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| WHM 1992 13 4 - Flora MacDonald's brooch and fan |
Brooch which belonged to Flora Macdonald.
and
A sandalwood fan which belonged to
Flora Macdonald.
Presented to her while she was a prisoner on parole in
the house of Lady Primrose in London, Nov[embe]r 1746 and
given to me by her grand niece Mrs Maclellan of
Ormacleit South Uist
1868.
Alexander Carmichael.
Provenance is important in identifying and cataloguing objects, so it is fortunate that Carmichael added this note to what he clearly deemed as precious objects. We know from the notebooks we've transcribed and listed that Carmichael spent time collecting information on the MacDonald family from Mrs Penelope MacLellan, who was also known as 'Bean Ormacleit'. Her father, Donald MacDonald, was a tacksman and the son of Ùisdean Bàn Chillepheadar, a seanachie from Kilpheder in South Uist (ref. Coll-97/CW108/65). But what of Lady Primrose?
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| Detail of a rich man from Flora MacDonald's fan |
Lady Primrose is mentioned throughout Jacobite literature as being a London based Jacobite, who not only gave Flora houseroom when she was on parole but raised money for her. In 1750, when Bonnie Prince Charlie was on his secret visit to London, it was into her house off The Strand, that he walked, under an assumed name, disturbing her game of cards with non-Jacboite nobility. The story goes:
Recognising him at once, she nearly dropped her cards with amazement
'Charles Edward Stuart' by F. McLynn, p. 398
Lady Primrose recovered her surprise and her non-Jacobite companions were, fortunately for her, none the wiser.
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| Detail of a wealthy woman from Flora MacDonald's fan |
Born Anne Drelincourt, Lady Primrose was the widow of Hugh the third Viscount of Primrose, a short-lived Scottish title, which as they had no children became extinct on Hugh's death in 1741. Her parents were Rev. Peter Drelincourt, Dean of Armagh and his wife Mary Maurice, daughter of the Dean of Derry. Peter or Pierre Drelincourt was a Hugenot, one of sixteen children of Charles Drelincourt, a French Reformed church minister. This connection with France indicates that the fan, which Flora MacDonald received was very probably French. We do not know whether this was a personal item, potentially a family piece, or whether it was purchased specially for Flora but it seems indicative of Lady Primrose's admiration for her.
The detail on the fan shows a wealthy couple, opulently dressed, and what is probably their nursemaid tending to their child. Who the couple are meant to be, if indeed they are meant to represent anyone, or their significance has yet to be discovered. A little more research may reveal more about the fan's provenance and then we can turn our attention to the brooch, one of many simple ring bronze brooches which Alexander Carmichael had in his possession.
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| Detail of a nursemaid and child from Flora MacDonald's fan |
Images:
WHM 1992 13 4 Bronze brooch and fan belonging to Flora MacDonaldAll images copyright of Carsten Flieger (www.carstenflieger.com).
References:
Coll-97/CW108/65 Notes on the family of Uistean Ban Cillepheadar Coll-97/CW150/77
Frank McLynn, 'Charles Edward Stuart - A Tragedy in many Acts' (London, 1988), p 398
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jacobite/message/10306
Ruth Whelan, ‘Drelincourt, Peter (1644–1722)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/8045, accessed 11 Sept 2012]
Key figures:
MacDonald | Flora | 1722-1790 | JacobiteMacLellan | Penelope | 1796-1873 | née MacDonald | 'Bean Ormicleit' | South Uist
Primrose | Anne | Dowager Viscountess | c1706-1775 | née Drelincourt | wife of Hugh Primrose 3rd Viscount of Primrose | The Strand | London | England
