Clans Celebrate Anniversary of their Legendary Namesakes: Jardine, Matheson & Co.(This article submitted by Rob Matheson appeared on p. 58 of The Highlander, January/February 2008 issue.) Those attending the Caledonian Club of San Francisco’s 142nd Annual Scottish Highland Games, held this past September in Pleasanton, California, saw an historic reuniting of two legendary Scottish names along a row of Clan tents. Clan Jardine and Clan Matheson were both planning their Clan Society’s participation in the Games when Jerry Jardine, the Clan Gathering Chairman of the Games, approached Bob Matheson, Chief's Deputy Lieutenant of the Clan Matheson Society, and suggested their two clans combine their efforts and create a single Jardine-Matheson tent. “ Wouldn’t that be something to see?” Jardine exclaimed. Matheson agreed, noting it was the perfect way to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the founding of Jardine, Matheson & Co., the legendary Scottish trading company. Attendees familiar with the Jardine-Matheson partnership enjoyed seeing them together again. While members of both Clan Societies are well-versed in the history of the Jardine-Matheson connection, this was the first time both clans had combined their presence at a Highland Games or Festival. Sir Fergus Matheson, Chief of Clan Matheson, was delighted by the combination, saying “Well done, I should go ahead and share a tent with the Jardines. They are good friends of my family in the UK!” Lady Mary Jardine exclaimed "Very, very nice! Alec will be pleased," referring to Sir Alec Jardine of Applegirth, Chief of Clan Jardine. Jardine, Matheson & Co. was founded in Canton, China in 1832 by Dr. William Jardine and James Matheson. In 1834, they sent the first private shipments of tea from China to England, and another big export that followed was silk. In the 19th century, the Chinese called foreign businessmen doing business there “Tai-pan.” The novel Tai-pan, written by James Clavell and turned into the 1986 movie of the same name, featured a trading company called “Noble House” based on Jardine, Matheson & Co. The company was instrumental in the development of Hong Kong. In its present form as the Jardine Matheson Group, it remains an Asian-based conglomerate with long-standing business relationships in the region, and is Hong Kong’s largest private employer. The Caledonian Club Of San Francisco‘s Scottish gathering and Games are the largest in the U.S. and, in some years, the largest in the world! The Club’s first gathering and Games was held the year after the Civil War ended; and not a single year has been missed since then! |
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Flowers of the Forest |