Anybody who was anybody was a peer in 19th century Britain. You could become a peer by matriculating Armorial Ensigns in the lowest court in the land, The Court of the Lord Lyon. Daniel McLaurin (who changed his spelling from McLaren) from a solicitor in London, too Head of the Principal branch, the House of Auchleskine of the imaginary clan McLaren in Balquhidder.
Daniel
and I are a lot alike, we both looked unsuccessfully, for the ancient history of Clan
MacLaren. Daniel relates how he found the ancient Clan MacLaurin history, he had been looking for in vain for over forty
years, in an 1845 coffee table book, McIan’s Costumes of the Clans,
1845. But, forgets that he was a Subscriber to the book, that financed the publication? A 19th Century Who's Who of Scottish Clans with color illustrations of fabricated tartans, if you will.
Did
I tell you, in
1831, D. McLaurin Esq. was a Subscriber to The
Scottish Gael
written by James Logan, that
has no mention of a Clan McLaren.
In
1836, McLaurin, Daniel, Esq,. is a Subscriber to History
of the Highlands and Isles Scotland,
by Donald Gregory,
that has no mention of a Clan McLaren.
In 1845, Mac Laurin, Daniel, Esq,. was a Subscriber to McIan’s
Costumes of
the Clans of Scotland . That
miraculously
contains the Clan Laurin history that Daniel had been unable to find
for forty years.
Daniel
Mclaren, Solicitor in London, who changed his surname to MacLaurin and
become ‘of Auchleskine’, one of the hand full of tacks or
fermtouns associated with Mclarens in Balquhidder. In
1866 Daniel matriculates fron the Lyon
Court, Armorial Ensigns and
self publishes A History in Memorium
of Clan Laurin with primary
events coming straight from Scotland’s favorite novelist Sir
Walter Scott. addenda
by James Logan, an abridged version of Logans article itn McIan’s
Costumes.
Daniel Maclaurin Matriculation 1866
Extract
of the Lord Lyon's Letters Patent in favour of Daniel Maclauren
Esquire dated the 23rd day of April 1866Wheras
Daniel Maclaurin of Acacia Road, of St. John's Wood in the County of
Middler sec?
Esquire hath by Petition of date the fourteenth day of April current
Represented unto Me that he is the only surviving son of the late
John Maclaurin portioner of Leachinscridan Bulguhidder in the
County of Perth and Janet his wife daughter of Hugh MacGrigor of
Auchtowmore and that the said John
Maclaurin was son of Duncan and grandson of Donald Maclaurin of
Auchleskine, and hath Prayed
that I would Grant My License and Authority to him and his
descendants, and to the other descendants as his said grandfather
Duncan Maclaurin to bear and use such Amorial Ensigns as might
be found suitable and according to the Laws of Arms. Know ye
therefore that I have devised, and
do by these present's Asign Ratify and Confirm to the said Daniel
Maclaurin Esquire and to his descendants
and to the other descendants of his said grandfather Duncan Maclaurin
with such congruent
differences as may hereafter be matriculated for them, the following
Ensigns Armorial, as depicted upon the margin hereof and Matriculated
of even date with these presents in My Public Register of All Arms
and Bearings in Scotland; veg? Or, two Chevronels Gules in base a
Lymphad Sable Sails furled Flags flying and oars in action all within
a Bordure nebuly of the second Above the Shield is placed a Helmet
befiting his degree,
with a Mantling Gules doubled Argent, and on a Wreath oof his his
Liveries is set for Crest a Lions head erased
proper surmounted by an Antique Crown Or between two Branches of
Laurel issuing from the Wreath also
proper and in an Escrol over the same thise Motto “Dalriada” and
in an Escrol below the Shield this Motto
"Aborigene fidus.” Matriculated the twenty third day of April
1866. James Lorimer ? Lyon Clerk
In his book, Daniel
basically anoints himself “Representative of the Clan” that
James Logan created in 1845, after the matriculation of Armorial
Ensigns that practically any Scot could achieve. In his book A
History in Memorium of Clan Laurin Daniel McLaurin states
in the Introduction that
“Auchleskine,
or principal branch of the “Clan Laurin,” claiming the Title of
Representative of the Clan”
That
is not what the Matriculation said at all, Daniel made it all up!Flash
forward to 1957, when Donald MacLaren achieves chiefly Arms, MacLaren
of MacLaren (chief of the surname) and “of Auchleskine”, because
it is the “Principal Branch” based on Daniel’s claim. The 1957
MacLaren Petition to the Lyon Court, refers to the “House of
Auchleskine.”
Logan
manufactured the Clan MacLaren heraldry to support his Strathearn
origin narrative. And the anonymous MacGregor Peter corroborated
Logan, in The London Journal. Notice that Margaret MacLaren in her book The MacLarens, describes the Arms as UNRECORDED.
All you gotta do is write a book with a glossy cover to become a clan chief.
MacGregor
Peter 1854
“ The
London Journal,” 14th October, 1854, writing under the pseudonym of
"
M'Gregor Peter,” gives an unrecorded version of MacLaren Arms as :
“ Or, two chevrons ; in base, a lymphad, sails furled, oars in
action. Sable : On a chief gules, a lion passant, argent. Crest : A
lion’s head erased, crowned with an antique coronet {with four
points), between two laurel branches;orlewise, proper.
Mottoes:
Above “ Dalriada.” Under the Arms: “ Aborigine fidus ”
(true from the beginning). Supporters : Two mermaids, the dexter
holding a comb, the sinister a mirror, in the exterior hand proper.”
The MacLarens by Margaret MacLaren, 1960
Here is the COA's of Donald MacLaren of MacLaren and Auchleskine, newly created from James Logan's 1845 Clan Laurin history description, in 1957.
Donald MacLaren Matriculation 1957
Copyright Hilton McLaurin, Oct 30, 2025
