Margaret McLachlan
1866 - 1953 (87 years)
Generation: 1
Generation: 3
1. Margaret McLachlan was born on 11 Jan 1866 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire (daughter of Henry McLachlan and Mary McAleese); died on 23 Aug 1953 in Stanbroke Abbey, Worcestershire,. Notes:
This information and pictures at the web page Robert Maclaren 1776-1826 &Ralph de Birdtwisell 1160. athttp://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/c/Hamish-S-Maclaren/?Welcome=1028942126
Margaret (Dame Luarentia) Maclachlan 1866-1953
Born 11th January,1866, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Died 23rd August 1953, Stanbroke Abbey, Worcestershire, England.
Daughter of Henry Maclachlan 1828-1890 and Mary McAleese 1826-1900.
She had three brothers (John, James, and ?) and three sisters (Helena,Mary, & ?).
Dame Luarentia Maclachlan, Abbess of Stanbrook
On whose correspondence with George Bernard Shaw the successful
West End Play 'The Best of Friends' with John Geilgud was based.
There is a book largely about her life:
"In A Great Tradition" Tribute to Dame Laurentia Mclachlan,
Abbess of Stanbrook, by the Benedictines of Stanbrook.
First published in 1956.
Made and printed in Great
Britain by William Clowes and Sons, Ltd., London and Beccles.
Published by John Murray (Publishers) Ltd., Albemarle Street, London.
From the book's cover flap:
The Evening Standard. 'The Abbess was one of the most charming women ofher time and
ours. As a Benedictine nun she rarely and briefly ventured out intothe world.
Conversations were conducted through and iron grill. Yet she becamean eminent
scholar, an authority in Gregorian chant and medieval documents. Shemade close
-almost passionate- friendships with distinguished figures in theworld outside
her convent.'
To those who think of monastic life only in terms of high walls anddouble grilles, the
life, influence, and friendships of Dame Laurentia McLachlan, Abbess ofStanbrook, may
seem something of an enigma. Although at her death in 1953 seventy of heeighty seven
years had been spent within the strictly enclosed convent inWorcestershire, she was a
person 'without frontiers', and in Bernard Shaw's words 'an enclosed nunwith an
unenclosed mind'. 'Her friends' it was written of her, 'were princes ofthe church and
dignitaries of the Church of England; scholars ardently catholic andopenly agnostic,
men a women devoted to the drama and the stage, poets, parents,craftsmen, and humble
labourers; they came in richly varied and diverting procession.' Out of adedicated life
she gave of herself to the many who needed her help and inspiration.
She was a pioneer in the restoration of the Gregorian chant in Englandand a leading
authority on music and medieval manuscripts, but it is her capacity forfriendship that
most astonishes. This is most strikingly show in the case of Sir SidneyCockerell and
George Bernard Shaw, many of whose letters are now published for thefirst time. Rarely
has friendship and mutual respect been hammered out through such acontest of letters
and conflict of views as that between Dame Laurentia and Bernard Shaw,who wrote on his
last birthday 'the thought of Stanbrook is a delight to me. It is one ofmy holy
places'.
This book is mainly about the life of one nun, but Part 1 gives a briefhistorical
background with an account of some of her predecessors, the years inFrance, the
tribulations during the French Revolution and the flight of theBenedictine nuns back to
England. Part II describes the English Benedictine tradition within whichDame Laurentia
followed her vocation.
As the account of her arrival at Stanbrook as a tearful schoolgirl shows,her decision
to dedicate her life had not been an easy one. The story of how fully andin what
unexpected ways she fulfilled her 'vocation and its irresistible force'will be of
absorbing interest to readers whatever their faith and an inspiration tomany.
This information and pictures at the web page Robert Maclaren 1776-1826 &Ralph de Birdtwisell 1160. athttp://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/m/a/c/Hamish-S-Maclaren/?Welcome=1028942126
2. Henry McLachlan was born in 1828 in Scotland (son of FNU McLachlan and (French Lady)); died in 1890. Henry + Mary McAleese. Mary (daughter of McAleese and Tbc McAleese) was born in 1826 in Northern Ireland; died in 1900. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
3. Mary McAleese was born in 1826 in Northern Ireland (daughter of McAleese and Tbc McAleese); died in 1900. Notes:
Married:
1 _MSTAT SingleChildren:
- James McLachlan was born about 1850; and died.
- John McLachlan was born about 1850; and died.
- Henry McLachlan was born in 1860; and died.
- Mary McLachlan was born about 1860; and died.
- Helena McLachlan was born in 1862; died in 1955.
- 1. Margaret McLachlan was born on 11 Jan 1866 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire; died on 23 Aug 1953 in Stanbroke Abbey, Worcestershire,.
Generation: 3
4. FNU McLachlan was born about 1800 in Highlands Of Scotland; and died. FNU married (French Lady) about 1820. (French was born about 1800 in France; died about 1830. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
5. (French Lady) was born about 1800 in France; died about 1830. Notes:
Married:
1 _MSTAT SingleChildren:
- Son C McLachlan was born about 1820; and died.
- Son D McLachlan was born about 1820; and died.
- Son E McLachlan was born about 1820; and died.
- Daughter McLachlan was born about 1820; and died.
- 2. Henry McLachlan was born in 1828 in Scotland; died in 1890.
- Son B McLachlan was born about 1830; and died.
6. McAleese was born about 1790 in Northern Ireland; died about 1840 in Died Aged 36. + Tbc McAleese. Tbc was born about 1790 in Nothern Ireland; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
7. Tbc McAleese was born about 1790 in Nothern Ireland; and died. Notes:
Married:
1 _MSTAT SingleChildren:
- 3. Mary McAleese was born in 1826 in Northern Ireland; died in 1900.
- Sister A McAleese and died.
- Sister B McAleese and died.
- Sister C McAleese and died.
- Brother McAleese and died.