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June 2006
In Canada for their Churchill Cup match against Team Canada, Scotland's A team were visitors to the Barrhaven Scottish rugby practice. Sam Rattray was thrilled to have professional rugby players from Scotland sharing tips and running drills with the team. Sam Rattray is with the 5-6 year old "minis" rugby program.
May 2006
A row which broke out over the ownership of a valuable archery trophy has taken a step nearer being resolved. Residents in Rattray, Perthshire, were angered when a silver arrow which had been in the area for hundreds of years was put up for auction. The local laird had claimed he inherited the 400-year-old arrow. But it was later withdrawn from sale by Lord Robert Mercer-Nairne and a public meeting will now be held to decide who owns the piece, worth up to £68,000. The Rattray community was outraged when it emerged that the arrow was to be auctioned off by Sotheby's with some of the Nairne family silver. It is claimed it was bequeathed to the people of Rattray, while the family remained the custodians of the arrow, which was made in Perth in 1612. Mr Mercer-Nairne, who withdrew the item from sale when the dispute surfaced, has now hinted that the residents may be correct. "A number of weeks ago I thought I'd inherited a small silver arrow and now I'm pretty sure I've inherited an obligation," he said. "I and the community now have to work out the best way forward." A document in Perth Museum makes it clear that the arrow belongs to the community, it has been claimed. 'Significant symbol' But Mr Mercer-Nairne said the document was a copy, adding: "It may very well be a copy of an original, but I don't know if we've seen the original, and it doesn't talk specifically about ownership, it talks about obligations with regard to the arrow." But he said: "What is clear is that the arrow was given to the Rattray community. For 279 years its been in the possession of the Nairne family." North Tayside MSP John Swinney, who will chair the public meeting on Friday night, said people had been taken by surprise that there was a question mark over the arrow's ownership. "There certainly is, from what I've seen, a lot of evidence that the arrow is deeply, deeply rooted in the history of Rattray and that it has, as Robert says, been in the custody of this family for a very long time," he said. "Certainly that documents that I've seen demonstrate very clearly to me that the people of Rattray were the original owners." Mr Swinney, who said he was optimistic of having the situation resolved, added: "For a small communities like Rattray, symbols like this are very significant of their history."
ALL THE LATEST CLAN RATTRAY NEWS October 2004
The Clan grew by one more in October. At this rate the Canadian contingent of Rattrays will be the largest on the planet! Owen Rattray, son of Kevin Rattray and Shannon Rattray of Pembroke Ontario was October 25th in Ottawa. September 2004
September 2004
Rattrays from around the world once again gathered in the ancestral homeland of Clan Rattray for the 3rd Gathering. The event was held in Rattray/Blairgowrie in Perthshire. With many returning Rattrays as well as many new ones, representatives of the Clan were present from all four corners of the globe. A since thanks to the Altamount Hotel for hosting us, they did a fabulous job. News from the Gathering included an update on genetic testing undertaken by members of the Clan to determine their common ancestry as well as a very informative talk on heraldry. Congratulations to Warren Jephcote of Arizona, USA, our new Clan golf golf champion. Also of note, Marc Rattray of England is taking over a editor of the Clan Journal. Check back on this site for updates and full coverage of the Gathering in the coming days. January 2004
The Rattray Clan grew by one more member on January 7th when Annie Eva Charest Rattray of Ottawa was born. Daughter of Scott Rattray and Michelle Charest and Grand Daughter of David and Marion Rattray, Annie and her Mom are in perfect health. Annie is enjoying all the rights and priviledges that come with being the youngest member of the Clan including round the clock feedings and two personal attendants.
December 2002 Highlights from the Leith Rules of Golf Event Attended by Clan Rattray
Highlight of the Opening Ceremony was the first signing in our Visitors
Book by Lachlan Rattray, Clan Chief and direct descendant of Dr John
Rattray who signed golf's oldest rules for playing on Leith Links
in 1744. Here he is being watched by Councillor Billy Fitzpatrick,
representing City of Edinburgh Council and local Councillor Mrs Elizabeth
Wardlaw. For more click here. August 2002
David Rattray (left) and his son Scott Rattray (second from left) represented Clan Rattray at the St. Raphaels Church fundraising golf tournament on August 2nd 2002 in Alexandria Ontario. They are pictured with members of Clan Donald Barry Macdonald and Mary Macdonald. Held annually the Friday before the start of the Maxville Highland games, the tournament raises funds for the St. Raphael's church ruins stabilization project. Over 100 golfers partcipated, many adorned with kilts representing a number of Scottish clans. St Raphael's church was a centre point of the Scottish community that settled in Ontario's Glengarry County in the late 18th century. Descendants of Scottish Jacobites cleared from the Highlands, Loyalists from the American Colonies, and those disbanded from the Glengarry Gencibles of the Irish rebellion of 1798 all settled the area to make Glengarry County a hotbed of Scotish cutlture. Begun in 1815, St. Raphael’s church originally served as the centre of the colony’s largest and most important parish, and the administrative headquarters for the first Roman Catholic bishop, Alexander Macdonell. Situated in the heart of a historic Highland settlement, the parish was the cradle of Catholicism in Ontario. The ruins, left standing after the fire of 1970, serve as a testament to Bishop Macdonell’s determined efforts to forward the interests of his faith. In recognition of its role in the early history of Roman Catholicism in what was then the colony of Upper Canada, the Ruins of St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic Church have been declared a national historic site. October 2001
Scott Rattray and Michelle Charest are please to announce that they are responsible for the youngest member of Clan Rattray. Samuel Luc Charest Rattray was born on September 30th in Ottawa. Samuel is enjoying the fame and recognition that comes with being the most recent in a very long line of Rattrays and is very much looking forward to joining his Father and Grandfather at a future Rattray Gathering in Scotland. And for all those wondering, yes, he's tall!
- South African Gathering a Success
Rattrays and Rattray-descendants met in Johannesburg in October for their regional gathering. A full report is to follow, but it was reported to be a well attended event. A thank you to Dawn Raimondo for organizing the event. Visit the "South Africa 2001" link for more photos.
September 2001 Clan Gathering Report Following is a description written by Lachlan Rattray of Craighall of the recently held local Rattray gathering in Blairgowrie - The Blairgowrie Highland Games, which really turned out to be the Canadian Highland Games, with the wonderful massed Pipe Bands from every part of Canada as far as I could make out. They had performed at the Edinburgh Tattoo and many Highland Games since then, so today was very much a send off and good bye to Scotland. Apart from at least 250 of your countrymen, the assembled throng marching into the Games included the Games' Chieftain, Lawrence Blair-Oliphant of Ardblair and his New Zealand born wife, Jennie, Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, Chief of Clan Macpherson, and his wife Sheila, the Chief of Clan Currie and his wife, who come from New Jersey in the USA, and the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party, John Swinney.The small Rattray contingent included James and Rullion, Michael Rattray, and my daughter, Flora.
July 2001
This year's gathering will be around the Blairgowrie and Rattray Highland Games on Sunday 2nd September.The games start at 12 noon, at Bogle's field, Blairgowrie.The main attraction is the Canadian Mass Pipes and drums, 170 in total. They will be marching from Blairgowrie to the games field. Leaving Blairgowrie Well meadow at 11am. Clan Curry
are making a special appearance at the games this year.
For more information contact the Clan Rattray Chairman, James Rattray at jrattray@onetel.net.uk
April 2001 Clan Gathering In South Africa Announced for October - Images are now posted (Oct 2001)
March 2001 - New Website Welcomes 300 Visitors in its First Month After only one month of operation, the new Clan Rattray
webpage has been visited by 300 different visitors. Equipped with
a counter, the webpage registers all unique (never having visited
before) visitors to the site. Clan members are encouraged to share
the new site with family and other Rattrays. February 2001 - Clan Rattray Society New Domain Name The Clan Rattray Society has moved into its new virtual home, http://www.clanrattray.org. The web page will be ongoing project that will serve as a resource and virtual meeting place for not only Clan Rattray Society members, but for Rattrays around the world. September 2000 - World Gathering Press Coverage in Perthshire Newspaper
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Scotland's A Rugby Side Practices with Barrhaven Scottish Minis
