Dr Archd Cameron of Locheil

Lieutenant Colonel Doctor Archibald Cameron, younger brother of Cameron of Lochiel and ADC to Prince Charles Edward Stuart (and fourth son of the John Cameron, 18th Clan Chief). He cited "Christian loyalty" as his reason for supporting the 1745 Jacobite cause. After Culloden he escaped to France in the same vessel as Bonnie Prince Charlie and was a great help during his wanderings in the West of Scotland. Archibald Cameron initially attended theUniversity of Glasgowto study law, before transferring to study medicine atUniversity of Edinburgh. He completed further studies at theSorbonnein Paris and theUniversity of Leideninthe Netherlands. After Culloden, he was in exile Cameron remained in Prince Charles's service, travelling with him to Madrid in 1748 and returning to Scotland privately in 1749. In 1753 he was sent back to Scotland again to obtainmoney from Loch Arkaigand to participate in a desperate plot to assassinateGeorge IIand other members of theBritish royal family. However, while he was staying secretly at Brenachyle byLoch Katrine, he was betrayed byMacDonell of Glengarry, the notorious "Pickle the spy", and members of his own clan who by this time were sickened by hisJacobitism. He was executed on the 7th June 1753 with a degree of firmness and cheerfulness scarcely less than that manifested by Balmerio. The government was greatly blamed for the severity which appeared to be needless. They defended their position in the belief that the death of Doctor Cameron would prevent further attempts to the British throne—he was the lastJacobiteto be executed forhigh treason. It was a move that shocked many after all his work to save lives, not just those on his side but also of the Government. His body was secretly buried in the Savoy Chapel in Westminster. Today a brass plaque marks his graveafter two earlier memorials had been destroyed by fire and war. The inscription on the replacement plaque dated 1993 reads, “In memory of Dr Archibald Cameron, brother of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, who having been attainted after the Battle of Culloden in 1746 escaped to France but returning to Scotland was apprehended and ex-

ecuted in 1753. He was buried beneath the altar of this Chapel.” That he was a freemason is known, but not with any certainty as to his mother lodge. His father was a member of The Lodge at Dunblane so it all likelihood, he was too.