The Clan Maclean

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Born May 18, 1835 to Sir Charles Fitzroy Maclean and Emily Marsham, daughter of the Earl of Romney, Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean, Bt, CB, KCB will always be remembered as a distinguished soldier, 26th Chief and restorer of Duart Castle. In many ways, Sir Fitzroy Donnald Maclean is the beginning of the Renaissance of the Clan Maclean.

Fitzroy Donald Maclean married Constance Marianne Ackers of Moreton Hall in 1872. She was the daughter of George Holland Ackers, the High Sheriff of Cheshire. They had four sons and one daughter. One son, Lt. John Marsham Maclean, was lost in the South African War (also refered to as the Second Boer War).

Honors
Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean has twice been invested into The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, the United Kingdom's fourth most prestigious order of nobility. He was a leader, both in his military and civil service.

• Awarded the Crimean War Medal with two clasps
• Awarded the Turkish War Medal
• Invested Companion of the Order of the Bath (1897)
• Invested Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1904)
• Served as Grand President of the Clan Gillean Association
• Served as President of the Highland Society of London
• Served as President of the League of Mercy
• Appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Argyllshire (1932)
  

Military Service
Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean's service in the Army began as a Coronet with the 7th Hussars. By 1852, he has joined the 13th Hussars. During the Crimean War, Sir Fitzroy was serving with the 13th Light Dragoons (the Light Dragoons addopted the name "Hussars" about the time of the Crimean War, however the name varies in the official records).

During the Crimean War, Sir Fitzroy fought in the Battle of Alma, regarded as the first battle of the War, in September of 1854. Although he was not in the famous charge, Sir Fitzroy survived the Battle of Balaclava and Lord Cardigan's disastrous calvary charge (remembered as the Charge of the Light Brigade) against the Russian Forces on October 25, 1854. The lack of food and shelter after the Battle of Balaclava, caused many survivors to sucumb to dysentery and fever, Sir Fitzroy would have died with many others if he had not been found by a family friend, who took him and other survivors aboard his ship and carried them to safety. His health restored, Sir Fitzroy rejoined his regiment at the Siege of Sebastopol, where he remained through the end of the war. That seige ultimately lead to the Russians' defeat.

After the Crimean War, Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean served as Aid-de-Camp to both General George Brown and Field Marshal Lord Seaton. Sir Fitzroy was a frequent attaché to the the French and in 1865, he attended French Calvary Maneauvers.

From 1866 untill 1869 Sir Fitzroy's regiment, the 13th Hussars, was sent to Canada. After their return, Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean was put in command of the regiment in 1872. He held command untill his retirement in September of 1873. In 1880 Sir Fitzroy was called back into service and given command of the West Kent Queen's Own Yeomanry Cavalry. For his patriotism demonstrated in willingness to re-enter military service, Sir Fitzroy was given the honorary rank of Colonel in July of 1881.

Return To Duart
Sir Fitzroy Donald Maclean is probably most remembered for returning Duart Castle to the Clan Maclean. In 1912, Sir Fitzroy repurchased Duart Castle and began its restoration. At that time, the ancestral home of the Maclean Chiefs had been lost for nearly two centuries. It had suffered a devastating fire and was in a state of ruin.

In August of 1912, Sir Fitzroy took position of the Clan's ancient seat on Mull and once again raised the Maclean Chief's Standard over the ramparts of Duart Castle. More than 400 clansmen traveled from across the globe to wittness the occasion. To commemorate his 100th birthday, Sir Fitzroy planted a rowan tree on the grounds of the castle.

In 1932, Sir Fitzroy and the Duke of Argyll, Chief of the Campbells, officially ended the 187 year old feud between the Macleans and the Campbells.

Upon the death of his father, Sir Charles Fitzroy Maclean in December of 1883, the title of Tenth Baronet of Morvern and the chiefship of the Clan Maclean fell to Fitzroy Donald Maclean. Sir Fitzroy would outlive all of his sons, and at age 101 on November 22, 1936, his title and position passed to his grandson, Charles Hector Fitzroy Maclean.