The Ancient Clan of Buchanan

Heraldry SIG meeting - Everyone Welcome!

This is a joint meeting with the Australian Heraldry Society.

The chiefs of clan Buchanan trace their ancestry back over a thousand years.  But then in 1682, John Buchanan, the 19th chief died without a male heir. So for over 337 years the clan has been without a chief.  After years of genealogical research, in 2016 a petition to claim the chiefship of Clan Buchanan was lodged with the Court of the Lord Lyon and in August 2018 Lord Lyon recognised John Michael Baillie-Hamilton Buchanan as Chief of the Name and Arms of Buchanan. In this talk we explore the heraldry and the inauguration of a clan chief.

When: 20 April 2023 8pm Zoom only

Bookings: secretary@heraldryaustralia.org 

About the Presenter: 

Malcolm’s interest in heraldry grew from his early engagement with his family history and in the history of Clan Buchanan.  He was the principal orchestrator of the inauguration of John Michael Baillie-Hamilton Buchanan as the Chief of Clan Buchanan. He performed the ceremony at the Chief’s estate at Cambusmore, Scotland, in October 2022 in the presence of about 200 clan folk, several Clan Chiefs and Chieftains, Sir Crispin Agnew, Bt, Albany Herald Extraordinary, and Dr Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms.

The Chief has appointed Malcolm as one of his advisers and as “Clairinch Seanachie”, encompassing ceremonial, history and heraldry roles.
Malcolm has been the President of the Scottish Australian Heritage Council since 2012, Convenor (since 2009) and Regional Director (since 2018) of the Clan Buchanan Society International (Oceania), and a committee member of the Celtic Council of Australia since 2012. He has been a member of the Australian Heraldry Society since 2015.