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Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil - Chiefs of MacLea
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Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil held what is thought to be the oldest title in Britain. His family are the Coarbs of St Moluag, Barons of the Bachuil and Chiefs of MacLea.
St Moluag founded more than 100 monasteries and converted the Picts. Since Moluag’s death in 592 his crozier, the Bachuil Mor, has been passed on, within the family, to a designated successor, or coarb. The Coarbs exercised their temporal authority as Barons of the Bachuil, a title so ancient it is held “by the grace of God”.
The Livingstones, originally known by the Gaelic name MacLea, are one of the oldest clans in Scotland.
William Jervis Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil was born at Magomero, in Nyasaland where his father, William, managed the estate of his kinswoman, Agnes, the daughter of Dr David Livingstone. William was killed in the Nyasaland Rising of 1915 and the family returned to Argyll.
Alastair was educated at Loretto School, Edinburgh University and Clare College, Cambridge. He joined the Sudan Political Service and in 1938 he was posted as assistant district commissioner at Berber in the Northern Province.
In 1940 he was commissioned into the West Yorkshire Regiment whose Second Battalion was stationed in Sudan as part of the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade. The brigade fought the East African campaign in Eritrea and Ethiopia during 1940 and 1941. In 1942, as brigade intelligence officer, he fought in the Western Desert campaign and in the withdrawal to Alamein.
In 1943, at the request of the Palestine government, he was seconded as assistant district commissioner in charge of administration of Northern Galilee.
After the war he joined the Iraq Petroleum Company as an Arab specialist. He spent the greater part of his career in the Middle East until 1966 when he transferred to IPC’s head office in London.
On his retirement in 1973 to Lismore Bachuil became active in community affairs: he was chairman of the community council and an elder. A generous host, he was particularly welcoming to visiting clansmen. A Jacobite, he was chairman of the 1745 Association and an editor of the Muster Roll of the 1745. He was a long-standing member of the Argyllshire Gathering, the Convention of the Baronage of Scotland and was on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs.
He is survived by Valerie, his wife of 55 years, and their two sons and three daughters.
Alastair Livingstone of Bachuil, Baron of the Bachuil, Chief of MacLea, Coarb of St Moluag, was born on September 1, 1914. He died on February 29, 2008, aged 93
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