You may well be aware that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Edinburgh this morning to meet the Queen. During his visit, he also visited the National Museum of Scotland, where he saw Canadian artefacts, as well as documents on his family history from National Records of Scotland which show his Scottish ancestry over five generations.
It’s well known in Caithness that Mr Trudeau’s mother Margaret Sinclair’s family came from the area, and her father, James Sinclair, emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1911 with his family. He became a well-known politician and businessman there.
James Sinclair’s birth record lists him and his father, also James, a schoolteacher. Mr Trudeau also saw his great great great grandfather Francis’ will, from 1893, and his birth record from 1811 which show that Mr Trudeau’s great great great great grandfather was a fisherman in Sarclet, near Wick, Caithness.
Dear Mr Trudeau,
Delighted to hear you have some Scottish blood running through your veins! That must account for the good looks, the intelligence, the wonderful sense of humour and the charisma. Welcome home to your Scottish family 🙂 Remind me to give you a warm Scottish hug should we ever meet.
Susan Evans.
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Monsieur Trudeau is also descended from the family of Major Wm Farquhar the co founder and first Resident of Singapore.
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Mr. Trudeau’s Sinclair line are of the Sinclair’s of Broynach Caithness, a line descending from the Sinclair Earls of Caithness .
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The fourteenth Earl of Caithness was also called James Sinclair. I stumbled across this whilst researching my family tree, discovering that my g.g.grandmother worked in his kitchen as Stagenhoe, St. Paul’s Walden in Hertfordshire.
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We are also descended from the Sinclair’s of Broynach. On our Granny’s side.
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