House of Gordon USA
Kids Corner Fun Facts!
Did you Know...?
... The House of Gordon is unique among the
Scottish Clans! Beginning in the borders, Clan
Gordon had both lowland and highland branches
and foreign branches too!
Check back later, because we will be adding MORE fun facts!
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Did you know the House of Gordon chose to call itself a house and not just a
clan because the term clan is mostly associated with the highlands? Since there
are branches of the Gordon clan in the highlands, lowlands and since the 17th
century Russia, Spain, American and beyond it was felt that clan didn't really
describe us! There is also a royal connection, so House it is! Of course Clan
Gordon is also correct.
Did you know that Clan Gordon having land in the lowlands as well as highlands and the verge of the
highlands were able to maintain a cavalry unit called the Gordon Horse? This made us unique among the
highland clans and helped the Gordons to control large parts of the north of Scotland!
Did you know that our Chief is called "Coileach an taobh tuath" (say Kull-ach an
too-eve too ah) which in English means Cock of the North? When Mary of Guise
reigned as regent she visited the Gordon Chief. She was shocked at how much
wealth and power he and the Clan had and commented "I think this Cock of the
North should have his wings clipped." The Gordon clansmen took Cock of the
North as a nickname for their chief ever since! Our current Chief is Granville
Charles Gomer Gordon, 13th Marquis of Huntly. You may even get the chance
to meet him at the games!
Did you know that there are over 157 branches of the Gordon clan? The three main cadet branches are
Haddo, Esslemont, Lochinvar.
Did you know that Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun was known as the Wizard of
Gordonstoun? He was really a very well educated man who pursued his studies in
mathematics and chemistry! But the local people were suspicious of him and afraid of
the weird experiments he conducted. They thought he was a wizard! All kinds of rumors
and legends were spun around him including that he had sold his soul to the devil
unknowingly and built a round square (courtyard and stables for his horses) to confuse
the devil. Actually he was a brave warrior for the Gordons as well as a very smart man!
His home is now the Gordonstoun School where the Prince of Wales went to school. It
is organized into houses which compete against each other and may have been the
inspiration for J. K. Rowling's Hogwarts!
A fantasy painting of Sir
Robert Gordon as the
Wizard of Gordonstoun
by Eric Meissner
Did you know that the Gordon clansmen wore a piece of rock ivy on their bonnet or
pinned to their clothes to identify them as Gordons! It is called a plant badge and
each clan had a plant that was identified with them. When you come to the Gordon
Tent you will often see ivy displayed! Ivy is a particularly good plant badge as it is
hearty and grows just about anywhere. It is tenacious and clings to rocks, buildings,
trees -- whatever is around. It will overwhelm other plants too, and its meaning is
traditionally eternal fidelity -- very much like the meaning of BYDAND! So it is very
much like a Gordon who are known for being overwhelming in all things!
Did you know each clan has a nickname that describes how the other clans saw them? The Gordons are
known as the "Gey Gordons" Gey is a gaelic word which means overwhelming! Gordon clansmen and
women were known (and still are) for their zest for life! They go at everything full throttle and bowl
everyone and everything over! If they are going to party they party the hardest, if they are going to fight
they will fight to the death, if they are given a task they move all obstacles out of the way to accomplish
their task! Do you live up to your Gordon ancestors and live life full throttle?
