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Clan Home Gathering 2008


“The Clan Home Association hosted a Gathering over the past weekend (August 16th/17th) which was attended by Homes and Humes from all over the UK as well as from overseas, with a strong contingent from the USA.   The convenor of the association, Dr Ian Maitland Hume, said that:

‘We were particularly fortunate to enjoy two days of dry weather, which allowed those events out-of-doors to proceed as planned.   Our Annual General Meeting once again took place at the Hirsel, presided over by our chief the Earl of Home.   The association took its present form following our last Gathering there five years ago.   Members enjoyed lunch and the hospitality of the Earl and Countess of Home before proceeding to Hume Castle.   The main event of the afternoon was the raising of the Home Banner on the castle’s new flagpole, so that once again the Lion Rampant argent on a green field flew from the battlements, possibly for the first time since Cromwell’s Colonel Fenwick destroyed it in 1651.   We were glad to welcome Jim Hume, one of the MSP’s for the South of Scotland, to the ceremony and the tea that followed within the castle walls.

45 members attended the formal dinner at Paxton House, which took place in the elegant setting of the Picture Gallery and the occasion was enhanced by nearly all present wearing the Home tartan as some part of their dress.   Sunday’s events included an extensive coach tour of Berwickshire during which members visited properties and places associated with name historically, with a commentary given by the convenor.   The site of Blacadder House recalled the more violent days of Blacadder Castle and its acquisition by the Homes of Wedderburn.   The de la Bastie monument at Broomhouse reminded us of the revenge sought by the Homes for the execution of Lord Home in 1517, through the killing of the imposed warden of the East March and the well-known trials and tribulations which Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth endured whilst he hid in the crypt of Polwarth Kirk were recalled as we visited the kirk which he substantially restored once he had become the Earl of Marchmont.

The more peaceful times of the 18th century were celebrated with a visit to Marchmont House, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch, through the courtesy of the new proprietors.   The skies where wonderfully clear when we stopped at Scott’s View, before making our way to Cowdenknowes to admire the very attractive exterior, the principal part of which was built by Sir James Home of Cowdenknowes in 1574, and from which line the present earl descends.   The afternoon ended with tea in the Mellerstain House tea room, where the Earl of Haddington gave us a much appreciated description of the part played by his forebear, Lady Grizell Baillie – the daughter of Sir Patrick Hume, in commissioning William Kent to design the first stage of the building of Mellerstain House.

The Gathering ended with an informal supper at Wedderburn Castle, which included members of the Home-Robertson family, the proceedings being rounded off by a superb hour of music from Mairi Campbell and Dave Francis, the duo now celebrated for singing their version of Auld Lang Syne in the recent film hit ‘Sex and the City’;  Mairi is currently also the Scots Singer of the Year.   The relaxed family atmosphere of the whole Gathering weekend concluded with a rousing reel and a determination to meet again soon.’


Clan Chief and Convenor


The Home Banner


Members at the Hirsel


Return to Clan Home Page


 


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