Norman MacLeod of MacLeod (18 July 1812 – 5 February 1895) was the 25th Chief of

Clan MacLeod Clan MacLeod ( ; ) is a Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the MacLeods of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Harris and Dunvegan, known in Gaelic as ' ("seed of Tormod") an ...

Biography

Norman MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 18 July 1812 at

Dunvegan Dunvegan () is a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan is within the parish of Duirinish, Skye, Duirinish. In 2011, it had a population of 386. Name In ''The Nors ...

Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some o ...

. He was the son of John Norman MacLeod of MacLeod (1788–1835), 24th Chief of Clan MacLeod and his wife Anne Stephenson (−1861). He was educated at Harrow and then went abroad to Paris and

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. In 1835, Norman's father died and he subsequently succeeded to the chiefship of Clan MacLeod. Norman attempted many costly improvements at

Dunvegan Castle Dunvegan Castle (Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain) is located to the north of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Probably a fortified site from the earlie ...

, as well as unsuccessful ventures in farming, and greatly encumbered the clan's estates and thus ruined himself financially. During the enthusiasm for the

Volunteer movement The Volunteer Force was a citizen army of part-time rifle, artillery and engineer corps, created as a popular movement throughout the British Empire in 1859. Originally highly autonomous, the units of volunteers became increasingly integrate ...

following an invasion scare in 1859, a group from the

South Kensington Museum South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...

, headed by Norman, approached the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

with an offer to raise two companies from the engineering and allied professions. The proposal was accepted in January 1860 and enlistment of the 1st Middlesex Engineers began on 6 February, creating the first Engineer Volunteer Corps. Norman was appointed

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in command,

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

a year later, and then Lieutenant-Colonel as the unit rapidly grew beyond its initial two companies. Norman relinquished command in 1871 and was appointed Honorary Colonel of the corps.

Family life

In 1837, Norman married the Hon. Louisa Barbara St. John (1818–1880), only daughter of the 14th

Baron St John of Bletso Baron St John of Bletso, in the County of Bedford, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1582 for Oliver St John, 1st Baron St John of Bletso, Oliver St John. For a period, the title Baron St John was subsumed within the title ...

. In this first marriage, Norman had a daughter and four sons. His daughter, Louisa Cecilia MacLeod, later married John Moyer Heathcote, an English

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

and

real tennis Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis (also called "lawn tennis") is derived. It is also known as court tennis in the United Sta ...

player. In 1881, he married, secondly, Hanna, daughter of Baron von Ettingshausen (

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

). Norman had no children in his second marriage. Norman died in Paris, France, on 5 February 1895, and was buried at Duirinish Church at

Succession of the chiefship after his death

Norman's eldest son, Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod (1839–1929), succeeded him as 26th Chief of Clan MacLeod. The 26th Chief later died without male issue. Norman's second eldest son, Torquil Olave (1841–1857) had earlier died without issue, as well. The 26th Chief of Clan MacLeod was, therefore, succeeded by Norman's third son, Sir Reginald MacLeod of MacLeod (1847–1935), as the 27th Chief of Clan MacLeod. Sir Reginald also had no sons, but two daughters. After Sir Reginald's death, he was succeeded by his eldest daughter

Dame ''Dame'' is a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. It is the female equivalent of ''Sir'', the title used by knights. Baronet, Baronetesses Suo jure, in their own right also u ...

Flora MacLeod of MacLeod (1878–1976), 28th Chief of Clan MacLeod and second female chief of the clan.

Coat of arms

His coat of arms is described thus: ;Shield: ''I and IV azure a castle triple towered and embattled argent masoned sable windowed and porched gules and II and III gules three legs in armour proper garnished and spurred Or flexed and conjoined in triangle at the upper part of the thigh''. ;Crest and mantle: Upon a torse Or and azure, ''A bull's head cabossed sable horned Or between two flags gules staves sable'', the mantling azure double Or. ;Supporters: ''Two lions reguardant gules armed and langued azure each holding a dagger proper''.

Ancestry

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macleod, Norman Macleod Of Norman 1812 births 1895 deaths People from the Isle of Skye People educated at Harrow School Royal Engineers officers MacLeod, Norman MacLeod, 4th Lord 19th-century Scottish businesspeople