Clan Trotter
| Clan Trotter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Motto | In Promptu (In readiness)[1] | ||
| Chief | |||
| Alexander Trotter[1] | |||
| of Mortonhall[1] | |||
| Seat | Mortonhall | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Trotter is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Borders.[2]
History
Origins of the clan
The name Trotter is believed to be derived from the French word trotier which means runner or messenger.[2] There is a tradition that a brother of Lord Gifford was given the name for delivering a message with great speed to James III of Scotland.[2]
The chiefs of the clan in the Scottish Borders were the Trotters of Prentannan in Berwickshire.[2] They followed the Clan Home on many of their forays across the border.[2] A junior branch of the clan, the Trotters of Mortonhall claim to have held their lands as far back as the reign of Robert II of Scotland.[2]
15th and 16th centuries
Another junior branch of the clan were the Trotters of Catchelraw.[2] William Trotter of Catchelraw was a knight charged with keeping the peace on the Borders under royal warrants of 1437 and 1450.[2] A grandson of his was treasurer of the city of Edinburgh.[2]
A chief of the Clan Trotter was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.[2]
17th century & civil war
The Trotters of Catchelraw were staunch supporters of Charles I of England and were fined for assisting James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1645.[2]
A direct descendant of the Trotter killed at Flodden fought for John Graham, 1st Viscount Dundee at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689.[2] His grandson was the Reverend Robert Trotter who was a distinguished academic who produced a work on the life of Christ and the Apostles.[2] The work is still considered standard reading in many theology colleges.[2] Dr John Trotter continued the family's Jacobite sympathies and treated wounded Scots soldiers returning from England.[2]
19th century
Robert Trotter of Bush who died in 1807 was Postmaster General for Scotland.[2] In 1815 Thomas Trotter of Mortonhall was killed at the Battle of Waterloo serving with his squadron of Dragoons.[2]
Clan chief
Alexander Richard Trotter of Mortonhall, and 5th of Charterhall, and chief of the Name and Arms of Trotter, JP, DL.[3]
Clan profile
- Arms: Quarterly, 1st & 4th, Argent, a fess Gules between three mullets in chief Sable and a crescent in base Azure; 2nd & 3rd, Argent, a chevron between three boars’ heads couped Sable.
- Crest: A knight in armour Proper, holding his courser Argent caparisoned Gules.
- Motto: In promptu (In readiness).
- Supporters: Dexter, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure; sinister, a horse Argent maned and hoofed Or.
See also
References
- 1 2 3 Clan Trotter Profile scotclans.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Way, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 464 - 465.
- ↑ burkes-peerage.net