John MacLeod of MacLeod
Encyclopedia
John MacLeod of MacLeod, born as John Wolrige-Gordon, (10 August 1935 – 12 February 2007) was the 29th chief
of Clan MacLeod
. Faced with the need for expensive repairs to the clan's seat at Dunvegan Castle
on the Isle of Skye, his proposed methods to raise funds caused considerable controversy. His twin brother, Patrick Wolridge-Gordon (1935-2002), was MP
for East Aberdeenshire.
, on 10 August 1935. He was the elder of the twin sons of Captain Robert Wolrige-Gordon, MC
and his wife Joan Walter. His younger twin brother, Patrick Wolrige-Gordon
, would later become a Tory
Member of Parliament
. The twins had an older brother, Robert Wolrige-Gordon, who would later succeed his father as the 21st laird
of Hallhead, 10th feudal baron
of Esslemont.
Joan Walter's mother was the daughter of Dame
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
, the 28th chief
of Clan MacLeod. John Wolrige-Gordon was educated at Eton
, in England; McGill University
, in Canada; and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
, in England. After National Service
in the Black Watch Regiment, he started a career in acting and singing. He was named heir to his grandmother in 1951, changed his surname to MacLeod of MacLeod, and was recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms as John MacLeod of MacLeod, Younger
. He matriculated arms
at Lyon Office in 1962. He later succeeded as chief of Clan MacLeod in 1976.
In 2000, faced with the high cost of repairs to Dunvegan Castle, his clan's seat for more than 800 years, he put the Black Cuillin
range in Skye on the market for £10 million. With the proceeds of the sale, he also planned to build an 80-bedroom hotel on his Skye estate. The planned sale outrage at the time and was never completed.
, England. His funeral was held at Duirinish Free Church of Scotland, at Dunvegan. He was buried at the ruined stone church at Kilmuir. MacLeod was succeeded by his second son, Hugh Magnus MacLeod, as 30th chief of Clan MacLeod.
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...
of Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
. Faced with the need for expensive repairs to the clan's seat at Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is a castle a mile and a half to the North of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, situated off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the...
on the Isle of Skye, his proposed methods to raise funds caused considerable controversy. His twin brother, Patrick Wolridge-Gordon (1935-2002), was MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for East Aberdeenshire.
Biography
John MacLeod of MacLeod was born as John Wolrige-Gordon in Ellon, AberdeenshireEllon, Aberdeenshire
Ellon is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north of Aberdeen, lying on the River Ythan which has one of the few undeveloped river estuaries on the Eastern coast of Scotland. It is in the ancient region of Formartine...
, on 10 August 1935. He was the elder of the twin sons of Captain Robert Wolrige-Gordon, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and his wife Joan Walter. His younger twin brother, Patrick Wolrige-Gordon
Patrick Wolrige-Gordon
Patrick Wolrige-Gordon, also spelt Wolridge-Gordon was a Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party politician.-Biography:...
, would later become a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. The twins had an older brother, Robert Wolrige-Gordon, who would later succeed his father as the 21st laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
of Hallhead, 10th feudal baron
Feudal baron
Feudal baron may refer to:*English feudal barony*Scottish feudal barony*Irish feudal barony...
of Esslemont.
Joan Walter's mother was the daughter of Dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
Flora MacLeod of MacLeod
Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, DBE was the 28th chief of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle in Skye is the 800 year old MacLeod family seat.-Early years:...
, the 28th 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...
of Clan MacLeod. John Wolrige-Gordon was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, in England; McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, in Canada; and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art is a leading British drama school in west London. LAMDA's president is Timothy West and its new principal is Joanna Read, who recently succeeded Peter James...
, in England. After National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Black Watch Regiment, he started a career in acting and singing. He was named heir to his grandmother in 1951, changed his surname to MacLeod of MacLeod, and was recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms as John MacLeod of MacLeod, Younger
Younger (Title)
Younger is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to a current Laird. The wife of a Younger is also known as a younger, as is a woman who is entitled to a Lairdship in her own right. A Younger is neither a title of nobility or a peerage and does not carry voting rights either in the...
. He matriculated arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
at Lyon Office in 1962. He later succeeded as chief of Clan MacLeod in 1976.
In 2000, faced with the high cost of repairs to Dunvegan Castle, his clan's seat for more than 800 years, he put the Black Cuillin
Cuillin
This article is about the Cuillin of Skye. See Rùm for the Cuillin of Rùm.The Cuillin are a range of rocky mountains located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The true Cuillin are also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish them from the Red Hills across Glen Sligachan...
range in Skye on the market for £10 million. With the proceeds of the sale, he also planned to build an 80-bedroom hotel on his Skye estate. The planned sale outrage at the time and was never completed.
Family
MacLeod of MacLeod married Drusilla Mary Shaw on 25 July 1961. The marriage was dissolved by divorce, without issue, on 31 March 1971. MacLeod of MacLeod also had a natural son, Stephan (born 1971). John also had a daughter (born out of wedlock ) Tami Macleod. MacLeod of MacLeod secondly married Melita Kolin 19 March 1973. The couple had two children: Hugh Magnus (born 1973); and Elena Mary Nadezhda (born 1977). His second marriage was dissolved by divorce on 28 August 1992. On 27 March 2004, he married for a third time, Ulrika Thram.Death and successor
On 12 February 2007, MacLeod of MacLeod died of leukaemia, aged 71, in LondonLondon
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...
, England. His funeral was held at Duirinish Free Church of Scotland, at Dunvegan. He was buried at the ruined stone church at Kilmuir. MacLeod was succeeded by his second son, Hugh Magnus MacLeod, as 30th chief of Clan MacLeod.
Ancestry
| John MacLeod of MacLeod | Father Robert Wolrige-Gordon, 20th of Hallhead, 9th of Esselmont (1890–1939) |
Paternal Grandfather John Gordon Wolrige-Gordon, 19th of Hallhead, 8th of Esselmont (1859–1925) |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: Henry Perkins Wolrige (1831–1906) |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Anne Gordon, 18th of Hallhead, 7th of Esselmont (d. 1874) |
|||
| Paternal Grandmother: Isabel Hervey (d. 1913) |
Paternal Great-Grandfather: William Hervey Wodehouse |
||
| Paternal Great-Grandmother: | |||
| Mother: Joan Walter |
Maternal Grandfather: Hubert Walter |
Maternal Great-Grandfather: |
|
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: |
|||
| Maternal Grandmother: Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod Flora MacLeod of MacLeod Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, DBE was the 28th chief of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan Castle in Skye is the 800 year old MacLeod family seat.-Early years:... (1878–1976) |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod, KCB was the 27th chief of the Scottish clan Clan MacLeod.-Biography:... (1847–1935) |
||
| Maternal Great-Grandmother: Agnes Mary Cecilia Northcote (1848–1921) |