Ed Ries, one of the Alexander branch of the Clan, has been doing some research into his famous forbear, the Earl of Stirling.  In a recent trip, he was able to get some very interesting photographs, and sends this report:

Here are three photos I promised of a site significant to the history of William Alexander.  The first two [which are shown below] are of a cairn in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia erected in his memory as the founder of the colony of New Scotland.  Actually, the colony was planted at Port Royal on the Bay of Fundy side of the peninsula.  It began with great hopes.  The settlers endured disease, starvation and hardship.  However, just as it appeared that the colony was going to survive, King Charles I gave Nova Scotia to France as a payment in lieu of dowry for Queen Henrietta (even kings run short of cash,  sometimes — especially when they are unpopular).  Parliament refused to give the king the money for the dowry, so he had little choice but to give away the colony.  This move impoverished the Alexander family, who was counting on getting paid for their investment in New Scotland.  They never received anything, either before Charles died or after the restoration of
Charles II.  His wife Janet ended her days as a pensioner of the government. One son received the title, two died young, one went to Virginia, one lived on modest estates in Ireland.

The cairn memorial is small and placed in a traffic circle at one end of a little park close to downtown Halifax.  But, it is OURS!

The third photo [above] is a painting of William Alexander that we scanned from the book “The Highlanders”.  I’m not sure who painted the portrait or exactly when it was done.  I’ve tried reading the medallion, but no luck.  I suspect that it may be Masonic, given the Alexander’s close affiliation with the Masonic order.  It would be nice to get a professional opinion.

Thanks Ed!

Dennis I. McAllister, Your Flying Ambassador

My Tucson adventure started with a great flight to Arizona. However, I think the flights over and back were the best part of the weekend.

The weather (WX) in Tucson was forecasted for Friday,  November 3, to be unsettled and possible thundershowers (TS) and rain (R). I almost did not go. But the route of flight was forecasted to be Visual Flight Rules (VFR). So I decided to go anyway. I left El Cajon Friday January 3, around 11:30 AM Local Time. I timed my departure to arrive after 23:00 Zulu (3:30 Local Time) as Tucson International was to be closed for an Air Show until then. When I got to the Tucson area, after three hours in the air, I was informed by Approach Control that Tucson was going to be closed for an additional 45 minutes. Not good.Not wanting to just burn holes in the air for 45 min and really get low on fuel I landed at Ryan Field, a small nearby air field and re-fueled. However, while waiting to depart Ryan Field for Tucson International my Artificial Horizon, one of my required flight instruments, quit working. That should have been an omen of how the weekend was to go.

Because of my delay getting into Tucson, Taxing to the FBO, getting my car and finding my Hotel, I was an hour late to the Friday night, out of doors, buffet. They had stopped serving the food by the time I arrived at the site. I was starving as I had not eaten since 9AM and it was 7PM by then. I scrounged up some cold beans, a potato, cold slaw and a Guinness. Gobbled that down and just made the Torch Lighting ceremony. It was dark and the wind was cold and out of the So West, I was very glad I did not have time to change into my kilt,….. Another omen. In another hour it was pouring rain. It’s not supposed to rain in the Arizona desert. That’s why it’s a desert.

The Torch Lighting ceremony was very nice. Each Clan representative marches with torch, to the pipers, into the assembly area and announces their presents to the assembled crowed. I noticed the crowed was huddled unusually close together in an attempt to stay warm. After every one introduces themselves, a toast is given to the clans and the success of the Games. (but it wasn’t whiskey…another omen) It was however, a very nice ceremony. 

After the ceremony a fellow clansman, Melanie McA, from the Los Angeles area, who often helps out at the Los Angeles area Games, found me.  I was surprised to see her in Tucson. She was there to visit her sister, Mary, a pre-med student at a Tucson college. We all went to dinner, and had a nice visit. I finally got a hot meal.   

Sure enough, Sat., 6AM it was still raining hard. By the time I got to the site where the games were held it had stopped raining for the moment. I had made the trip and commitment to be there so I decided to set up the tent in the rain and tough it out. It rained off and on all day and by 3 PM most every one was pulling up stake. The crowed had been quit small. Only two McA’s signed the guest register that were not members or already known to me. However, I did have a nice visit with Bob and Helen  Blair of Clan Blair. I had shared tent space with them in Flagstaff in September. I meet Todd (McA) Clodfetter and his son. Todd was the purveyor of the official Tucson Games T-shirt. I bought one of his, but didn’t sell any of mine.

The dancers platform got so slick from the rain that they were not able to complete the dance competition even though the wee lasses wanted to continue. Melanie McA, her sister and friend came by later in the PM. Melanie helped me break camp, in the rain. It was a wet, windy day. Never mind the reference to, “its just like Scotland” because Tucson is not Scotland.  By the time I got back to the hotel I was wet, cold, tired and hungry again. For my first trip to the Tucson Games it was not a very good experience. But, the organizers assured me the rain was not typical and next year it would be hot and dry. We will see.

The really good bit was that I was able to leave Tucson Sunday morning in VFR conditions. The flight home to El Cajon was smooth and uneventful. Just the way I like it…. The next Games in Arizona are February 23 through 25 at Mesa Community College. Hope to see all you there. But, I am going to bring my umbrella, just in case….

Dennis I. McAllister