Matheson History, Tartans and Emblems

Scottish Emigration to the new world in the 18th & 19th Centuries

From the 1760’s the introduction of large scale sheep farming and the change of communal clan lands to one of ownership by clan chiefs displaced the clansfolk and began movement of entire communities. Crofters went to the coasts to become fishermen or to industrial towns for work or joined the armed forces. Subsistence agriculture was swamped by land clearances for sheep grazing. Highland families were dependent on herring fishing, kelp collecting and their staple crops of potatoes, but when in 1836 and again in 1846 the potato blight struck, the kelp industry collapsed and the herring fishing declined most Highlanders were faced with starvation and poverty. Emigration seemed the only answer to survival.

In the early 19th century New South Wales and Tasmania were promoted as colonies for free settlers, for whom land would be provided at nominal rates. This attracted mainly middle class Scots, officials and army officers, many of the Lowlanders from the Lothians and Fife, those who had some capital to spend. By the 1830s and 1840s the colonial government in Australia offered assisted passages to would be emigrants because of a shortage workers, of especially: domestic servants, mechanics or artisans and agricultural labourers. The first two jobs didn’t attract Scots but the third did and many agricultural labourers and shepherds migrated to Australia, thus changing the character of Scottish emigration after 1830. Now the poorer Scots migrated and they came from all over Scotland, to embark from Glasgow, Greenock and Liverpool.

History of Clan Matheson

The name Matheson comes from the Gaelic MacMathan, “son of the bear” not to be confused with the English Mathewson which is simply “son of Mathew”. The MacMathans were settled in Lochalsh in Wester Ross from an early period. Kenneth MacMathan, traditionally Constable of Eilean Donan Castle, is recorded in both the Chamberlain Rolls and the Norse account of the expedition of King Haakon IV against Scotland in 1263 which culminated in his defeat at Largs.

The Mathesons fought for Donald of the Isles at Harlaw in 1411. Alasdair McMhurchaidh, Clan Chief and leader of 2,000 men, was arrested by James 1 at Inverness in 1427, along with other Highland chiefs. Alasdair and four sons died in the battle of Cnoc na Catach in 1438. Although the record is silent on the immediately subsequent years a probable son, Iain Dubh Matheson the Elder eventually succeeded to the Chiefship. Iain was followed by his son, Iain Dubh Matheson the Younger, and one of his younger sons, Donald, may have been the forbear of the Mathesons of Shinness. Iain Dubh the Younger, Constable of Eilean Donan Castle, was killed in 1539 defending the fortress against the Macdonalds, who were allied with his cousin, Murdoch Buidhe, a rival claimant for the chiefship. After the death of another brother of Iain, Dugald Ruadh, Murdoch Buidhe’s claim to the chiefship was unchallenged. Murdoch Buidhe’s son, Roderick of Fernaig, succeeded him as chief. Roderick was followed successively by three Johns, son, grandson and great grandson. The great grandson, John (Iain Mor) Matheson, bought land on the Black Isle (East Suddy in 1688; Bennetsfield in 1697) and with his family left Lochalsh. The Chiefship of the Mathesons remained with this family, the Mathesons of Bennetsfield, until 1975 when the then Chief, Colonel Bertram Matheson of Matheson, M.C. died without issue. Meanwhile, Iain Mor’s nephew, Farquhar, took over Attadale and his successors continued to hold land in Lochalsh until Attadale was sold in 1825 by John Matheson IVth of Attadale.

John's eldest son Alexander Matheson (b. 1805) (later of Ardross and Lochalsh), a 6 x great grandson of Roderick of Fernaig and great grandfather of the present Chief, went to China to join his maternal uncle James, a Sutherland Matheson, a founder partner in Jardine Matheson & Co. Alexander returned to Scotland in 1840 and started to buy land in Ross-shire. In 1851 recovered the Lochalsh estate. He was created Baronet of Lochalsh in 1882. His grandson, Major Sir Torquhil Matheson of Matheson, 6th Baronet, succeeded Colonel Bertram Matheson of Matheson, M.C. as Chief of the Mathesons, by tanistry in 1975 and on his death in 1993 was succeeded by his younger brother, Major Sir Fergus Matheson of Matheson, 7th Baronet and thereafter by his son Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, 8th Bt.

 

From the Sutherland Mathesons descend Sir James Matheson, 1st and last Baronet of the Lews, of the Shiness branch. He joined Dr.William Jardine in founding the mercantile house of Jardine Matheson & Co. trading in India and China. On returning to Scotland he bought the Island of Lewis in 1844 and was created Baronet of the Lews in 1851 for his exertions and generosity in alleviating the sufferings of the inhabitants of the island during a period of famine. Today, descendants of Lochalsh and Sutherland (Shiness) Mathesons are to be found in many overseas countries, particularly in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and U.S.A.

History Of The Chiefs of Clan Matheson

Set out below is a table outlining the history of the chiefs, from Mathghamhain in 1225 to the present day chief Sir Fergus Matheson, spanning 786 years.

Lochalsh
I Mathghamhain Flourished 1225
II Kenneth Died 1304
III Murdoch Flourished 1300s
IV Duncan Flourished 1300s
V Murdoch Flourished 1300s
VI Duncan Flourished 1300s
VII Murdoch Flourished circa 1400
VIII Alasdair Died 1438 Killed - Battle of Cnoc Nan Catach
IX Iain Dubh the elder Died 1490s
X Alasdair MacRuaidhri Died 1506
XI Iain Dubh the younger Died 1539 Chamberlain - Eilean Donan Castle
XII Dugald Roy Flourished 1540s
XIII Murdoch Buidhe Flourished 1530-70s
XIV Roderick (1st of Fernaig) Died before 1600XV Iain (2nd of Fernaig ) Flourished 1600s
XVI Iain Og Flourished 1660

Bennetsfield
XVII Iain Mor Died 1715
XVIII Alexander (1st of Bennetsfield) Held post as chief 1715
XIX John (2nd of Bennetsfield) 1754 - 1768 (Present at the Battle of Culloden - 1746)
XX Colin (3rd of Bennetsfield) 1763 - 1825
XXI John (4th of Bennetsfield) 1825 - 1843
XXII James Brook Young (5th of Bennetsfield) 1843 - 1886
XXIII Eric Grant (6th of Bennetsfield) 1886 - 1899
XXIV Heylin Fraser (7th of Bennetsfield) 1899 - 1945
XXV Bertram Heylin (9th of Bennetsfield) 1945 - 1975

Lochalsh
XXVI Torquhil Alexander 1975 - 1993
XXVII Fergus John 1993 - 2017
XXVIII Alexander Fergus 2017 - Present

Scottish Sites of Matheson History

Lochalsh

Glaic Chailen “Colin’s Valley”
According to an old tradition, Mary, daughter of Kenneth Grumach, married a man called Colin Fitzgerald. They promised to name their first born son Kenneth, but called him Colin instead, and named their second son Kenneth. This caused considerable offence, and certain Mathesons lured young Colin to this valley, and murdered him close by, at Torr-an-tadraidh(the mound of the murdering place). The perpetrators of the crime fled to Sutherland and became the progenitors of the original line of the Chiefs of Matheson of Shiness.

Achadh-dà-thearnaidh (The Field of the Two Declivities)
The Clan Gathering Place is generally accepted as the open space of field at the head of Loch Achaid-na-h-inich, which is overlooked by the Fort.

The Fort Now
Surrounded by fir trees, the site has a magnificent commanding position. It is easy to make out the outlines of the walls and one or two chambers.

Matilda (left) with John and David Matheson (in kilts) at the Fort 2014

Crannog in Loch Achaid-na-h-Inich
The foundation stones in the loch are all that remains of an island castle which at one time was owned by Mathesons. In the time of Dugald Roy, it was possessed by MacDonald of Glengarry, who shared the Lochalsh grazings and rents with Dugald Roy. Attadale Dugald an Oir’s descendants lived at Attadale on the Lochalsh peninsula until 1825, when the house was sold by John Matheson of Attadale.

Lochalsh Parish Church, Kirkton 
There has been a church in this vicinity since the Celtic era 720AD. The current Presbyterian church, right on the coast, dates back to 1807. Many Mathesons are buried in the cemetery which surrounds it.

Eilean Donan Castle

Although now the home of the Clan MacRae, Eilean Donan was founded by a Matheson. Alexander II (1214-1250) commissioned the son of an early Matheson chief to build the castle in order to protect his subjects against Norwegian invaders. Eilean Donan has been associated with the Mathesons for many centuries. In 1539, the then constable of Eilean Donan, Iain (John) Dubh Matheson of Fernaic, was killed defending the castle against Donald Gorm MacDonald of Sleat, who was attempting unsuccessfully to re-establish the MacDonalds as Lords of the Isles.

The Tartans and Emblems of Clan Matheson

A tartan is defined not simply by colour, but by the pattern of threads in warp and weft (the sett). The Scottish Tartans Society recognises six Matheson “setts” dating from 1805 to 1977. Of these, the Clan Chief recognises the red dress tartan and the dark green and blue hunting tartan.

Dress Tartan

Hunting Tartan

The Chief's Crest

The crest is a hand, holding a scimitar, emerging from a five-pointed crown; the correct heraldic description of this is “issuant from an eastern crown or, a dexter hand holding a scimitar, in fess all proper”. The Chief's Crest is the exclusive personal property of the Chief and can solely be used by him.

The Clan's Crest

This crest may be worn by the Chief's clansmen or clanswomen, and differs from the Chief's Crest as it is surrounded by a strap and buckle carrying the Chief’s motto or slogan “Fac et Spera” (Do and Hope).

The Chief’s Coat Of Arms

The coat of arms is a red and black shield with a gold lion, supported by two brown bears each with a gold crown around its neck, topped by a helmet on which sits the crest as described earlier. Beneath the shield is the Chief’s other motto or slogan “O’Chian” (of Old). The Chief’s Coat Of Arms is the exclusive personal property of the Chief, and can solely be used by him