
The current clan's chief
is Alistair Forsyth of that Ilk, Baron of Ethie
, who resides in Condom-en-Armagnac, France. He is a supporter of the Scottish National Party
and was previously a councillor in Angus
.
in the Civil War, therefore little is known that can be factually validated.
There is, however, a popular myth, that after originally coming to Scotland from Scandinavia, the Forsyths found themselves embroiled in the War of Bouvines
. With all other male Forsyths having perished in the Wars, Osbert de Firsith I who lost much of his inheritance during the conflict, left France for Scotland, the land of his forefathers, bearing the shield with the emblems of Fronsac and Angoulene beneath the demi-griffin crest of the Forsyths. He traveled in the same convoy of ships as Eleanor of Provence who had gone to England to marry Henry III. They first landed at Dover but after only a short stay in England, Osbert crossed over to Armondale in Scotland.
The first factually-recorded person of the name was supposedly the son of the legendary Osbert. William de Firsith appears on the Ragman Roll in Berwick
on the 28th August 1296 with his son Robert de Forsyth I.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence
Robert de Forsyth I and his son Osbert Forsyth II fought alongside the future King Robert I of Scotland
against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn
in 1314. For their service the Forsyths were granted feudal lands in Stirling.
In 1364 the accounts of Stirling
were rendered by Fersith the Clerk who was probably the brother of Robert de Forsyth I and who was granted considerable monies from the lands by his great-nephew, the son of Osbet II; Robert de Forsyth II. Robert was one of Scotland's most successful military leaders, defeating the English at Dykes Castle, near Lanark
with only 400 men. In 1360 he was rewarded as such by being appointed the governor of Stirling Castle
and the motto Instaurator Ruinae (Restorer of Ruins).
For successive generations Stirling Castle was governed by the Forsyths.
The elder, John II, was Baron of Dykes and bore the shield of Fronsac. His sons David I and Alexander were chosen to elect regents for the University in 1508.
Thomas, the second son, Canon of Glasgow, was an incorporator and founder of the University, and received from it a Master of Arts degree in 1474, his Degree of License in 1476 and his Master of Arts in the same year. In 1496 he became Dean of Faculties as a recognition of his work and service. His son in turn became an instructor in the University.
David, the third, signed the charter of the College in 1483, and was one of its instructors. David was Lord of Dykes and in 1492 his coat-of-arms appears in Sir James Balfour's Heraldic Manuscript as Forsyth, Baron of Nydie. Nydie was a castle in Fife that was held by the Forsyths. It is not known who built it or what became of it. The last of this family to hold the castle was Sir Alexander Forsyth II in 1604. In the history of Stirling he is mentioned. By his title he was doubtless a baronet. The descendants of those who obtained the barony of Nydie were called the Forsyths of Nydie.
Matthew, the fourth, was an elector to choose regents for the College in 1497 whilst Robert, the youngest, was an Officer of the University.
in 1513 where Alexander I was slain.
Alexander's grandson James Forsyth, Lord of the Monastery of Dunblane
, married Elizabeth Leslie in around 1520. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
who was the Chief of Clan Leslie
. Elizabeth was also the great granddaughter of King James III of Scotland
.
In 1540, John Forsyth III, the brother of James, moved to Inchnoch Castle in Monkland which was also in Lanarkshire. He then transferred his entire estate to Lord Gordon of Pittwig, to enter one of the military companies of France in 1560. John's son, David III, born in France, succeeded to Dykes in 1571. By act of Scottish Parliament he was appointed a commissioner of revenue for Glasgow. The arms of Nydie were confirmed to his posterity through the families of Dykes and Failzerton by the Heralds College of Scotland.
His son James became a captain in land and naval enterprises. In May, 1654, he was a prisoner of war among the English and escaped from the vault below the Parliament House where he had been confined. He married his cousin, Marguerite, daughter of Nicolas Denys
, Vicomte de Fronsac, and royal governor of Acadia
, Gaspesie and New Foundland. The family of Denys acquired great fame in France in connection with early American explorations. They had opened the country to colonists, built ships, encouraged trade with New England and established a capital at Isle Royale
.
Their grandchildren inherited from the family the shipping and private armed vessels which were their part in the Forsyth and Denys enterprises on the seas, the same extending even to the French and British Americas and Indies. The Forsyths were in alliance with the Normans of France, favoring the Stuart cause in Scotland, and opposed to English control.
to America. They settled at what is now Londonderry, New Hampshire
. These colonists, most of whom had sailed from Belfast
and Carrickfergus, were refused land in the New England Colonies
because they were not English, it being the rule then that no Scot be permitted to settle in an English colony. However, they were allowed to settle on land to the north between the French and Indians on one side, and the English colonists on the other, presumably with the thought that they might be exterminated by the Indians. But McGregor, through the Forsyth and Denys families, made a secret agreement with the French that if the colony of Scots remained neutral in the French and Indian War
the Scots would not be disturbed. This agreement was carried out, and the French raids to the time of the fall of Quebec
in 1759 passed safely through the Scotch settlement.
The Forsyths would continue to grow in the new colonies, different branches of the family took upon themselves new opportunities to settle and by the 19th century they had reached Boston
, New York
and Savannah
.
William Forsyth, who refused to take an oath to the English Crown over the Jacobite Rising
was forced to leave Canada. He later settled in Deering, New Hampshire
, and was one of the founders of the Deering public library.
traditions, some members of the clan have now adopted Catholicism. The current chief, Alistair Charles William Forsyth Baron of Ethie and Justice of the Peace
sent his children to the prestigious Ampleforth College
the favoured choice amongst Britain's Catholic aristocracy.
instituted a public register of the clans the then chief of Clan Forsyth refused to attend. The clan was subsequently stripped of its recognition and the chief lost his legal title. This situation continued for the next 300 years until St. Andrews Day 1978 when Lord Lyon, King of Arms, accepted the claim of Alistair Forsyth, the Baron of Ethie, to become Chief of the Forsyth clan.
The Alistair Forsyth resides in a French chateau
having set up a Highland cattle
ranch in Western Australia.
, Asda
, Tesco
and Makro
. Charles Forsyth had set up a number of computing companies, each failing to succeed, until in 2001 the Serious Fraud Office began an investigation. Charles fled first to Bulgaria
, then to Russia
using a fake French passport and driver's license under the name of Charles Peytchev before settling in Western Australia. He was arrested in November 2002 in Boyup Brook
as he left a church service and served almost a year in a high-security prison before he was extradited to the UK. After serving three and a half years in prison was released to a new life in North London. Soon after he died suddenly of a heart attack, his personal estate being largely eaten up by credit card debt
.
(1928−), English showman, comedian and entertainer.
Andrew Forsyth
(1858-1942), mathematician and author of treatise.
Charles G. Eric Forsyth
(1885-1951), gold medal British water polo player.
David Forsyth
(1854–1909), chess writer and inventor of Forsyth notation.
Frederick Forsyth
(1938−), British author and journalist
Peter Taylor Forsyth
(1848-1921), theologians of the early twentieth century
Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean
PC, Kt (1954), a British politician and formerSecretary of State for Scotland.
William Forsyth (Bill Forsyth) (1946−), screenwriter and film director, key figure in the birth of indigenous Scottish film making.
Robert James Forsyth (1988-), cast member of Wipeout Canada Season 1
, Australia.
Forsyth Island
, a granite island off the coast of Tasmania
Forsyth, Georgia
, US city, site of an 1829 meteorite fall
Forsyth County, North Carolina
, USA
Forsyth County, Georgia
, USA
Forsyth, Illinois
, US village
Forsyth, Missouri
, US city
Forsyth, Montana
, US city
Forsyth Township, Michigan
, USA
Lake Forsyth
, New Zealand
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
.
The name Forsyth (sometimes spelled Forsythe, with an "e") derives from the Gaelic 'man of peace'. Members of the clan can now be found all over the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville is a small town in the Annapolis Valley, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, located about northwest of the provincial capital, Halifax. As of 2006, the population was 3,772....
, U.S.A, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, in fact there are now more Forsyths living in the Scottish Diaspora than those remaining in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
In early history the Forsyths of Scotland were a royal Scandinavian family that bore the Griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
as their symbol. Thus the ancient history of the Forsyths can not only be traced through the Clan's name, but also its symbol - the Griffin Sergeant.
An alternative history is that the Forsyths were much later arrivals in the British Isles, arriving only in 1236. This tradition places the Forsyths as the descendants of Forsach, one of the Norsemen who settled on lands on the River Dordogne in Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
. From here the Viscomte de Fronsoc accompanied Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to marry Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and lived at the English court from 1236 to 1246. It is believed that his family obtained lands in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, and thence to the Borders of Scotland.
The current clan's chief
Scottish clan chief
The Scottish Gaelic word clann means children. In early times, and possibly even today, clan members believed themselves to descend from a common ancestor, the founder of the Scottish clan. From its perceived founder a clan takes its name. The clan chief is the representative of this founder, and...
is Alistair Forsyth of that Ilk, Baron of Ethie
Ethie Castle
Ethie Castle is a 14th Century castle, situated around 3 miles north of the fishing town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.Ethie Castle dates to around 1300, when the monks at nearby Arbroath Abbey built a sandstone keep. The castle passed through the hands of the de Maxwell family and into the...
, who resides in Condom-en-Armagnac, France. He is a supporter of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
and was previously a councillor in Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
.
Origins of the clan
Much of the records of Clan Forsyth were destroyed by Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
in the Civil War, therefore little is known that can be factually validated.
There is, however, a popular myth, that after originally coming to Scotland from Scandinavia, the Forsyths found themselves embroiled in the War of Bouvines
Battle of Bouvines
The Battle of Bouvines, 27 July 1214, was a conclusive medieval battle ending the twelve year old Angevin-Flanders War that was important to the early development of both the French state by confirming the French crown's sovereignty over the Angevin lands of Brittany and Normandy.Philip Augustus of...
. With all other male Forsyths having perished in the Wars, Osbert de Firsith I who lost much of his inheritance during the conflict, left France for Scotland, the land of his forefathers, bearing the shield with the emblems of Fronsac and Angoulene beneath the demi-griffin crest of the Forsyths. He traveled in the same convoy of ships as Eleanor of Provence who had gone to England to marry Henry III. They first landed at Dover but after only a short stay in England, Osbert crossed over to Armondale in Scotland.
The first factually-recorded person of the name was supposedly the son of the legendary Osbert. William de Firsith appears on the Ragman Roll in Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
on the 28th August 1296 with his son Robert de Forsyth I.
Wars of Scottish Independence
Wars of Scottish Independence
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the independent Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries....
Robert de Forsyth I and his son Osbert Forsyth II fought alongside the future King Robert I of Scotland
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
against the English at the Battle of Bannockburn
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence...
in 1314. For their service the Forsyths were granted feudal lands in Stirling.
In 1364 the accounts of Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
were rendered by Fersith the Clerk who was probably the brother of Robert de Forsyth I and who was granted considerable monies from the lands by his great-nephew, the son of Osbet II; Robert de Forsyth II. Robert was one of Scotland's most successful military leaders, defeating the English at Dykes Castle, near Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
with only 400 men. In 1360 he was rewarded as such by being appointed the governor of Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
and the motto Instaurator Ruinae (Restorer of Ruins).
For successive generations Stirling Castle was governed by the Forsyths.
15th century
John Forsyth I, the son of Robert II, not only held the crown office at Stirling in 1379, but was also Baron of Dykes, and William II, his son, held the same office in 1399. In 1432 his son Robert Forsyth III became Burgess of Stirling and a Baille in 1470.Glasgow University
The five sons of Robert Forsyth III are especially remembered for their helping to establish Glasgow University.The elder, John II, was Baron of Dykes and bore the shield of Fronsac. His sons David I and Alexander were chosen to elect regents for the University in 1508.
David, the third, signed the charter of the College in 1483, and was one of its instructors. David was Lord of Dykes and in 1492 his coat-of-arms appears in Sir James Balfour's Heraldic Manuscript as Forsyth, Baron of Nydie. Nydie was a castle in Fife that was held by the Forsyths. It is not known who built it or what became of it. The last of this family to hold the castle was Sir Alexander Forsyth II in 1604. In the history of Stirling he is mentioned. By his title he was doubtless a baronet. The descendants of those who obtained the barony of Nydie were called the Forsyths of Nydie.
Matthew, the fourth, was an elector to choose regents for the College in 1497 whilst Robert, the youngest, was an Officer of the University.
16th century Anglo-Scottish Wars
In the 16th century the Clan Forsyth led by Alexander Forsyth I fought against the English at the Battle of Flodden FieldBattle of Flodden Field
The Battle of Flodden or Flodden Field or occasionally Battle of Branxton was fought in the county of Northumberland in northern England on 9 September 1513, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by the Earl of Surrey...
in 1513 where Alexander I was slain.
Alexander's grandson James Forsyth, Lord of the Monastery of Dunblane
Dunblane
Dunblane is a small cathedral city and former burgh north of Stirling in the Stirling council area of Scotland. The town is situated off the A9 road, on the way north to Perth. Its main landmark is Dunblane Cathedral and the Allan Water runs through the town centre, with the Cathedral and the High...
, married Elizabeth Leslie in around 1520. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat.George became Earl of Rothes after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possesed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl...
who was the Chief of Clan Leslie
Clan Leslie
Clan Leslie is a Lowland Scottish clan.-Origins:The family name comes from the Leslie lands of Aberdeenshire and was to become famous in Germany, Poland, France and Russia...
. Elizabeth was also the great granddaughter of King James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
.
In 1540, John Forsyth III, the brother of James, moved to Inchnoch Castle in Monkland which was also in Lanarkshire. He then transferred his entire estate to Lord Gordon of Pittwig, to enter one of the military companies of France in 1560. John's son, David III, born in France, succeeded to Dykes in 1571. By act of Scottish Parliament he was appointed a commissioner of revenue for Glasgow. The arms of Nydie were confirmed to his posterity through the families of Dykes and Failzerton by the Heralds College of Scotland.
17th century in the Americas
In 1621 William Forsyth III, the son of John III had become a member of Forres in the Scottish Parliament, his son, John IV, who was Lord Commissioner of Scotland in 1652 was a member of the commission to meet the English Parliament to hear the plan of uniting the crown of Scotland and England. To this step the Forsyths of Dykes were strongly opposed. John IV was in favor of adopting the French language as the national speech, as a barrier against English settlement in the lowlands of Scotland. He regarded that as a growing menace to the integrity of the Scottish nation as well as to the independence of the Scottish kingdom.His son James became a captain in land and naval enterprises. In May, 1654, he was a prisoner of war among the English and escaped from the vault below the Parliament House where he had been confined. He married his cousin, Marguerite, daughter of Nicolas Denys
Nicolas Denys
.Nicolas Denys was a French aristocrat who became an explorer, colonizer, soldier and leader in New France. Today, he is perhaps best known for founding settlements at St. Pierre , Ste...
, Vicomte de Fronsac, and royal governor of Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
, Gaspesie and New Foundland. The family of Denys acquired great fame in France in connection with early American explorations. They had opened the country to colonists, built ships, encouraged trade with New England and established a capital at Isle Royale
Isle Royale
Isle Royale is an island of the Great Lakes, located in the northwest of Lake Superior, and part of the state of Michigan. The island and the 450 surrounding smaller islands and waters make up Isle Royale National Park....
.
Their grandchildren inherited from the family the shipping and private armed vessels which were their part in the Forsyth and Denys enterprises on the seas, the same extending even to the French and British Americas and Indies. The Forsyths were in alliance with the Normans of France, favoring the Stuart cause in Scotland, and opposed to English control.
18th century migration
In 1719 James McGregor, who was a friend of the Forsyths, led a colony of Scots already in UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
to America. They settled at what is now Londonderry, New Hampshire
Londonderry, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 23,236 people, 7,623 households, and 6,319 families residing in the town. The population density was 555.8 people per square mile . There were 7,718 housing units at an average density of 184.6 per square mile...
. These colonists, most of whom had sailed from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and Carrickfergus, were refused land in the New England Colonies
New England Colonies
The New England Colonies of British America included the colonies of Massachusetts Bay Colony, Connecticut Colony, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and Province of New Hampshire. They were part of the Thirteen Colonies including the Middle Colonies and the Southern Colonies. These...
because they were not English, it being the rule then that no Scot be permitted to settle in an English colony. However, they were allowed to settle on land to the north between the French and Indians on one side, and the English colonists on the other, presumably with the thought that they might be exterminated by the Indians. But McGregor, through the Forsyth and Denys families, made a secret agreement with the French that if the colony of Scots remained neutral in the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
the Scots would not be disturbed. This agreement was carried out, and the French raids to the time of the fall of Quebec
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War...
in 1759 passed safely through the Scotch settlement.
The Forsyths would continue to grow in the new colonies, different branches of the family took upon themselves new opportunities to settle and by the 19th century they had reached Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
.
William Forsyth, who refused to take an oath to the English Crown over the Jacobite Rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
was forced to leave Canada. He later settled in Deering, New Hampshire
Deering, New Hampshire
Deering is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,912 at the 2010 census.-History:First settled about 1765, the town was incorporated on January 17, 1774 by John Wentworth, governor of the province of New Hampshire...
, and was one of the founders of the Deering public library.
Forsyth with an "e"
There are a relatively small number in the clan who, to this day, spell the name "Forsythe", but who share the same ancestors. This slight variation can be traced back to Scottish settlers who, on moving to Ireland, added the "e" in accordance with the local dialect. In later generations, some of them moved back to Scotland, deciding to keep the "e", which is the reason for the variation seen today.Clan profile
Clan Forsyth is a relatively small clan in terms of numbers. Its members have, however, reached notoriety in many fields including, botany, science, finance, real estate, high-tech and entertainment. Once a famously Protestant clan with CalvinistCalvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
traditions, some members of the clan have now adopted Catholicism. The current chief, Alistair Charles William Forsyth Baron of Ethie and Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
sent his children to the prestigious Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
the favoured choice amongst Britain's Catholic aristocracy.
Clan chief
When, in 1672, Charles IICharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
instituted a public register of the clans the then chief of Clan Forsyth refused to attend. The clan was subsequently stripped of its recognition and the chief lost his legal title. This situation continued for the next 300 years until St. Andrews Day 1978 when Lord Lyon, King of Arms, accepted the claim of Alistair Forsyth, the Baron of Ethie, to become Chief of the Forsyth clan.
The Alistair Forsyth resides in a French chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
having set up a Highland cattle
Highland cattle
Highland cattle or kyloe are a Scottish breed of beef cattle with long horns and long wavy coats which are coloured black, brindled, red, yellow or dun....
ranch in Western Australia.
Clan scandal
Charles Forsyth, the eldest son and heir of the title of chief, was jailed and disgraced when his company, Personal Computer Science (PCS), was found to be built from the sale of faulty computer goods. Clients to the company included ArgosArgos (retailer)
Argos is the largest general-goods retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland with over 800 stores. It is unique amongst major retailers in the UK in that it is a catalogue merchant...
, Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
and Makro
Makro
Makro is a Dutch chain of Warehouse clubs, also called cash and carries. The first one opened in 1968 in Amsterdam. In the following years more stores opened in the Netherlands and in several other countries within Europe. In the 1970s and 1980s Makro extended its business to the Americas and...
. Charles Forsyth had set up a number of computing companies, each failing to succeed, until in 2001 the Serious Fraud Office began an investigation. Charles fled first to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, then to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
using a fake French passport and driver's license under the name of Charles Peytchev before settling in Western Australia. He was arrested in November 2002 in Boyup Brook
Boyup Brook, Western Australia
Boyup Brook is a town located in the south-west of Western Australia, south-southeast of Perth and northeast of Bridgetown.The name Boyup is derived from the name of a nearby pool "Booyup", an Aboriginal term meaning "place of big stones" or "place of big smoke" .The town's economy is...
as he left a church service and served almost a year in a high-security prison before he was extradited to the UK. After serving three and a half years in prison was released to a new life in North London. Soon after he died suddenly of a heart attack, his personal estate being largely eaten up by credit card debt
Credit card debt
Credit card debt is an example of unsecured consumer debt, accessed through credit cards.Debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system...
.
Notable Forsyths
Bruce ForsythBruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
(1928−), English showman, comedian and entertainer.
Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Russell Forsyth was a Scottish mathematician.Andrew Forsyth studied at Liverpool College and was tutored by Richard Pendlebury before entering Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating senior wrangler in 1881...
(1858-1942), mathematician and author of treatise.
Charles G. Eric Forsyth
Charles Forsyth
Charles G. Eric Forsyth was a British water polo player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was part of the British team, which was able to win the gold medal.-External links:*...
(1885-1951), gold medal British water polo player.
David Forsyth
David Forsyth (chess)
David Forsyth , a Scotsman who emigrated to New Zealand, served as chess editor of the Glasgow Weekly Herald. Forsyth invented a method for recording chess positions, which he published in the Glasgow Weekly Herald in 1883, now known as Forsyth notation...
(1854–1909), chess writer and inventor of Forsyth notation.
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
(1938−), British author and journalist
Peter Taylor Forsyth
Peter Taylor Forsyth
Peter Taylor Forsyth, also known as P. T. Forsyth, was a Scottish theologian.The son of a postman, Forsyth studied at the University of Aberdeen and then in Göttingen...
(1848-1921), theologians of the early twentieth century
Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean
Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean
Michael Bruce Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean PC, Kt is a British financier and politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Stirling from 1983 to 1997 and served in the cabinet of John Major as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1995 to 1997...
PC, Kt (1954), a British politician and formerSecretary of State for Scotland.
William Forsyth (Bill Forsyth) (1946−), screenwriter and film director, key figure in the birth of indigenous Scottish film making.
Robert James Forsyth (1988-), cast member of Wipeout Canada Season 1
Places
Forsyth Bluff, a viewpoint in West Cape Howe National ParkWest Cape Howe National Park
West Cape Howe National Park is a national park in Western Australia , southeast of Perth. The park is found between Albany and Denmark within the City of Albany and in the Great Southern region....
, Australia.
Forsyth Island
Forsyth Island
Forsyth Island is a granite island, with an area of 167 ha, in south-eastern Australia. It is part of Tasmania’s Passage Island Group, lying in eastern Bass Strait south of Cape Barren Island in the Furneaux Group...
, a granite island off the coast of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
Forsyth, Georgia
Forsyth, Georgia
Forsyth is a city in Monroe County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,776 at the 2000 census. This number was corrected to read 4,300. The city is the county seat of Monroe County.Forsyth is part of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, US city, site of an 1829 meteorite fall
Forsyth County, North Carolina
Forsyth County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 306,067 people, 123,851 households, and 81,741 families residing in the county. The population density was 747 people per square mile . There were 133,093 housing units at an average density of 325 per square mile...
, USA
Forsyth County, Georgia
Forsyth County, Georgia
Forsyth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The county seat is Cumming, Georgia. Forsyth County is a part of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, USA
Forsyth, Illinois
Forsyth, Illinois
Forsyth is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States whose population was 2,434 at the 2000 census, and 3,007 in 2009. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area pop...
, US village
Forsyth, Missouri
Forsyth, Missouri
Forsyth is a city in Taney County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,686 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taney County. The town is part of the Branson, Missouri Micropolitan Statistical Area-Geography:...
, US city
Forsyth, Montana
Forsyth, Montana
Forsyth is a city in and the county seat of Rosebud County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,944 at the 2000 census. Forsyth was established in 1876 as the first settlement on the Yellowstone River, and in 1882 residents named the town after General James William Forsyth who commanded...
, US city
Forsyth Township, Michigan
Forsyth Township, Michigan
Forsyth Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,824 at the 2000 census. Forsyth Township is one of the few townships in the Upper Peninsula that has its own police department. Forsyth Township is larger than the City of Detroit in land...
, USA
Lake Forsyth
Lake Forsyth
Lake Forsyth is a lake in the Canterbury region of New Zealand.It is fed by the Takiritawai River, a short arm of the Okuti River, and exits via a gravel bank into the sea in the vicinity of the small community of Birdling's Flat.State Highway 75 leading to Akaroa and part of the Little River Rail...
, New Zealand
See also
- Scottish clanScottish clanScottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
- Notable ForsythsForsyth (surname)-People:* Adam Forsyth, Australian Olympic boxer * Alex Forsyth , Scottish footballer* Alex Forsyth , ice hockey player in the National Hockey League* Amanda Forsyth, Canadian cellist* Andrew Forsyth , British mathematician...
- Ethie CastleEthie CastleEthie Castle is a 14th Century castle, situated around 3 miles north of the fishing town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.Ethie Castle dates to around 1300, when the monks at nearby Arbroath Abbey built a sandstone keep. The castle passed through the hands of the de Maxwell family and into the...
, the Clan's seat. - Forsyth–Edwards Notation, a standard notation for describing a particular board position of a chess game.
- USS Forsyth (PF-102)USS Forsyth (PF-102)USS Forsyth was a United States Navy in commission from 1945 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:Forsyth originally was authorized as a patrol gunboat with the hull number PG-210, but she was redesignated as a patrol frigate with the hull number PF-102 on 15 April 1943. She was laid down...
, a United States Navy patrol frigate in commission from 1945 to 1946. - The Forsyth InstituteThe Forsyth InstituteForsyth Institute is one of the leading centers for dental and craniofacial research in the world. It is located in the Fenway area of Boston close to the Museum of Fine Arts and adjacent to Northeastern University. It was once an infirmary for Pediatric Dental Care in Boston...
, an oral health research institute based in Boston, Massachusetts.
External links
- New Zealand Branch of Clan Forsyth Society http://www.clanforsyth.org.nz/default.htm
- USA Branch of Clan Forsyth Society http://www.xmission.com/~forsyth
- Clan Forsyth Society http://www.clanforsythsociety.net
- History of Forsyth Clan http://www.rampantscotland.com/clans/blclanforsyth.htm
- Forsyth Heraldry http://www.heraldry-online.org.uk/forsyth/forsyth-arms.html
- Dead PC Tycoon's Estate Eaten up by Credit Card Debts http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/04/22/charles_forsyth_legacy/
- Clan Heir Jailed For Fraud http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2005/4/7/17407.html
- Downfall of Clan Heir Jailed over a Multi-million Con http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Downfall+of+clan+heir+jailed+over+a+multi-million+con;+Computer+fraud...-a0131369574