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Farquharson of Invercauld
Arms: Quarterly: 1st and 4th, Or a lion rampant gules; 2nd and 3rd, argent a fir tree growing out of a mount in base fructed proper and on a chief gules the Royal Banner of Scotland, and displayed on a canton of the first a hand issuing from the sinister side holding a dagger point downwards proper.

SOURCE, NOTES & CREDITS: Source for blazon: page 419, Burkes Landed Gentry, 19th Edition, Scotland. Sources for adapted text: The Wikipedia article, The "Daily Record.co.uk" and The Royal Celtic Society.

Captain Alwyne Arthur Compton Farquharson, Chief of the Name and Arms of Farquharson, 16th Baron of Invercauld and Omnalprie, MC, JP ; died on 6th October 2021 at age 102.

Born 1 May 1919 as Alwyne Arthur Compton, son of Major Edward Robert Francis Compton, of Newby Hall, Ripon, Yorkshire, and of Torloisk, Aros, Isle of Mull, Scotland, grandson of William Compton, 4th Marquess of Northampton and Sylvia Farquharson of Invercauld.

On 11 May 1941 that he succeeded his aunt, Miss Myrtle Farquharson of Invercauld, as Chief of the Name and Arms of Farquharson, when she was tragically killed in the London Blitz.

Captain Farquharson's mother was Sylvia Farquharson, the younger of the laird of Invercauld's two daughters. His accession to the chiefship resulted from the settlement made by his maternal grandfather, Lt Col Alexander Haldane Farquharson, 14th of Invercauld, shortly before his death in 1936. That laird had no sons and the arrangement provided for his grandsons via his younger daughter Sylvia to be next in line after the elder Myrtle, whose only child was a daughter.

At the time of his succession, Captain Farquharson was a serving officer in the Second World War. He assumed the title on his aunt's death, but did not formally matricualte arms in Lyon Court until 1949, although in the meantime he had a Certificate of Recognition of Change of Name, issued by Lord Lyon Sir Francis Grant.

He served with distinction as a Captain in the Royal Scots Greys during WW2. He took part in the D-Day landings of Normandy where he was severely wounded and was awareded the Military Cross for gallantry and conduct in the field.

He was recognized and confirmed as MacFionnlaidh by Lord Lyon Sir Thomas of Learney in 1949, having taken the name of Farquharson.

Following WW2 he moved to Aberdeenshire's Invercauld Estate and took up the role of Chieftain of Clan Farquharson. He was a well-known face on the Highland Games circuit in the north-east and would appear dressed in full Highland regalia to watch the events royals who often attended. Even as he aged, Farquharson would still make trips north to Aberdeenshire including the annual gathering at Braemar, home of Braemar Castle, the seat of Clan Farquharson.

Captain Farquharson resided at Valley Farm, Norfolk with his second wife, Madame Patricia Farquharson.

The president of Clan Farquharson UK said a service was planned at Crathie Kirk- the church where the Royals worship when at Balmoral.

Captain Farquharson might have been the longest serving clan chief in Scottish history with over 80 years of service. R.I.P.

It seems lightly his great-nephew Philip Farquharson of Monaltrie, will be his eventual successor.

The artwork is an interpretation of John Hamilton Gaylor

2021 1007

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