For Tom, who works as a public policy consultant in Edinburgh, was appointed in the summer to a prestigious position by the chiefs of Clan Donald.

The herald’s office of Finlaggan Pursuivant was revived in June 2005, at a ceremony in Glencoe after an absence of 510 years.

The title comes from Finlaggan, near Port Askaig in Islay, which was once the centre of the realm of the Macdonald Lords of the Isles until they lost power in 1493.

Tom, who succeeded Adam Bruce following the latter’s appointment as Unicorn Pursuivant, was inducted as Finlaggan Pursuivant in a re-creation of an ancient ceremony at Holyrood in July, in front of Macdonald clansfolk and their supporters, by The Rt Hon. Godfrey Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald and Chief of Clan Donald.

Also present at the ceremony, which took place during the international gathering of the clans, held in the capital, were the chiefs of the other main Macdonald branches.

Tom’s connection to the mightiest of the Highland clans comes through his father’s side of the family, which hails from the Black Isle in Ross-shire and is related to the Macdonalds of Clanranald.

“When I was young I was brought up hearing all the history, stories and traditions, as well as spending plenty of holidays on camping trips to famous clan sites,” Tom told TheSouthern this week.

Tom and his wife, Diana, a marketing consultant, have two sons, Johnny and Ted, who are at school and nursery in Kelso respectively.

A pursuivant, or more correctly a pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. These days. most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh.

However, in the mediaeval era, many great nobles had their own officers of arms and Tom’s new role is to look after matters of heraldic and genealogical importance for clan members.

“This position of Finlaggan Pursuivant is a very recent creation, but there were such heralds from medieval times. Once it was agreed by the chiefs of the various branches of the clan, that a herald would be a good idea, it was squared with the Lord Lyon and the first new appointment was made back in 2005.

“Then, when Adam was created a royal herald, they started casting around for someone else to take his place and, as I knew Adam, they asked me if I would be interested.

“I’ve always loved my Macdonald history and was delighted to accept.