Chisholm Memorial

Clan Chisholm Memorial Stone

Strathglass was the territory of the Chisholm clan. During the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries many clan members were forced to emigrate, but their descendants remained attached to their homeland and in the late 19th century the Clan Chisholm Society was founded, with branches in several countries.

The commemorative stone was officially unveiled on 26th July 1969 having been erected the previous year.  The Clan Chief, Alastair Chisholm of Chisholm, and around a hundred members and friends of the Clan were in attendance to see Duncan Chisholm from Erchless unveil the plaque.

The stone is situated just outside the village of Cannich, on the south side of the road which leads up Glen Cannich, on the hillside overlooking Comar House the former seat of Clan Chisholm built in 1740.  Unfortunately, the House and a wider view of the old clan lands have become obscured over the years by trees and an ill placed power line.

The stone, about 1.70 metres high, with a bronze plate bearing the clan crest and the inscription: “Erected within former clan territory by Clan Chisholm Society Home and Overseas 1968.”

In 1985 an additional plaque was added to the front of the stone to commemorate Mairi Lambert Gooden Chisholm, of Chisholm, MM, OStJ who relaunched the Society in 1951.  Mairi, daughter of the then Clan Chief, was highly decorated for her work as a nurse and ambulance driver during the First World War. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mairi_Chisholm for more on her life story.

At the International Gathering in 2001, the 50th Anniversary of the relaunching of the Society, a new plaque was added to the stone, on the reverse side, by the Canadian Branch. The inscription reads “Cuimhnichaibh air na daoine o’n d’thainig sibh” (Remember the people from whom you have come). It was unveiled by present chief Hamish Chisholm of Chisholm and was presented by Forbes Merritt Chisholm as Chairperson of the Canada branch and out-going President of the Society Roger Chisholm-Batten. The Reverend Dr Francis Chisholm gave a Celtic blessing.

Since 2008 a cast iron bench sits near to the stone with a plaque commemorating Wilfrid Medlam (1914 – 2005) and his contribution to the Society.  His work on Chisholm family histories became the basis for the clan genealogy database that is still being developed today.

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