A fascinating UK Military Figure

[Album of Original Photographs - Morrocco, Mediterranean, New Zealand, Canada & UK] ALBUM INCLUDING A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SCOTTISH SOLDIER SIR HARRY AUBREY DE VERE MACLEAN [KÄID MACLEAN], INSTRUCTOR TO THE MOORISH ARMY & THE MOROCCAN MINISTER OF WAR  

Cloth bound Album, [1901 - 1915]

Landscape formant, 27 x 19cm, 24ff (all pages used),  Original half pink cloth with marbled boards  Upper joint of album split.  Corners bumped. Binding sound. Photographs are generally good but some gum staining to the album leaves and corners of some images.  The contrast is poor in several photographs, perhaps from a developing error.

A very interesting Album, most captioned with place and many with dates.  Around 80 images including a few postcards and a few images cut from books.   The most noteworthy images are towards the front: 12 photographs featuring the meeting of the Scottish Soldier and instructor to the Moroccan Army, Sir Harry Aubrey De Vere Maclean with the Moroccan Minister for War on HMS Diadem.  They include ‘Kaid Maclean’, in traditional Moroccan dress, playing the bagpipes.  In June 1901  (around the time these photos were taken) Maclean was attached to a Special diplomatic mission from Morocco to the United Kingdom to congratulate King Edward VII on his recent accession, and the King appointed him a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) during the visit.

The subject ought not to be confused with a notable Isle of Skye figure - John ‘Kaid’ Maclean - (1885 - 1932).  This Highland soldier, author and poet was so named after Sir Harry, perhaps because people saw him as sharing similar leadership qualities to his clansman (Kaid derives from the Arabic word meaning ‘commander’)

Other photographs feature life on HMS Diadem, a naval exercise including HMS Arrogant & Latona;  in the English Channel and off the Scillies a series of Quebec (six photographs) at home in Whitley  Surrey, five photos from New Zealand.  The last 6 leaves without inscriptions and include three portraits, three of an extensive forest fire (perhaps in Canada) postcards of Audley End House (Essex), Butleigh Court House (Somerset), Houston House (Renfrewshire) plus several others of County Clare, Ireland.

[ref:1515]£195