Biography

Mary Lamont was born in late 1891 in Possilpark, Glasgow, to Archibald Lamont (1839-1920) and Mary MaFarlane (1855-1935). She is known to have been an active member of the St Columba Gaelic Church Choir, and in 1913 she won the gold medal at the National Mòd with her rendition of O 'S Toigh Leam An Cìobair. In 1916, Mary marrried the Reverend Alasdair MacLean (1885-1936) in Anderston, and the couple moved to the Manse at Daviot near Inverness, where they had two sons, Alistair and Iain.

Mary became aquainted with local singers Neil A. Ross [11380] and Alexander N. MacAulay [11378] and brought them on a recording trip to Ireland in 1931, along with Inverness-native and one-time Glasgow resident Isabella Morrison [11379]. The group went under the name St Columba St Columba Gaelic Quartet [11356] and recorded a two-song gramophone disc for the Columbia label (DB586). They later reunited in Glasgow in 1934 (albeit credited as individuals) to record three discs of Psalms for the Parlophone label (414-416), while Mary herself recorded a single disc with the two songs Is Toigh Leam An Ciobair and Hi Horo 's Na Horo Eile (Parlophone 417).

Mary's husband died in 1936 aged only 51, but she would go on to live in the area for the rest of her life, passing away in 1969. Her son Alistair MacLean (1922-1987) became a famous novelist, and along with his brother Iain, was able to create an endowment for An Comunn Gàidhealach to offer two commemorative competition medals at each annual National Mòd in their mother's honour.