Obituary: Archibald Angus Charles Kennedy, 8th Marquess of Ailsa

**Santa Kona** · 20th January 15, 08:31 AM

Thanks to all who have offered their condolences about the untimely passing on of our dear friend Lord Charles Kennedy on Thursday Jan 15 at the Central Florida Highland games.

He was our Clan's most honored member and he will be truly missed. Lord Charles was a great supporter of Clan Claus Society. He loved travelling to the US to attend as many games and Celtic events that he could. My life has been change in so many ways just by knowing him. It was my privilege to have been able to call him my friend.

He is survived by his 2 wonderful daughters, Lady Rosemary and Lady Alicia, along with his grandchildren, Angus & Fraser. His funeral will be in Scotland on Thursday, January 29th. Kathi and I plan to attend.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/obituar...ilsa-1-3666070

**GMan** · 20th January 15, 08:19 PM

So sorry to hear that.

**MacEanruig** · 20th January 15, 08:31 PM

Tragic news for all, especially for family and friends. He will live on in memory, however.

**Mike_Oettle** · 21st January 15, 08:55 AM

While I had not heard of Lord Ailsa’s activities in visiting his kinsmen, I do feel the Caledonian community worldwide has lost a truly remarkable leader. My commiserations to Clan Kennedy.
I note that he sold the isle of Ailsa in recent years: the quarry there is the source of almost all the curling stones used worldwide.
And it should be noted: once he succeeded to the marquessate, he was not Lord Charles but Lord Ailsa (and in fact while he was in waiting for the title, he will have borne a courtesy title, most likely Lord Cassilis).
His brother David was entitled to the style Lord David, but now drops that to be (in his turn) Lord Ailsa.
He certainly seems to have lived life to the fullest (I think it was great that he worked as a steam loco fireman and operated the Isle of Man Railway). One hopes that David, Lord Ailsa, will live up to the family’s reputation.
Regards,
Mike

**KiltieRod** · 21st January 15, 09:30 AM

Rest you gentle, Sir.

**McClef** · 21st January 15, 02:34 PM

Join the Clans in the skies with pride.

**Santa Kona** · 22nd January 15, 08:47 AM

Mike you are quite right about his official title. Only his close friends called him Lord Charles or LC

**Mike_Oettle** · 22nd January 15, 10:51 AM

Interestingly, the words Lord Charles are often heard in South Africa, all because of a younger son of the 5th Duke of Beaufort, Lord Charles Somerset, who was Governor of the Cape Colony from 1814 to ’26.
He was fond of naming places after his family, so we have the town of Somerset West, now part of Cape Town, which boasts the Lord Charles Hotel.
Then there is Somerset East, which started out as a farm belonging to Lord Charles personally, but later became a town. It lies nort of Port Elizabeth.
Then there is Beaufort West, named for his father, the last outpost in the Karoo of the Western Cape Province. In addition there are Fort Beaufort, north-west of East London (an important frontier bastion in its day), and Port Beaufort, at the mouth of the Breede River, which was used for a time by coasters from Cape Town for trade in the nearby interior. It never became a proper town, and is today a holiday resort.
Lastly there is Worcester, named for his elder brother, who held the courtesy title Marquess of Worcester before succeeding as 6th Duke of Beaufort.
It is perhaps a surprise that there is no place named Raglan, since Lord Raglan was also a brother of his – but I suppose his brother had not yet been raised to the peerage when Lord Charles left the Cape.