NEWS

Discovered by David (Blantyre) whilst
researching his own family in Ardnamurchan. This is a Balquhidder
Fergusson and Uncle of Kathleen, Dr. Duncan Ferguson's wife.
Confusing? Note latter single S.
Clan
Gathering & AGM Saturday 24th May 2008
This will be held in the Swallow Fisher's Hotel, Pitlochry, Perthshire,
Scotland. It is situated in the main street at 75-79 Atholl
Road, PH16 5BN. When entering the above hotel title this will
access the web information and other related general material.

The AGM will be held in the morning 10am - 12 noon, and a
reception, dinner, and ceilidh in the evening commencing at 7pm.
Costs are £45 for dinner, bed, and breakfast per person, with
free standing dinner £20.
Please book with Stan, Chairman, at tele: 01700 503840, or
Duncan at e-mail
dochie_doh@yahoo.co.uk and not directly with Hotel. This
facilitates our administration having already placed a block
booking.
The
Gathering 2009

www.clangathering.org
This was held on Sunday 2nd Sept. 07 when Sir Charles and
Lady Fergusson were kind hosts, ably supported by son Adam,
his wife Jenny, and young grandson Jamie, an up and coming
Lewis Hamilton it seems by the way he drives the jeep! Pony
rides, inspecting the hangar full of single engine
aeroplanes, including a Russian Yak, and a descriptive tour
of the unique library by Sir Charles' brother, complemented
the outdoor culinary skills of the visitors. The Society
send their thanks and appreciation with this report.
"Clan Gathering and
AGM 2007"
This Gathering was held in the Quality Hotel,
Perth, on Saturday 19th of May with the AGM taking place in the
morning, followed by a free afternoon, and the reception,
dinner, and ceilidh in the evening. Our Chief, Sir Charles
Fergusson of Kilkerran, was present accompanied by his
delightful daughter in law Jenny for the reception and meal,
thereafter returning home to Ayrshire. Their presence was
sincerely appreciated by the assembled company. Likewise for two
members of the Dutch Clan Ferguson, Simon van den Broek and his
good lady Corine (nee Ferguson) who came over from the
Netherlands as their representatives. Thank you Simon and Corine.
As last year, music was provided by Roger Sharp from Balquhidder
Glen, a skilled exponent of both bagpipes and accordion. On a
few occasions Duncan tried to upset him with his fiddle, but
Roger must have been immunised last year and was never rattled!
The company took a little time to warm up but by hokey cokey
time were "crying" - for more! Mhairi MacArthur demonstrated her
Highland Dancing skills and Kathleen called on all her lung
capacity to good effect with two sweetly sung Scottish songs.
The customary raffle was well patronised and it is known that
one CD recorded by a Scottish band found its way to Holland.
AGM: With regards to the AGM, a fuller report will follow in the
Newsletter, but suffice to say the committee have been elected
unopposed, apart from Hilda who has stood down, but just for a
'rest' we hope! and this is a vacant position. Re the Culloden
Walk mentioned below, it was decided to support this and
contributions are invited from all Fergus(s)ons as members and
non members to this end. The sum realised will influence the
size of stone but it is the aim to incorporate the Clan crest
and Society name. Interested supporters please contact Duncan at
e-mail address dochie_doh@yahoo.co.uk
By popular vote next year's venue was chosen and Pitlochry was
the winner. The single transferable vote system was used with NO
spoiled ballot papers unlike the Scottish election results.
Aren't we clever! The treasurer has again shown her 'Gordon
Brown' prudence overseeing the finances, and this and the
various other reports will follow in more detail via the
Newsletter as mentioned.
The Chairman and Committee would like to thank everyone in
attendance at this AGM for their support and contribution.
Footnote: Since the Hotel lift was out of order, Kathleen's
reflections as she stoically, yet painfully, slowly climbed the
stairs to our reserved first floor room for those with
disabilities cannot be reproduced here!
The Culloden Walk

The National Trust for Scotland is now the custodian of this
internationally significant site. As part of the 2007 Year of
Highland Culture, the Trust will open a brand new Visitor
Centre. Funds need to be raised; hence the Culloden Walk.
Feed back is invited to this website from our Clan Society
members, and indeed any non member, concerning sponsorship of a
stone. Fergus(s)ons were present on both sides. Just like any
happy family! Full details at
www.cullodenwalk.org.uk
ATTENTION
At the last AGM it was agreed to support the Culloden Walkway by
sponsoring a stone. The original details of this Walkway are
available on the website link, and this is still so. The project
has recently been activated, and an Insignia Stone with the
inscription " Clan Fergus(s)on Society Members and Friends" will
be incorporated in the Walk, using Caithness granite.
Now we invite members of the Society, and indeed non members
(friends) to support this sponsorship and donate a sum of their
choice. The Clan Society will keep a list of donors in their
Records, publishing names, but not individual sums, of the
supporters.
Like so many Scottish Clans, Fergus(s)ons were involved on both
sides, and the motivation by the Society is not a "declaration
of intent" for either side, but to commemorate this uprising of
1745, and on 16th April 1746, the last major battle on British
soil, as an historical event. For those hazy about their
history, this was an attempt by the supporters of the deposed
Stuart Kings to re-establish their monarchy and reinstate Prince
Charles Edward Stuart ( Bonnie Prince Charlie) on the throne of
Great Britain. The ruling Monarch was George the Second, a
Hanoverian. It was his son, the Duke of Cumberland, who defeated
this Jacobite army at the battlefield of Culloden, just outside
Inverness.
Now we have a further opportunity to write our name in history
as a Scottish Clan and maintain and promote the bonds we have
with so many of our kith and kin throughout the world.
Please support our aims and send donations to our Treasurer, Mrs
Madge Caution (a Balquhidder Fergusson), at 4 Buchan Road,
PERTH, PH1 1NH
P.S. We have already received £300 towards our target of £1500,
and the fund has just been opened. 'Every mickel maks a muckle.'
Don't be too late. THANK YOU!
Digging up your Fergus(s)on Roots
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Is this near the bone? Of course, but the
'funny bone', so please access information on Historical
Section if you are interested in your ancestry. Thank you! |
Douce France!
It is a well known fact that Scotts are all over
the world... And some not so far away at all:
'Alliance France-Ecosse'
:
www.alliance-france-ecosse.com
Curling - A Scottish Game
The Lake of Menteith in reflective mood
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Approval from the Lake of Menteith
The Lake is where winter curling is
carried out, including a Grand match between the North
and South of Scotland when the ice is thick enough! |
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Robert Fergusson, Poet and friend of Rabbie Burns, new
statue in Edinburgh |
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Clan
Fergus(s)on Newsletter - April 2007
New Zealand Branch
The first Scottish Clans
Association dinner was held on the 16th of September at
Alexandra Park. It was an interesting evening with a very good
turnout from Clan Fergusson. The British High Commissioner, the
honourable George Fergusson, was invited but couldn’t attend due to
other commitments and sent his apologies.
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Richard
and Craig Ferguson at the first Clans Association Dinner
2006 |
The Auckland Highland Games
was cancelled last November due to rain, only the second time in its
47-year history that this has happened. The Kirkin of the Tartan was
held the following day at St Andrews Church in Symonds Street,
Auckland and thank you to all those who attended. It will be the
last time the Kirkin is held on this date as from 2007 on it will be
held on the closest Sunday to the 1st of July which is
the actual date of the lifting of the proscription against Highland
garb and bagpipes. Following the Kirkin, we had a nice morning tea
with haggis etc and I met Anne Banks (nee Ferguson) who has since
joined the clan with her husband George, her brother Robin and wife
Barbara Surman. We hope you can all meet them soon and a calendar of
events for this year is in this newsletter.
This year’s Waipu Highland
games was a great event; the evening before Clan Donald hosted a
Hogmannay at the Clansman Motel in Waipu. There was a generous
Highland meal, competitions, singing and much toasting. The evening
concluded with some old Scottish movies and more whiskey for the
diehards, while the rest of us prepared for the next day. The 1st
of January dawned bright and warm and the first day of the event
began with a March of the Clans through the main street of Waipu and
into the Caledonian Grounds past the Chief of Clan Davidson for the
salute.
Peter,
Alison, Alan and Jane manned the clan tent for the day and there was
a lot of interest along the avenue in things Scottish. The biggest
queue was for Harry and Diane Cumming’s Scottish Bakery with stovies,
Scottish pies, butteries and Irn Bru selling out so fast they were
closed by 2 pm. All in all it was a good day with 6-year-old William
Ferguson finishing 3rd in the 50 meter sprint and winning
himself the princely sum of $2. The main march into the grounds was
a splendid affair with the Fergusson banner leading the clans and an
impressive line up of pipers who really got the crowd going. The
second day was mainly devoted to finishing the dancing competitions
and was much quieter.
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Alan,
Will, Max, Peter and Ian Ferguson in the Waipu Games
March 2007 |
The second Annual Burns
Night Supper was held at Galbraiths Ale House on Mt Eden Road on
Saturday 20th of January. Ticket numbers were limited and
although many were turned away, there were still too many guests who
unfortunately did not all end up sitting in the same area. The food
however was great and started with a memorable Cullen Skink and
music was provided by the versatile John Hawthorn Group. Alan
Ferguson made the address to the Immortal Memory and David Small
gave a spirited welcome to the Haggis, and later a sonorous
rendition of Tam O’Shanter. All in all it was a good night and
certainly different to any other Burns Supper.
On Thursday 8th
of February the Queen of the Heather contestant, Katherine Tannock,
was hosted by the Scottish Clans Association at a reception at St
Andrews Church Hall. Katherine gave an interesting speech on her
university studies, and Murdock & Lois McDonald took her down to
Paeroa the following weekend for the Games.
The Paeroa Highland Games
was well attended although it was a very hot day. All those attired
in Highland dress got pretty exhausted and the beer tent appeared to
benefit from the many refugees from the sweltering temperatures.
Peter Ferguson competed in the piping competitions, and is getting
in as much practice as possible prior to the appearance of the band
at the Edinburgh Tattoo in August this year. We did not hold the AGM
at Paeroa as previously announced and will probably hold this in
July, with a venue, date and time to be announced.
Fergusson Clan was not
represented at the Howick Tattoo in March. From all accounts this
event was a disaster for those clans who did have a presence and
there is a unanimous feeling that the clans will not attend this
event again.
On Saturday 28th
of April the concert “Scotland the Brave” will be performed
at the Aotea Centre at 1 pm and 8 pm. The event is supposed to be
spectacular with over 100 performers including the Auckland
Philharmonia, a choir and pipe-band, dancers, pipers fiddlers and
solo singers. Go to
www.tiketek or phone (09)307 5139 to book.
Coming up next month is the
Clan Donald Dinner on Saturday the 5th of May at St
Andrews Hall in Symonds Street. If you would like to attend, please
send a cheque for $60 per person to The Treasurer, Clan Donald
Auckland & Districts Society, Inc. Box 65-021 Mairangi Bay. The time
is 6.30 for 7 pm and the cost covers the meal, refreshments and
entertainment. This year’s speaker is their Patron, Allan MacDonald,
who will talk about his involvement at Armadale Castle clan
headquarters on the Isle of Skye.
The Kirkin of the Tartan
will be held on Sunday 1st of July at St Andrews Church
Hall. We hope many of you can attend in Highland garb as this will
make the event more colourful and relevant. After the service there
will be a morning tea in the hall.
The next Scottish Clans
Association Dinner is planned for Saturday 8th of
September and although it is planned to be back at Alexandra Park,
the venue will be dressed better for us this time. No speakers have
been announced but it is hoped that we will have another convivial
evening.
Please get in touch if
you’ve any snippets to add to our next newsletter and we hope to see
you all soon. Jane and Alan Ferguson are off to Scotland in mid-May
with their boys Max and William. They will return to New Zealand in
late June after a 5-week tour of Scotland. Please let them know of
any people or places they should visit on their drive through the
Borders, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Skye, Dunadd, Mull,
Glasgow and Ayrshire. They hope to have the opportunity to meet the
clan chief, Sir Charles Fergusson, of Kilkerran and pay respects at
the grave of Robert Fergusson at Canongate as well as trace Alan’s
family roots in Dundee.
Web Editor's note: Alan &
Jane visited Duncan in Scotland on their recent trip. Thanks for
coming over!

Alan!
A Canadian Ferguson Wedding!
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Duncan & Betty Ferguson are delighted
to announce the marriage of their son Ian to Kendra |
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Family reunion for the wedding.
Duncan & Betty standing
to the right of the bride |
From Holland... with Love!
A memorial to a Ferguson family,
discovered in Cowal, with thanks to the Dutch lady who uncovered
it and provided these two pictures:

Els' message: This
is the stone on the hill near Melldalloch, between
Kames and Kilfinnan.On the stone is the name of Derrick
Ronald Haddon Ferguson, Ceylon 1910 – Scotland 1992 and his
wife Betsy Annis Ferguson born Eustace 1911 England 2001
Els
't Hooft
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A DROOKIT BUNCH
IN April Stanley and I had the pleasure of
attending The Tartan Day Parade in New York, representing the Clan
Ferguson.
We were
accompanied by Kathleen Ferguson D’Ottavio, Ex Bute, her daughter
Elizabeth and Bram, granddaughter Kaili and friend Bonnie, my cousin
Joanne from Toronto who carried the Saltire, Bram and Kaili carried
the Ferguson banner, unfortunately no one from CFSNA could join us.
We met at 44th
St. and marched up 6th Avenue to Central Park. It rained
non-stop, the wind blew and we even had hailstones (Scottish
Weather) in spite of this the atmosphere was electric with all the
pipebands, thousands also watched from the pavements and we were
soaked to the skin but enjoyed the experience and hope to return
again.
Helen
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| New York Tartan Day |
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| The Ferguson contingent! |
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This picture shows the Kilkerran Cup being presented
to the winning owner at Ayr Races in September 2005 by Jenny, the
wife of Sir Charles' son Adam.
The Cup was again won in
2006 but for a race sponsored by Saga Radio. The history of this trophy
seems to be elusive in both Kilkerran and Ayr Race Course!