The Black Knee Chronicles

Volume 3

Introduction

by Hugh Frazer

This Chronicle continues with extracts of Wilson Frazer's notes on his and his brother Joe's lifetime researches into the family traditions. This completes the notes on the hypothesis that Simon, 13th Lord Lovat, had a French wife and son; the son being our ancestor Archibald.

Some of the notes defeated my reading ability and I have added by context where I could, but there are a few ??? at some points, for which my apologies. If anyone would like to see the original manuscripts, please ask and I will arrange photo-copies.

There is an enormous amount of material generated by Joe and Wilson and we have only scratched at the surface of it. There was a lot of work done on Archibald's military career before his marriage to Ruth Cheadle, which is perhaps a little dry for inclusion in these Chronicles. Again, if anyone would like to study these, please ask for photocopies.

I can only offer my apologies for the long delay between BK2 and this edition. A combination of family and business pressures left me with insufficient time and energy to put it together. In times of recession, with a family to raise, it is wise to accept what work is available.

However, things look a little better now, and optimism for the future has been definitely reinforced by my favourite apricot tree producing bountifully. Gallons of sweet golden fruit that somehow survived a hailstorm of golf ball size and the attentions of the king parrots and satin bower birds that compete with us for any fruit we grow, an event to make up for the droughts and floods that are so often part of our life in this part of the world.

Another wonderful piece of news from Oliver, whose book was discussed in BK2. He has been honoured with an MBE for his services to natural history. This is indeed a laudable achievement, all the more remarkable in that his father, Wilson, and both his brothers, Simon and Alastair, were awarded OBE's.

I think that the next Chronicle will be dedicated to the Simon Fraser of Brea hypothesis, which lost favour from lack of evidence rather than from any definite evidence against. Future plans include a new hypothesis, maps of Dunnacleggan and hopefully some ancestral photographs.