first printed in Standfast 2013

In the run up to the Scottish independence referendum, our PM David Cameron is oft cast - even derided - as an English toff.

There is, of course, plenty of toffery, English and otherwise in his ancestry - but with regard to his nationality the clue is in his name, for he is David William DONALD CAMERON. And in that ancestry we can find plenty of specific interest to Grants.

  • David Cameron's father, Ian Donald Cameron (1932-2010) was born at Blairmore nearly Huntly - Scotland, not England.
  • Ian Donald's father was Ewen Donald Cameron (1906-1958)
  • Ewen Donald's father was Ewen Allan Cameron (1879 (Shanghai)-1937 (Vienna)) who married a Geddes (whence the Blairmore connection).
  • Ewen Allan's father was Sir Ewen Cameron KCMG who was born 1841 in the parish of Dalcross - which includes Culloden. He died in London in 1908.
  • Sir Ewen's parents were William Cameron (b 1806) and Catherine Cameron (b 1809).

Catherine was born at Tomchrasky in Glenmoriston hence the couple were married in Glenmoriston in 1840.

Catherine's father, Ewen (1775- 1842), had moved to Tomchrasky from Dores (which is on the North East corner of Loch Ness). [Tomchrasky is, as the name implies, right next door to Crasky - the home of 'Black' Peter Grant, the leader of the 7 men of Glenmoriston who were so crucial to the success of the flight, post Culloden, of the Young Pretender.] Ewen's parents were Alexander Cameron (b 1743) and Katherine Fraser (b1736). They both died in Glenmoriston.

Catherine's mother, Helen McDonnell (b. 1776) descended on her father's side from Ewen McDonell of Livisy (variously Livishie etc. now Levishie) in Glenmoriston; her mother was Helen Grant, whose ancestors include Grant Chieftains both of Glenmoriston and of Corrimony.

With regard to William there appears to be a bit of confusion, several websites saying he was born at "Abertarff, Croy and Dalcross". I have not been able to find an Abertarff in that parish. There is, however, further ancestry to consider:

William's father, James Cameron (b 1776), seems to have lived his life in the parish of Croy and Dalcross, dying in 1865 at Upper Muckovie which is just East of the New Drumossie Hotel. [Coincidentally I stayed two nights B&B in a cottage on Lower Muckovie Farm just a few years ago when I went to investigate why the Grants of Corriemony were not recognised amongst the new arrangements at Culloden!] James's wife, Margaret Fletcher, also was born and died in the parish.

Of James Cameron's ancestry little is known other than that his father was called Alexander and his mother was Elizabeth Ferguson

So we find a somewhat curious situation where Sir Ewen Cameron had two great grandfathers both called Alexander Cameron - and Alexander was not an especially common name amongst Camerons. Moreover this would be a time when covering one's tracks was often a politic - even desirable - thing to do. So it is easy to allow the imagination to run riot. Given what came later it seems inconceivable that they came from nowhere.

What, if anything, should we make of "Abertarff"? The main Abertarff in the area is on the South end of Lochness. [Loch Tarff feeds into the river Doe where the new huge hydro scheme has been established. The name "Abertarff" implies that in days gone by the name "Doe" applied to the river at most only above its confluence with the Tarff.] This would be very convenient for the couple to have met. But perhaps there is (or was) another Abertarff - in Croy and Dalcross - which I have not spotted.

Among other ancestors of the Prime Minister (some through these lines) are:

  • John Grant (1672 - 1725), 5th of Corriemony (though his daughter Helen (b c1698), not listed by Fraser)
  • John Grant, 6th of Glenmoriston (through his son Duncan ("Corneilear", b.c 1698) - whom Fraser mentions, but says nothing about).
  • Sir James Grant of Grant (21st Chief d.1747) through his daughter Jean (1705 - 1788) who married William Duff of Braco, Earl of Fife.
  • Archibald Grant of Balintomb (son of James "the Bold" Grant (3rd of Freuchie)) progenitor of Monymusk through his great granddaughter Helen who married Alexander Duff of Keithmore
  • Sir Ewen Cameron of Locheil (1628-1718) through his daughter Janet (c1679-1725)
  • Fraser of Lovat through Margaret (b 1629) a daughter of Fraser of Struy

Cameron English? Au contraire - with a cluster of heavyweight rebels among his ancestors and with his paternal line taking us right into Glenmoriston, core rebel territory, methinks his background is more appropriately labelled Jacobite!

ACG

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