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CLAN CHATTAN
THE GOLLANS
The request in the previous issue of Clan Chattan from Alexander Failo Gollan for information on his family was intriguing for the editors for several reasons. First, because as far they could see nothing of this kind had hitherto appeared in our Clan Journal, which dates back to 1934. Further, there has only been a handful of members with this name in CCA throughout all those years and currently there are only two. Perhaps this is not surprising when two of the principal Clan Chattan historians, Charles Fraser-Mackintosh and A. M. Mackintosh, in their published accounts of the confederation do not even mention the name Gollan. Yet to anyone who has looked at the Old Parish records, or looked in the graveyards of Dores, Dunlichity and Ardersier, the name is not unfamiliar and Gollans are seen to have intermarried with MacBeans, Mackintoshes and MacGillivrays. Assuredly the Gollans, in the North of our Clan territory, did become members of the Clan Chattan by absorption at least.
This would seem to be recognised by the inclusion of Gollan under Clan Mackintosh in the list of Clans, septs and families, which appears regularly at the beginning of each of our Journal. But this also raises a question. It was not until issue No.1of volume V, for 1965, that the name is to be found there. When the list of adherents appeared in the first issue in 1943 it was said to be based on the work of four “authorities”: viz. Brown’s History of the Highlands”, A.M. Mackintosh’s The Mackintosh and Clan Chattan”, Frank Adams’s “The Clans, Septs and regiments of the Scottish Highlands” and Eyre-Todd’s “The Highland Clans of Scotland”. As a result Gollan was not included. It was subsequently introduced by the editor, the late and highly respected Col M.B.H. Ritchie: but why he did so is not explained in that or later issues. Perhaps one of our members could shed some light on the matter?
Who then are the Gollans? The earliest mention of them in the Highlands appears to be found in the “Records of Inverness” where there are numerous references to individuals who are not doubt related. Mungo Gollan is described in 1573 as a burgess (a citizen or freeman of a burgh) of Rosemarkie, on the Black Isle, and tenant of the Bishop of Ross. The others however were well established in Inverness. Thomas Gollan appears between 1556 and 1565 as a burgess and member of the Council. In 1561 he was cited for not attending meetings of the Council but gave as his excuse for refusing to do so, that “what was spoken in the cunsall was openlie spokin throcht the towne and at the mercate croce”. Neither wonder the Council ordained that anything spoken in the Council should not be repeat outside. One thing clear about Thomas is that he could write his own name in witnessing documents; others had add “with my hand at the pen led” by a lawyer. By 1565 Thomas had died.
Gilbert Gollan is another frequently mentioned. Elected an official of the Council in 1558 (and rebuked in 1561 for using his office for selling ale!) he may have been the same Gilbert referred to as a burgess between 1568 and 1579. John Gollan, founded between 1565 and 1580, was another burgh official and a John Golland, perhaps the same, was “customer and uptacker of the toll pennie” in Inverness in 1603.
But not all Gollans were law-abiding members of society. James figures several times on record in the late 1550s in an unfavourable light, as do female bearers of the name. In 1582 James Roy, a common minstrel, laid a complaint against “Agnes Gollan youngar” alleging that playing as he past her house certain people came out and attacked him “drawing a great quantity of his blood”. Agnes was involved and found guilty, fine and sentenced to be “joggit and branckit throw the town” (i.e. chained and with an iron collar round her neck led through the streets of the town) for attacking and drawing blood from Thomas McAine Crom; a formidable lady indeed.
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