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- [Mac 14Febxx.FTW]
Lucretia Pauline Rebecca Ann Farrel 1917-1994
Born August 21 1917 Glasgow, Scotland
Died June 22 1994, Scotland
Wife of Francis Cameron-Head (died 1957) and sister of Jean (Maclaren)Farrell
The Times
July 2nd 1992 (or3)
Obituaries
Pauline Cameron-Head
Pauline Cameron-Head, OBE, landowner and hostess in the Scottishhighlands, died on June 22 aged 76. She was born on August 21 1917
The death of Pauline Cameron-Head of Inverailot Castle, Inverness-shire,has robbed the highlands of a colourful character and leader of the RomanCatholic community whose household was a significant political center formore than half a century.
Much of the renown enjoyed by Mrs "C-H" came from her association withthe world famous Glenfinnan Games, which she founded and of which she wasconvenor for 49 years. But she was also revered as a Celtic politicalhostess who combined charm with acumen.
This regard stemmed partly from her many years as a senior countycouncillor and advisor to St Andrews house, and as a hostess who not onlyhad the ear of senior statesmen up to cabinet level, but also offered herown advice to anyone who came to her in trouble.
Born in Glasgow, a kinswoman of Viscount Gormanston, Lucretia PaulineRebecca Ann Farrel was educated at Stove school in Devon before the war,after which she became a teacher.
She met and became engaged to Francis Cameron-Head, the Laird ofLochailot, while she was billeted in Lochailot Inn as a wartime ambulancedriver in support of the Commandos stationed at his castle. These werebeing trained by Colonel David Stirling of the SAS.
The Laird of Lochailot courted her with rationed tinned jam and proposedto her on an island in Loch Eilt. They were married in 1942.
When the war was over the couple restored the castle into what a bighouse should surely be, but too rarely are- the living heart of the localcommunity and a source of inspiration and excellence.
Francis Cameron-Head died in 1957 leaving a young widow to run the hugeestate, a task she undertook with verve. When the Post Office withdrewtheir local office she converted her morning room into a sub branch, arole it still serves. For more than a year she herself delivered themails to Glen Uig by small launch until, after her vigorous lobbying, thelink to the Malliag road was built. In addition she was both DeputyLieutenant and a JP for Inverness-shire, and for theses duties and forthe multitude of other services she rendered to the community she wasappointed OBE 1971. (Order of the British Empire)
Her work for the less fortunate was prodigious. The ballroom ofInverailot Castle was frequently converted to sleep groups of dozens ofhandicapped children (300 staying in or near the castle was the record).Her library was made public and, with "Annox" the long suffering cook ather side the dinning room became one of the most famous in theGaeltachd- the Highland Gaelic speaking area.
The guest came from all kinds of backgrounds. There would often be asmany as twenty house guests and at dinner the head of the Highland boardwas quite likely to find himself sitting next to a crofter, an expert offish farming or the talented local historian, who was invited to stalkfor a day and was still there three years later.
The stories about her "smeddum" (spirit) were legion. Once, for example,she found her local poachers net in her salmon river. She responded byhanging the net up to dry within the public hall of the castle where itlooked rather at home. Mortified, her poacher friend replied by writingan anonymous Gaelic song about the incident, the net was removed and halfthe Highlands were soon laughing with them both.
She had her detractors. Some claimed she should spend more on maintainingher castle and less on her court, others that her "open house" encouragedscroungers. Indeed her castle was once infamously dubbed by a local bardas a "bourach (chaos) of hungry cats and lonely colonels".
But the people she herself respected loved her back and last week almosta thousand of them flocked to her funeral.
Her life was proof of how the Highland estate system can indeed work tobenefit the community. Particularly if the landowner is selfless,competent and resident.
The Daily Telegraph
3rd August
Pauline Cameron-Head
Pauline Cameron-Head, who has died aged 76, was founder, and for 40 yearsconvenor, of the Glenfinnan Highland Games.
A generous hostess, an active county councillor and a leading member ofthe Roman Catholic community, Cameron-Head- known to her intimates as"Putchie"- was one of the highlands most colourful characters.
Her castle at Inverailot was thronged with as many as twenty guests at atime; foreign students rubbed shoulders with crofters and cabinetministers. The local historian, invited for a days stalking, stayed forthree years.
Cameron-Head's openhandedness made her much loved, though occasionaldetactors sniffed she should spend more on maintaining her castle thanher court.
The local bard once dubbed the household a "bourach (chaos) of hungrycats and lonely colonels".
Cameron-Head opened her library to the public and often convert theballroom to sleep large groups of handicapped children- 300 staying inor near the castle at one time was the record.
When the Post Office withdrew the local office, Cameron-Head convertedher morning room into a sub-branch- a role it still serves. For more thana year she donned sou'wester to deliver the post to Glen Uig by a smalllaunch until, as a result of her vigorous lobbying, the link to theMalliag road was built. Lucretia Pauline Rebecca Ann Farrel was born inGlasgow on Aug 21 1917. The family had a house in Ireland, but this wasburnt down by the Black and Tans in her infancy. Pauline and her sisterwere rescued from the flames by the gardener.
The family moved constantly and in the course of her teens had some 21homes. She was educated at Stover school Newton Abbott, where she washead girl. Afterwards she taught for a while.
During the Second world war she served first as a Land Girl and then asan ambulance driver to the Commandos based at Lochailot.
There she became engaged to Francis Cameron Head, the local laird, whosecastle Inverailot had been requisitioned. The laird plied her with tinsof rationed jam, and proposed to her on an island on Loch Eilt; they weremarried in 1942.
In 1945 the Cameron-Heads returned to Lochailot, which soon became theheart of the community; the same year they founded the Glenfinnan games.
Francis Cameron-Head died in 1957. His young widow ran the huge estatewith verve, showing how the Highland system can benefit the community ifthe landowner is resident and competent.
Pauline Cameron-Head was known throughout the Gaeltachd (the HighlandGaelic-speaking area) for her "smeddum" ("people sense"). She loathedcommercial poaching but was sympathetic to locals out for "one for thepot".
Once she found her local poacher's net in her salmon river. She respondedby hanging the net up to dry within the public hall of the castle. Herfriend the poacher was mortified, and responded by writing an anonymousGaelic song about the incident, the net was removed, and and poacher werereconciled in laughter.
On another occasion she withdrew from the bidding for a strawberry net ata local auction on overhearing a neighbour mutter how much he wanted thenet to use in the river.
Cameron-Head served for many years as a senior county councillor andadvisor to St Andrews House; she was deputy lieutenant and a JP forInverness-shire.
She was appointed OBE in 1971
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