Many people know about the book THE LAMONT CLAN 1235-1935 SEVEN CENTURIES OF CLAN HISTORY FROM RECORD EVIDENCE by Hector McKenchnie B.A., LL.B. published in 1938. The book is available online and can be readily downloaded for reading.
https://archive.org/details/lamontclan12351900mcke/page/n7/mode/2up
As an enticement to read the book and to generate interest in Lamont history, it was suggested that a series of blogs be posted with highlights from the book. While I am reading the book, I will from time to time post interesting information from the book. The book begins with Acknowledgements, and the author Mr. McKenchnie pays tribute to Sir Norman Lamont of Knockdow, Baronet and President of the Society. The author then follows with a Preface explaining how he has attempted to write the history of single clan over a span of seven centuries based on recorded evidence. However, he goes on to say that the history of one clan, the Lamont, is so interwoven with other clans of Argyllshire that to tell the history is a significant challenge. Following the chapters, there is a listing of 27 Lamont pedigrees. This genealogical information is extremely valuable and is a great resource for those Society members hoping to link to one of the branches of the Lamont family tree.
The plan for the blog series is to take each of the 20 chapters and provide a post on the content of interest. With the last chapter covering the years 1895-1935, there is opportunity to write a continuation of the Clan Lamont history. With the last chapter covering the years 1895-1935, there is opportunity to write a continuation of the Clan Lamont history, which I understand is already in the works.
Chapter I: The Clan’s Place in the History of the Highlands 1235-1935
This chapter is an overview of some highlights to pique the interest of readers and encourage them to read the book. According to the book, the Lamonts were a small unified people who made a mark in history “out of all proportion to their numbers”. There was a hereditary feud with the Campbells, which most Lamonts know about and this feud shaped Lamont history.
The Lamonts did not fight for Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314 nor Prince Charlie at Culloden in 1745. This is attributed to their Norse connection, which is explained in a later chapter, and they suffered the consequences. The Lamonts were formal supporters of the government in ’15 and ’45, and there is no record of their participation in the battle of Flodden in 1513. The book reports that Chief Sir James Lamont XIV was a spy and that his devotion to the royalist party “brought ruin to both self and kindred”.
The book reports that no clan the size of the Lamonts has had the same record of colonization.
“These four characteristics, compactness at home, accessibility to civilisation, obedience to law and order, and capacity for migration, distinguished the Lamonts from the majority of their fellows, but tended also to make them scatter earlier than almost any of the others.“ (p. 5)
Mr. McKechnie ends his chapter with this thought on the writing of this book:
“The task has not been easy. Of the clan’s relics, forbye its two ruined castles, there are few, but the harp and the brooch are outstanding … . The old rants are not known, though probably not gone for ever. There is some later bagpipe music (plate 5), but there is no poetry. There is thus no “wise owl who remembers” the bygones of the Lamonts.” (p. 11)
In the next post, we will report highlights from Chapter 2, The Lamont Country.
Lewis R. Johnson, Ed.D. FSAScot
