John MacLeod of MacLeod

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.

Biography

John MacLeod of MacLeod was born as John Wolrige-Gordon in Ellon, 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.^[1] 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.^[2]

Joan Walter's mother was the daughter of Dame Flora MacLeod of MacLeod, the 28th chief of Clan MacLeod.^[1] John Wolrige-Gordon was educated at Eton College, 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.^[3] 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.^[2] He later succeeded as chief of Clan MacLeod in 1976.^[1]

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.^[1] The planned sale caused outrage at the time and was never completed.^[4]

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).^[5] MacLeod of MacLeod secondly married Azima Melita Kolin 19 March 1973, daughter of Duko Kolin of Sofia. 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.^[6] On 27 March 2004, he married for a third time, Ulrika Thram.^[7]

Death and successor

On 12 February 2007, MacLeod of MacLeod died of leukaemia, aged 71, in London, England.^[8] His funeral was held at Duirinish Free Church of Scotland, at Dunvegan. He was buried at the ruined stone church at Kilmuir.^[9] MacLeod was succeeded by his second son, Hugh Magnus MacLeod, as 30th chief of Clan MacLeod.

Ancestry

Heraldry

Arms of John MacLeod of MacLeod

Notes The Latin motto, murus aheneus esto, translates into English as "be thou a wall of brass".[10] The 1st and 4th quarters represent the Macleod family; the 2nd and 3rd quarters represent the supposed royal Manx heritage of the clan. Adopted Lyon Office 2 June 1962. Crest: Lyon Office January 1943.[6] Crest A bull's head cabossed sable, horned Or, between two flags gules, staves of the first.[6] Escutcheon Quarterly; 1st and 4th, azure, a castles triple-towered and embattled argent, masoned sable, windows and porch gules; 2nd and 3rd, gules, three legs in armour proper, garnished and spurred Or, flexed and conjoined in triangle at the upper part of the thigh.[6] Supporters Two lions reguardant gules, armed and langued azure, each holding a dagger proper.[6] Motto Hold fast (above the crest); murus aheneus esto (on a compartment below the shield).[6]

References