Our new chief Alister "Jock" Davidson

The Chiefship Renewed

For nearly eighty years, Clan Davidson Society had been without a Chief. Owing great success to the combined efforts of the Clan Davidson Associations in the UK and Australia, and several years of negotiations with Lord Lyon, Duncan Hector Davidson of New Zealand became the new Chief of Clan Davidson in 1996. Duncan, born 14th June 1916, north of Auckland, New Zealand was senior descendant of the last Chief's grandfather Duncan IVth of Tulloch, Lord Lieutenant of Ross-shire. The decent is through Duncan 6th son, Hector Francis Davidson (b. 1857, d. 1907), the intervening lines having failed.

Less than two years into his tenure, Duncan passed away. Although a retired man of some years Duncan graciously acceded to the desires of the various Clan organizations and allowed his name and claim to the chiefship to be brought before the Lyon Court for consideration. After much paperwork, the claim was granted by Lord Lyon in June 1996 and the long awaited chiefship was restored.

An engineer by profession, he was educated at Whangarei High School and Auckland University but World War II intervened before took his degree. During the war he served for 5 years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and on his discharge, now a fully qualified Electrical Engineer, he took a position with the Hawkes Bay Power Board. By 1956 he was Deputy Chief Engineer and in 1973 became Chief Engineer. he was a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers, and a Justice of the Peace in New Zealand.

Duncan will go into Clan history as the first of the renewed Chiefs of the Clan. Contrary to popular understanding, Duncan of Davidston was very much conscious of his responsibility as Chief. He was not a reluctant candidate for Chiefship by any means. In fact, his father Eoin Godfrey Duncan Davidson struggled for 10 years or so to gain the necessary proofs enabling him to petition for Recognition but gave up in frustration because of the impossibility of tracing the intervening lines.

After his father's death, Duncan himself took up the struggle. He visited Scotland, sought audience with the Lord Lyon, and appraised the procedures he would have to follow. He fully intended to succeed where his father had failed, but again, the intricacies of the genealogical tangle surrounding the descendants of "The Dashing Davidson", Duncan IVth, the impediments of various kinds in accounting for all of these descending lines, and the complications of a counter claim for the Chiefship brought by one of the earlier lines of the Tulloch family.

Strengthened by support from the international Clan Davidson societies, principally in the persons of Major "Dave" Davidson in England, Dr. Frank Davidson in Australia, Mrs. Flora E. Davidson in Scotland and Dr. A.E. Tonson in New Zealand, the move to reestablish the Chiefship eventually succeeded. Duncan of Davidston's main concern now was to ensure that the line of succession should be clearly defined and to this end he recognized as his successor his closest cousin Alister Guthrie Davidson, our present Chief. Alister of Davidston (known familiarly from birth as "Jock") has this to say about his honored predecessor:

"I cannot help but wonder what might have been, if the search for the Chief had been successful some thirty years earlier. Duncan would have made a wonderful leader. He had a good sense of humor, was kind, thoughtful, considerate to others and above all, had a wonderful personality. I am sure that his father in particular, and mine also, would be delighted to know that after all this time, this branch of the family had finally been recognized as legitimate heirs to the Clan leadership.

A New Zealander by birth and upbringing, nevertheless Duncan was fully aware of the international ramifications of accepting the Davidson Chiefship. It was his wish that international relationships should have a high priority within the clan organization, a policy also articulated by Chief Alister, his successor.

Also important to Duncan were the various Clan Societies, dating back to the formation of the Clan Dhai Association (now renewed as the Clan Davidson Association). The Clan Davidson Society (USA), the Clan Davidson Society in Australia and New Zealand, and the clan Davidson Society of Canada. These bodies are the instruments through which the great Clan Davidson manifests its international identity and reinforces its ancient heritage."

Our new Chief "Jock" was born in 1926 in a small town called Dargaville on the North Island of New Zealand. His father was a sheep and cattle farmer. He attended a small country school until the age of 12 and then attended a boarding school.

In 1943 he was drafted into the Air Force and served as an aircraft mechanic during World War Two. He spent 18 months in the Pacific Theatre alongside American troops. After the war he joined a firm that specialized in the importation and sales of Engineering supplies, where he stayed until his retirement in 1984.

Jock and his wife Mary were married in 1953 and have three children, a daughter and two sons, and now eight grandchildren. Their interest include golf and gardening.

Our new Chief, Alister Davidson of Davidston, sends us the following message:

The Davidson Clan is very much alive. I believe that our children will derive a great deal of pleasure, particularly later in life, if they are made aware of their family background early in their lives. I am sure society members are aware of this from their own experiences and by encouraging the young to participate in Clan activities we will ensure the future growth and continuing interest in Clan affairs.

The three people in the above picture are: left to right are Grant Davidson of Davidston the Younger, Heir to the Chief; Alister Davidson of Davidston, Chief of the Name and Arms of Clan Davidson; Jeffrey Davidson (Chiefs younger son).