About

CLAN DONALD QUEENSLAND

INFORMATION CIRCULAR  

At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Clan Donald Society of Qld held on the 28 May 2011, Suzanne Lambkin who has held the position of Deputy Commissioner for several years, was invested by Norman Macdonald, High Commissioner  Clan Donald Australia, as Commissioner of Clan Donald Qld.

   

From the left:  Donald McDonald, Commissioner CD SA: Neil Macdonald President CD Qld: Norman Macdonald High Commissioner CD Aust: Suzanne Lambkin:  Malcolm McDonald,  Toiseach,Finlaggan Councillor,LachlanMacdonald, Secretary CD NSW.

On behalf of the members of Clan Donald Qld we would like to congratulate Suzanne on her appointment.

MEET YOUR COMMITTEE:

 

Alexander Neil Macdonald (known to all as Neil) and was elected President of Clan Donald Queensland at the recent Annual General Meeting.  Neil was born in Manly NSW to Alexander James Macdonald and Rosemary Helen White and his family descends directly from the Lords of the Isles. 

Neil is a “Macdonald of Monkstadt”. This is a cadet family of the Macdonald’s of Sleat.  Neils 7^th great grandfather was Sir James Mor Macdonald 9^th of Sleat, 2^nd Baronet and his 3^rd great grandfather Hugh Peter Macdonald was the last factor at Monkstadt on the Isle of Skye for Lord Macdonald and it is through Hugh Peter that the Macdonalds of Monkstadt descend . 

Neil’s 2^nd great grandfather Alexander migrated to Australia in 1864 along with his 2^nd wifeMeta and 3 young children. They first settled inBrisbane but later moved to Inverell where they had a further nine children.   Alexander was one of 11 children, 8 of which came to Australia to settle and raise their families.  One of Alexander’s sons from his first marriage, Hugh Peter Macdonald wrote the Boer War Song “Call of the Empire” and became MP for Coonamble NSW.   Hugh and his 2 siblings who were left in Scotland with relatives, did not come to Australia until much later only to find that their father had died before they could meet up with him again.   

 Neil has been self employed in the building industry for most of his working life and has owned and run  a property maintenance business in Brisbane for the past 25 years.

Neil has recently returned from Scotland where he attended the Clan Donald Lands Trust Meeting and AGM at Armadale Castle after which he joined the Clan Donald High Chiefs Tour. 

Treasurer: 

Judy (Neil’s wife) was born and bred in Brisbane   Judy’s interests are her family, her genealogy work and helping others trace their ancestors.   Judy’s own family, the Dunbars, are also very well known in Scottish History.  Her 26th Great grandfather was Maldred King of Cumbria and cousin to Macbeth.  Judy’s 4th cousin 16 times removed and Neils 26th great grandfather are one and the same, Donald 2nd Lord of the Isles.

Secretary:

I am Marie Hodgkinson and I was elected secretary of Clan Donald Society of Queensland for the next twelve months. I am married to Bill, who has a great grandfather Alexander Mackenzie who migrated to Queensland from Aberdeen. We have two daughters and four grand-children. We live in and we were both educated in Toowoomba where we met at secondary school and married after I had completed my teaching bond with the Queensland Government. I worked for almost thirty years as a primary school teacher mostly in Catholic Schools and Bill worked for 24 years and 6 months in the School of Education, University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba where for eleven years he headed the Graduate Diploma Program before we both took early retirement in 1997.

Committee members: 

Alexander James Macdonald (Jim) (father of Neil) .   Jim lives in Buderim with his partner Eileen and since retiring has become involved with the local bowls club.  Jim was born in Inverell where his great grandfather lived after arriving in Australia.  During his working live he became a shearer and wool classer and then went on to setting up his own business in the building industry.  

Jim Macdonald (brother of Neil).  Jim lives in Nundah and works for the Department of Community Safety, Kedron.  Jim has recently returned from a trip to New Zealand hiking the mountains of the South Island.  

Noel Denning – Noel is also a direct descendant of Sir James Mor 9^th of Sleat 2^nd Baronet and shares the exact same lineage as the president, Neil (Neil and Noel being 4^th cousins).  Noel’s 2^nd great grandfather Donald, younger brother of Neil’s 2^nd great grandfather, Alexander, was known as “Skye Lochinvar” and is famous in Scottish history for eloping with his young wife Jessie Macdonald of Balranald, North Uist.   Noel and his wife Heather live in Mapleton, Queensland and are also involved in family history, Heather being the main historian for Noel’s family.   They are both retired and enjoy travelling and are active “walkers.