Clan Lamont Society Information
The Clan Lamont Society was formed in 1895 and is a non profit making Society which exists to foster friendship across the world and to preserve and promote the written history of the Clan Lamont within the B listed Manse which serves as its headquarters.

The objects of the Society are the reviving, conserving and promoting of the interests, sentiments and associations of the clan, cultivation of social intercourse and the publication of the same, the encouragement of education and rendering of assistance to clansmen.

The Society provides an educational grant and a shield to the Cowal Games for the best solo piper. Among the many international links are strong associations with the Netherlands pipe bands.

Over 100 visitors, including those from abroad, visit the manse each year and an annual gathering is held every September by Lamont’s from the UK and those who have settled abroad. The 114th annual gathering was held in Edinburgh in 2009 to coincide with the ‘Homecoming’ events. The current president of the Society, Robert Lamont, has been a member for 25 years.

A Lamont Heritage walk is included in the annual Cowalfest Walking festival- Scotland’s largest Walking Festival. This walk is led by the enthusiastic and resourceful voluntary clan Secretary and Curator who also meets and greets visitors, compiles regular newsletters and reports, manages the headquarters, its maintenance, the artefacts housed in the Manse and the clan’s affairs. Many archives are held at the headquarters and items donated are received to be housed in the museum. Recent additions have been books including a first edition of McKechnie’s History of Clan Lamont, donated from Canada and a Lamont sword from America.

The Manse was bequeathed to the Clan Lamont Society to help further the Society’s aims by Augusta Lamont, who died in 1958.

Clan Lamont Society

Office - Bearers
The management of the society shall be vested in a Council, consisting of the Chief of the Clan, a President, Two Vice - Presidents, six councilors. The Secretary of the society, the Treasurer of the society and the editor of the clan journal. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by one person.

The president shall be elected for two years. The vice- presidents shall be elected to hold office for two years, retiring in rotation in alternate years, and shall not be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed from last demitting that office.

Six councilors shall be elected to hold office for three years. Two councilors shall retire in rotation annually, of whom one will be eligible for re-election. Any retiring office-bearer shall be eligible for election to a different office.

Executive Council
President - Robert Lamont
Vice Presidents - Jayne Sephard & Stephen Smith
Secretary/Treasurer - Mary Lamb

Counsil
Anne Flint
John Lamont-Black
Mary Turner
John Lamont
Michael Shephard
James Lamb

Positions
Journal editor - Jayne Shephard
Mambership secretary - James Lamb
Gathering co-ordinator - Mary Lamb
Webmaster - David Patton

Meetings of the Council
Unless otherwise decided by the council, or by Requisition as after- mentioned, the secretary shall fix the time and place of meetings. Four members shall form a quorum, and Special Meetings of the Council shall be called on by a requisition signed by any three members and lodged with the Secretary, setting forth the business to be considered. Council meetings shall be convened by Circular, issued on not less than four days notice.

Meetings of the Society
The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held during the Annual Gathering in September at such time and place as the Council may appoint. At this meeting a statement of Intromissions during the Society’s financial year ending last day of July, and a General Abstract, showing the state of the Society’s affairs, shall be submitted, and on approval shall be engrossed in the books of the Society and signed by the Treasurer and Auditor(s) The Auditor(s) who may be members(s) of the council, shall be elected at this.

Annual Gathering
The society holds a gathering annualy the First weekend in September. It is a friendly occasion where kith and kin meet over two days of celebrations. The usual format is:

Saturday morning > AGM followed by lunch then a memorial service at the memorial where a wreath is laid and our piper plays a lament.

Saturday evening > dinner and dance some form of entertainment takes place which varies every year.

Sunday > Morning service at Toward or Kilfinan churches then lunch and a visit to some historic site finishing with afternoon tea at our headquarters The Old Manse Inverchaolain.
©2010 The Clan Lamont Society