Canadian Branch
History

The Short History of the Canadian Branch

The Canadian Branch history outlined below has been researched from various sources including Creag Dhubh, Minutes of Branch Annual General Meetings, the Bratach Uaine, the Green Banner, and other Canadian Branch newsletters from the past. It is hoped that the contents of this tab can be a source for those interested in Branch history. Suggestions for additional useful content are welcome.

In 1947, the late Col E.R. Rivers-Macpherson OBE, a retired British Military Officer, laid the groundwork for the Canadian Branch of the Clan Macpherson Association. The Association had been recently formed in Scotland with the mission to support the Clan Museum in Newtonmore.

In March 1948, with the Hon. Ewan Alexander Macpherson, the Chief Justice of Manitoba as Chairman, the first Branch Annual Meeting was held at the home of Col Rivers-Macpherson, who was elected the new Hon. Secretary.

For more information on the formative days of the Branch see the article "The Early Days" by Gordon Macpherson in the September 2011 issue of the Green Banner.

Since the establishment of the Canadian Branch, Annual Gatherings which include the Branch Annual General Meetings as part of the program, have been held at various locations including successful joint Gatherings with the US Branch every five years starting in 1980. The format of Canadian Gatherings has evolved over the years arriving at one similar to the Annual Gathering held in Badenoch. Please see the list of Gatherings since inception below.

Contributions and Achievements of the Branch over the Years:

• In 1966, the first edition of The Posterity of the Three Brethren was written by Prof. Alan G. Macpherson of St John's NF. This interesting historical account of the Clan is presently in its fifth edition, published in 2004.
• The Branch presented our chief, then Alan Macpherson of Cluny, with his bonnet badge in sterling silver in 1967.His son the current chief, Sir William Macpherson, inherited this badge on the passing of his father. The badge incorporates the crest from the Chief's Coat of arms - a Scottish wildcat, and includes three eagle feathers in silver denoting the position of Chief of the Clan. The badge is, proudly worn by Cluny at Clan events he attends, and in a photo on the cover of many editions of our Clan annual "Creag Dhubh".
• In 1967 Gordon Macpherson, the Niagara Herald Extraordinary, and former Chairman of the Branch, started presenting shields of Clansmen, who had achieved a Grant of arms, to the Clan Museum in Newtonmore. This display on the Heraldry Wall has grown from the original 6 to over 75 today. Gordon paints each shield as a new Grant of Arms is matriculated. In 2016 the room in the museum containing the Heraldry Wall was renamed the Gordon Macpherson Niagara Herald Extraordinary Room recognizing his contributions.
• The Branch was designated the North American Branch in 1968 with a small membership south of the border. The original US Hon. Secretary, Mrs. Alberta Costello (Macpherson) of New York, reported on the activities in the US each year from 1954 until 1961 at which time the Canadian Branch reported on US activities. By 1974, membership in the USA had increased significantly and the US Branch was re-established as a separate entity. The Canadian Branch is proud to have aided and fostered the now very active US Branch from its early beginnings.
• On the occasion of his visit in 1972 to the Scottish World Festival at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, the Branch presented our Chief, Sir William Macpherson of Cluny with his banner based on his personal achievements of arms.
• In 1991 The Canadian Branch contributed funds to the Highland Wild life Park in Scotland to support the preservation of the Highland Wildcat by sponsoring a wildcat at the Park. A second wild cat was sponsored in 2014.
• In 1995 the Branch presented the Association with its coat of arms designed by, Gordon Macpherson. These arms were matriculated in Scotland. The banner, also presented by the Canadian Branch, is carried at every Clan Macpherson Gathering in Badenoch.
• In 2010 Robert J Archibald, former Chair of the Branch presented a gavel and storage case to the CMA Chairman This gavel is now used at meetings in Scotland. He designed and prepared the gavel and its storage box on behalf of the Branch.
• In 2014 the Branch sponsored our Chairman, William Macpherson and our Vice Chair Jacqueline Murdoch, to run the challenging Creag Dhubh hill race at the Newtonmore Games, resulting in a substantial donation to the Museum.

Branch Chairmen Since Founding of the Branch:

Past Honorary Chairmen of the Canadian Branch:

Branch Gatherings Through the Years

The following table lists all of the Canadian Branch Gatherings including Joint Gatherings with the US Branch which alternate between Canadian and US locations. In the early days the format was simply an Annual General Meeting with a social. Then a church service on Sunday was added. The Gatherings in Stouffville hosted by Hume Macpherson included some highland games and pipers. Then a ceilidh became "de rigeur", with the Gathering format we enjoy today developing from these beginnings.

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