Stories of Shoes and Spies: Haverfordwest and the Maclean Family

The nine hundred years and more over which the history of Haverfordwest stretches provides an almost endless capacity to surprise the historical enquirer and throw up remarkable stories. One of these encompasses a Scottish commercial innovator, his two brilliantly gifted sons, both of whom received knighthoods and a grandson who became a notorious Soviet secret and spy. These were the three generations of the Maclean family who spent a little over ten years at Haverfordwest in the nineteenth century. The head of the family was Mr. John Maclean, a cordwainer, the son of Mr. Hugh Maclean of Kilmoluaig, Tiree, Argyllshire who was born in 1833. He was a deeply religious man who became a deacon of the Free Church of Scotland at the young age of 24. He married Agnes Macmellin, a habitual speaker of Gaelic and so there was a strong Celtic influence on the Maclean children which comprised of three daughters, Maggie, Kate and Agnes and two sons, Donald and Ewen. The children’s places of birth reflected the highly mobile nature of the father’s business and commercial enterprise in which he was variously described as a shoemaker, master boot manufacturer and dealer and later a grocer. Maggie or Margaret was born in Hulme, Manchester, Kate was born in Bolton, Lancashire, Donald at Farnwork, Bolton and finally Ewen at Runcorn, Cheshire.

The Glasgow Boot and Shoe Warehouse at
Market Street where John Maclean conducted
his business for sixteen years (1871-87). The
premises were later occupied by W.F. Thomas
and Company bakers and confectioners

John and Agnes Maclean seem to have left their native Scotland in around 1860 and spent around ten years in the north of England before moving to Haverfordwest in around 1870. John opened the Glasgow Boot and Shoe Warehouse at 1, Market Street and he became the first businessman to sell ready-made boots in the town although there were many boot and shoemakers in town. The 1871 census found the family in residence in Market Street, a thriving locale, where they employed a general domestic servant. During their decade or so residence in Haverfordwest John and Agnes Maclean became associated with the Tabernacle Congregational Church just as John had been a member of the same denomination when the family lived at Runcorn. In 1876 Agnes and other women such as Mrs. Thomas of Bridge Street and Mrs. Taylor of the Old Bridge, members of the Tabernacle Dorcas Charity, distributed gifts consisting chiefly of warm apparel to mostly elderly women and invalids.

Poverty was endemic in nineteenth century Haverfordwest, often exacerbated by harsh winters which often prompted the local elites to undertake relief work, the soup kitchen and dole usually well publicized examples of their philanthropy. There were numerous examples of engagement with poorer communities in Haverfordwest, where well meaning men and women aided in educational and religious instruction. A mission room was established at the Kilns, Prospect Place where John and Agnes Maclean rendered sterling service in the Sunday school. The Mission was established by John Maclean, Mr. Lochore and Mr. George Davies in 1875 for the purpose of providing religious instruction for those who had no place of worship. The Sunday school started with 16 scholars on the books, which soon increased to 30. In December 1878 special services were held with hymns, prayers and an address delivered by the Rev. E. Arthur. One event, which John Maclean could certainly discern as Divine Providence occurred in July 1876 and proved deeply traumatic and surely embedded in the consciousness of his two sons who witnessed it. Mr. Maclean, his sons Donald and Ewen and a fisherman named Cosker, went out for a cruise in St. Bride’s Bay. The boys were landed at the Point, Little Haven and the boat containing John Maclean and Mr. Cosker set back out into the bay. The boat capsized and after sinking twice John Maclean at last succeeded in gaining a holdfast on the boat. Cosker’s foot at first became entangled in some of the boat’s gear and after being submerged two or three times he was seized by Mr. Maclean who precariously held on to the boat with one hand and to Mr. Cosker with the other. They were eventually rescued by a Coastguardsman who seeing the accident from the shore immediately put to sea and rendered assistance. What Mrs. Maclean and her sons thought of these dramatic events can be better imagined than described. Both Donald and Ewen Maclean were admitted to Haverfordwest Grammar School where they showed themselves to be excellent scholars. The usual school examinations held in June 1877 saw Donald receive a prize in the Commercial School division. Not to be outdone, his brother Ewen received a prize in recognition for his excellent paper about Caesar, which he received at the annual distribution of prizes at the school, held in June 1879. The brothers both played rugby for the school, appearing in the same winning team against Greenhill School, Tenby in December 1878. Later Ewen played rugby for Carmarthen Wanderers and in 1884 he played in the cup competition in which they defeated St. David’s College, Lampeter.

The advertisement of the clearance sale held
by John Maclean in 1887 when he relinquished
ownership of his boot and shoe warehouse
[Pembrokeshire Herald & General Advertiser1887]

While the family was still living at Haverfordwest Donald Maclean successfully passed his first law examination (1880) which propelled him on to his distinguished legal and political career. It appears that the Maclean family removed to Carmarthen in late 1880 or early 1881. They took up residence at Mount Hill, Llangunnor while John opened a boot store in Nott Square, Carmarthen. He later relinquished the business and introduced branches of the North British Company grocery stores at Carmarthen and St. Clears. John kept his boot and shoe store at Haverfordwest even after his move, appointing a manager Mr. Charles Lewis who eventually succeeded him in the ownership. In August 1887 John Maclean offered his stock for sale at greatly reduced prices and thanked the public for their patronage of his shop at Haverfordwest over the past 16 years.

While living in Carmarthenshire, John Maclean learnt Welsh and he became associated with Babel Chapel, Pensarn. He was a pronounced political radical, becoming chairman of the Carmarthen Liberal Association, although he never ran for elective office at any level. John died at his residence, Mount Hill near Carmarthen on 11 May 1891 in his 58th year and he was buried at Llangunnor Churchyard. A couple of months later an alarming fire broke out and damaged his former boot business in Carmarthen which had been purchased by Messrs. Thomas Morton and Company of Birmingham. Later Donald Maclean wrote a brief letter which was published in the Carmarthen Journal thanking those people who had rendered assistance in tackling the blaze. By that time, Donald Maclean, who was born on 9 January 1864, was resident in Cardiff. He became a solicitor practicing in Cardiff and later Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London. After John Maclean’s death his widow Agnes and remaining children at home moved to Cardiff. In 1901 they were living at The Parade, St. John’s parish. Agnes, aged 68, was living on her own means while the other residents were Donald, aged 37 and his sister Agnes aged 33 plus a general servant. While in Cardiff Donald Maclean did much valuable work in social and religious fields. He was the honorary secretary of the Cardiff Committee of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. He reported how the committee had dealt with 177 cases affecting the welfare of children during the period 1890-91. Donald was a member of the Presbyterian Church and he was vice president of the Cardiff Free Church Council.

Sir Donald Maclean (1864-1932),
distinguished lawyer and
Parliamentarian and Leader of
the Opposition (1918-20).

Donald’s career went from strength to strength, especially in national politics where he became a leading Liberal politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for Bath at the second attempt serving for the constituency for four years (1906-10), and later Peebles and Selkirk (1910-18) and lastly North Cornwall (1929-32). He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1916 and he was awarded a knighthood, receiving a KBE in 1917. Interestingly as leader of the Liberal Parliamentary Party he was the official Leader of the Opposition (1918-20) since H.H. Asquith had lost his seat in the Commons and Sinn Fein refused to serve at Westminster. Laster, Donald Maclean served as the chairman of the Reconstruction Committee on the Poor Law. Donald’s rise to national prominence did not go unnoticed in Pembrokeshire. In July 1918 it was suggested how the honorary freedom of Haverfordwest should be offered to Sir Donald Maclean, along with David Lloyd George, Sir Charles Philipps and ‘that painter of genius, Major Augustus John. Some weeks later Sir Donald visited Haverfordwest while returning from St. David’s, and he took the opportunity of calling in on several old friends in the county town. Whether he was accompanied by his wife Gwendolen Margaret (nee Devitt; the couple had married on 2 October 1907) and his children, including Donald, who was born in 1913, is unknown. Sir Donald Maclean entered the National Government headed by Ramsay Macdonald and he served as President of the Board of Education until his death on 15 June 1932 at the age of 68.

Donald’s brother, Ewen John Maclean, was born on 17 October 1865 either at Runcorn, Cheshire (as stated in the census returns) or in the Scottish Highlands as stated in various biographical articles. He attended both Haverfordwest and Carmarthen Grammar Schools and it was obvious that he was a scholar with outstanding potential. In September 1886 he passed with distinction the first professional examination in the degree of M.B., at Edinburgh University. Only nine other candidates obtained a distinction out of around 400 candidates. In 1888 Ewen won first prize in Public Health, and one on Insanity awarded by the Edinburgh School of Medicine. He also secured two other prizes on subjects connected with public health and on post-mortem examination. Ewen graduated with honours in 1889 and two years later he gained an Edinburgh MD, again with honours. He was elected as a Member (and later as a Fellow) of the Royal College of Physicians in 1896. His post-qualification training was as a resident houseman at the Bristol Hospital for Women and Children, followed by his appointment as a Registrar to the Chelsea Hospital for Women and Children, where he began his life’s work in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology.

Sir Ewen John Maclean (1865-1953)
who enjoyed a glittering medical career
including Presidency of the
British College of Obstetricians and
Gynaecologists (1935-38).
[Portrait by Robert Lyon (1894-1978).
Acknowledgement to Royal College
of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists].

In 1901 Ewen was lodging with his sister and brother-in-law, Charles and Margaret Milne at Linden Gardens, Kensington, London. That year he was appointed senior honorary gynaecologist to the Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire Infirmary and Dispensary, which later became the Cardiff Royal Infirmary. In 1921 he was chosen to be the first Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Welsh National School of Medicine. He gave devoted service to the British Medical Association, acting as a member of the association’s Representative Body (1906-13). Ewen Maclean was deservedly knighted in 1923 and he became a founding Fellow of the British College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, serving as President for three years (1935-38). Sir Ewen never married. He was supported by his sister Miss Agnes Maclean OBE and he died at home in Cardiff on 14 October 1953 and was buried in the family grave at Llangunnor, Carmarthenshire. Both Donald and Ewen Maclean retained an affection for Haverfordwest Grammar School long after they had left Pembrokeshire and began their rise to national prominence. At the annual speech day held at the school held on 19 December 1919 at the Palace Cinema it was mentioned how Sir Donald Maclean and his brother Ewen had sent telegrams wishing the school every success. The prizes were distributed by one of their school chums, Dr. W. H. D. Rouse, the eminent classical scholar of Cambridge.

Donald Duart Maclean (1913-83),
son of Sir Donald Maclean.
He became a British diplomat and
Soviet spy who defected to
the Soviet Union in 1951.

The simple piety and business acumen of his grandfather and distinguished service in politics and medicine rendered by his father and uncle were sadly not reflected in the life Donald Duart Maclean (1913-83), son of Sir Donald Maclean. The younger Maclean, a graduate of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he read modern languages, became an agent for the Soviet NKVD. He entered the civil service in 1935 and secured diplomatic appointments in Paris, Washington and Cairo. He was a member of the Cambridge Spy Ring and went by the cryptonym ‘Homer.’ He defected to the Soviet Union in May 1951 and he died there on 6 March 1983.

Such a vicarious link between international intrigue and espionage and a small provincial Welsh town is indeed unexpected. And yet Haverfordwest, that remarkable community with an infinite number of aspects to her great history never loses the power to surprise.