Global Search for the Children of Culloden
GLASGOW - It was a brutal conflict that changed the course of history, pitching Scot against Scot, clan against clan and brother against brother.
The Battle of Culloden in 1746 ended the attempt by the Jacobite army to reclaim the British throne for a Catholic Stuart king. Its aftermath led to the "pacification" of the Highlands and the dismantling of a way of life with estates seized and kilts and tartan banned.
The campaign accelerated emigration from the area and the setting up of new colonies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Now the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), the guardians of the battlefield, have launched a global search for young people whose ancestors fought on either side of the conflict.
The NTS wants to encourage youngsters to research their family trees to find out if any are related to the soldiers who fought for Prince Charles Edward Stuart, or the government troops, led by the Duke of Cumberland.
The aim is to find two direct descendants to help officially open a new £9.4 million visitor centre at Culloden on April 16, the anniversary of the battle.
Alexander Bennett, the trust's project coordinator, said, "The myth that Culloden was a conflict between England and Scotland is still alive today.
"In fact, many Scots fought with the government troops and some families had members who fought on opposing sides, often against their will.
"The Battle of Culloden signalled the end of the clan system and contributed to the exodus of many Highlanders to the New World where they played a significant role in the creation and development of the U.S., Australia and Canada."
Bennett said he hopes to uncover children with a direct line to the battle, but not necessarily the leading players. "It's more to do with the process rather than who the ancestor was. It's not as if we are looking for a direct descendant of the prince."
The names of soldiers on the prince's side included Cameron, Macleod, Maclean, Farquharson, Chattan, Fraser and Stewart, while among the government troops were Monro, Campbell, Price, Cholmondely, Bligh, Semphill and Flemming.
"There will be some obvious direct descendants from, say, the clan chiefs, but that's not quite what we are looking for," said Bennett.
"It's more for children who want to get involved in research.
"It would be great if we get someone from Canada, or Australia as that is the diaspora and they are extremely proud of their ancestry."
The project is open to school-age children who have until March 19 to submit their family trees.
Anyone of school age who would like to take part in the competition should send their family tree by e-mail to the NTS at: cullodenlegacy@nts.org.uk.
Mail your entries to: "Search for Culloden's legacy" competition, c/o Platform Public Relations Ltd, The Old Station, Station Road, Beauly, Inverness-shire, IV4 7EG, United Kingdom before March 19 when their entry will be considered by the panel.
More information is now available at: www.nts.org.uk/Culloden. The £9 million visitor centre is the largest ever construction project undertaken by the National Trust for Scotland. It combines state-of-the-art technology with a fresh look at events leading up to and following the Battle of Culloden and feedback from visitors has so far been tremendous.
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