Unleash your inner tartan: Clan Agnew

Unsurprisingly for a Scottish Clan (sarcasm of course) there is some dispute over the origins of the name Agnew. Some sources believe the name to of Norman origin, coming from the French name Agneaux. The Agneaux family first came to England then Ireland before settling in Scotland. The other origin of the name has its roots in Ireland. The O'Gnimh family were poets who came to Scotland.

The chiefs of Clan Agnew are an adventurous lot, the current chief - Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw - has taken part in and led many daring expeditions around the globe including to Mt Everest and the Northern Patagonian Ice Fields. Sir Crispin is currently a well-regarded lawyer and scholar. Sir Crispin inherited the role of Chief from his father, Sir Fulque Agnew, who much like his son was an intrepid adventurer. Sir Fulque left school at the age of 17 to fight in the first world war, going on to join the Royal Flying Corps where he gained a great deal of distinction - he even fought the Red Baron! After the War Sir Fulque roamed the world working in various positions - including as a chariot driver in the original Ben Hur movie before working for the intelligence service during the second world war. If you are a member of Clan Agnew, the next time you are at a bar, try ordering your martini shaken, not stirred to commemorate your former chief.

In Western Australia, about 980km north-east of Perth, lies the town of Agnew. The town is named in honour of John A. Agnew a New Zealand born mining engineer who oversaw much of the mining activity in the area. Agnew was a close colleague of the President of the Bewick Moreing and Company, a gentleman by the name of Herbert Hoover who would later become the President of the United States. While Hoover was President, Agnew is thought to have operated on his behalf, even making appointments as recommended by the President. Aside from hobnobbing with the President, Agnew was a noted stamp collector - his collection was said to be one of the best in the world at the time. A pair of stamps previously owned by Agnew was recently sold at auction for a whopping £405,000 - it just goes to show, philately will get you everywhere.