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Restoration of the MacGregor Name in 1774


Gregor McCallum McGregor VcDougall VcCallum of Inverarnan in Strathfillan was the third son of Malcolm MacGregor of Marchfield or Ledcriech. He was named personally from his good looks Griogar boidheach, or handsome. Gregor joined the Black Watch and was presented to George II. He was afterwards Captain and Adjutant of the West Middlesex Militia, where he was known as Captain Drummond. His ancestry is here

Gregor drew up a successful petition for the repeal of the Acts of Parliament against the Clan, and for the Restoration of the right to bear the name of MacGregor, for which service he has undoubtedly earned the lasting gratitude of the Clan.

"ACT. AT THE PARLIAMENT BEGUN AND HOLDEN AT WESTMINSTER THE 29TH DAY OF Nov.1774.
“An Act to repeal Two Acts made in the Parliament of Scotland, the 28th day of June 1633 intitled Act anent the Clan Gregour and the 15th day of June 1693 intituled Act for the Justiciary in the Highlands, so far as relates to the MacGregors and to revive an Act of Parliament of the 26th day of April 1662 relative to the People called MacGregours.

“Whereas in the Parliament of Scotland being the first Parliament of King Charles I. holden at Edinburgh the 28th day of June 1633 an Act intituled Act anent the Clan Gregour, ratifying and approving all Acts of Council and of Parliament made theretofore against the Clan of MacGregour, and ordaining the Clan of the people of the name of Gregour or MacGregour, and every one of them on arriving at the age of Sixteen to give Security to the Privy Council of Scotland for their good behaviour and obedience; and that the said Clan Gregour should take to them some other surname; and that upon their failure to appear, it should be lawful to any of His Majesty's Lieges to take and apprehend them to be presented to the Privy CounciL there to be taken order with; and if it should happen any of the said Clan Gregour to be hurt, mutilated, or slain the Party so doing and their accomplices should no ways be subject or liable to Law therefore, nor incur any Pain of Skaith in Body or Goods, and should be free of all pursuit, Criminal or Civil, and the same should be holden as good service done to His Majesty; and that for the better extinguishing and extirpating the said Clan, no minister or Preacher within the Bounds should at any time hereafter baptise or christen any male child by the name of Gregour and that no clerk or notary at any time coming should make or subscribe any Bond or other security under the name of Gregour:

And whereas in the first Parliament of King Charles the Second holden at Edinburgh 1661 bearing date the 21st day of April in that year, whereby His Majesty considering that those who formerly designed by the name of MacGregour had during the troubles carried themselves with such loyalty and Affection to His Majesty as might justly wipe off all memory of their former Miscarriages, and take off all mark of Reproach put upon them for the same and His Majesty being desirous to reclaim his subjects from every evil way and to give all due encouragement to such as lived in due obedience to His Majesty's authority and Laws of the Kingdom, therefore His Majesty with advice and consent of His Estates of Parliament, rescinded, ceassed, and annulled the Thirtieth Act of the First Parliament of King Charles the First, intituled Act anent the Clan Gregour and declared the same void and null in all Time coming; and that it should be hereafter free to all persons come of the name and race of the Clan Gregour to keep and make use of the same name of Gregour or MacGregour, and enjoy all Priveleges and Immunities as other subjects, notwithstanding the said Act or other Acts or anything contained to the contrary:

And whereas in the Reign or King William and Mary an Act passed in the Parliament of Scotland the 15th of June 1693 intituled Act for the Justiciary in the Highlands whereby their Majesties with the advice and consent of the Estates of Parliament revived the Act of Parliament of 1633 against the Clan Gregour notwithstanding the same was rescinded in the year 1661, which Act recissary Their Majesties did by this Act annul, and make void: And whereas those persons who were the objects of the aforesaid Acts did generally give obedience to the Law by assuming other surnames and many of the descendants of those persons now bear the names that were by them so assumed; And whereas the causes inductive of the Acts for suppressing the name of Gregour or of MacGregour are now little known and have long ago ceased, and those Acts being incapable of execution ever since the powers of the Privy Council of Scotland were abolished many persons considering them to be ineffect and for the most part obsolete, do now use the name of MacGregour:

And whereas many persons of the name or Surname of MacGregour have found divers Inconveniencies arising to them from the said Acts of the Parliament of Scotland, particularly by being disabled and apprehend¬ing themselves disabled thereby, from suing and defending in their own true names in Courts of Law and Justice in North Britain, and are desirous to re-assume the real Name of their Ancestors and Families, but are unwilling to do so while there is the appearance of a legal prohibition standing against them; and for as much as they cannot be fully relieved without the authority of Parliament, may it therefore upon the humble petition of Gregor Drummond Esquire, for himself and others that it may be enacted; and be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same;

That from and after the passing of this Act the said Act of Parliament of Scotland of the 28th day of June 1633 and the said Act of the Parliament of Scotland of the 15th Day of June 1693 so far as respects the Clan Gregour or MacGregour shall be and stand repealed, rescinded, annulled and made void, to all Intents and purposes whatsoever.

"And it is hereby further enacted That the said Act of the Parliament of Scotland made the 26th Day of April 1661 be and the same is hereby revived, and declared to be in full Force and vigour in Time coming."

"To the King's most Excellent Majesty
"The humble Address of Gregor MacGregor, late Drummond, Esquire for himself and at the request of a numerous Body of the ancient Surname of MacGregor. "May it please your Majesty.
"The Ancestors of Your Majesty's Loyal Subjects, the present MacGregors, having upwards of a century ago become obnoxious to some of your Majesty's Royal Predecessors, certain Acts of the then Parliament of Scotland were made for proscribing and prohibiting them from using their true names, and disabling them in many respects from enjoying the same privileges and immunities common to other people, whereby their innocent descendants finding themselves aggrieved were advised to apply to the present Legislation for Relief: and your Majesty having been graciously pleased lately to give your Royal Assent to a Repeal of those Acts, the present MacGregors therefore in order to shew their grateful sense and hearty acknowledgements of your Majesty's Royal goodness and benevolence towards them, beg leave by this sincere Address to assure your Majesty, that none of your Subjects can exceed the MacGregors in their firm attachment to your Majesty's Government, your Royal Person and family, and that nothing could be more agreeable to them than an opportunity of Exerting themselves as an united body in your Majesty's service, on any suitable Emergency, in support of your Government and the Rights of the great Community over which God in his Providence has been pleased to place your Majesty, as the undoubted and supreme Sovereign: and that your Majesty may be long preserved as a comfort to your Realms cannot be wished or prayed for by any of your loyal subjects more ardently or more sincerely than by the MacGregors."

"To the Right Honourable Lord Viscount Barrington His Majesty's Secretary for War.
"The humble Memorial of Gregor MacGregor late Drummond Esqre for himself and as authorized by a numerous Body of the Ancient Surname of MacGregor. "Sheweth
"That His Majesty having lately been graciously pleased to give his Royal Assent to an Act of the last Session of Parliament for repealing certain old Acts of the Parliament of Scotland which affected and greatly aggrieved the MacGregors and who by such Act of Bounty and Benevolence of his Majesty apprehending themselves in a peculiare manner bound to show their gratitude and firrn attachment to his Majesty's Royal Person, his Family and Government, do hereby humbly request your Lordship to make known to his Majesty that on any Public Emergency requiring an extraordinary Levy or Aid of Men for his Majesty's Service, the MacGregors can and cheerfully will, if authorized by his Majesty, raise in a very short time a respectable and numerous Regiment for his Majesty's Service, without the Expense of Levy money or the tedious delay that usually attends the raising of men by recruiting, Provided his Majesty will he graciously pleased to appoint the Colonel and other officers of such Regiment ftom among Gentlemen of the MacGregor name and Race.

"Your Memorialist therefore Humbly prays your Lordship to lay this Memorial before his Majesty for his Majesty's Gracious approbation and Directions." Both signed, Gregor MacGregor or Drummond.

Gregor's grandson, also Gregor was the self-styled Cacique of Poyais, whose exploits are described on this page