House of Gordon USA
Kid's 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?
