Margaret Noël MacLehose

Margaret Noël MacLehose, Baroness MacLehose of Beoch (née Dunlop; 26 December 1920 – 16 February 2020), previously known as Lady MacLehose until 1982, was a Scottish noblewoman. She was the wife of Lord MacLehose of Beoch, the 25th Governor of Hong Kong (1971–1982), and served as the chief hostess of Government House, Hong Kong during his tenure.

Born into a prominent family in South Ayrshire, Scotland, she was the daughter of newspaper proprietor Sir Thomas Charles Dunlop. She married diplomat Crawford Murray MacLehose in 1947 and accompanied him on various overseas postings. During her more than ten years in Hong Kong as the governor's wife, she actively participated in public and official events while dedicating herself to social welfare. She served as president of the Community Chest of Hong Kong from 1971 to 1976. Several welfare facilities in Hong Kong, including the HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre and the Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association Lady MacLehose Centre, are named after her.

Both she and her husband were passionate about the outdoors and hiking, and Lady MacLehose had a particular interest in botany and was well acquainted with . She supported the botanical research of Dr. Shiu-Ying Hu in Hong Kong. The MacLehose Trail and were named in honour of the couple, reflecting both the governor's initiatives and their shared enthusiasm for nature and walking.

Early life and family Margaret Noël Dunlop was born on 26 December 1920 at Sauchrie House, a country residence near Maybole, Ayrshire (now in South Ayrshire), Scotland. She was the youngest of five siblings. Her father, Sir Thomas Charles Dunlop, was a local landowner and newspaper proprietor who had served with the Ayrshire Yeomanry and the Royal Scots Fusiliers, attaining the honorary rank of colonel and receiving the Territorial Decoration. He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Ayrshire in 1930 and was knighted in the 1955 Queen's Birthday Honours for public service in the county.

Her mother was Elfrida Louise Grant Watson (d. 28 March 1946), daughter of Robert Grant Watson.

Marriage and diplomatic life On 24 June 1947, Margaret Dunlop married Crawford Murray MacLehose, a diplomat whose father owned a printing works with business ties to her family. MacLehose, also a Scot, was originally an official in the Colonial Office. During the war he had been interned by the Japanese, and from 1944 to 1946 he served as Acting British Consul in Fuzhou. In 1947 he transferred to the Foreign Office, and from then on Lady MacLehose accompanied her husband in the itinerant life of a diplomat. She accompanied him on various diplomatic postings, including Hankou (China), Prague (Czechoslovakia), Wellington (New Zealand), Paris (France), Hong Kong, Saigon (South Vietnam), and Copenhagen (Denmark). The Italian antique crystal chandelier in the dining room of Government House, Hong Kong.

Hong Kong (1971–1982) Crawford MacLehose was appointed the 25th Governor of Hong Kong in 1971 and was created KCMG the same year, entitling his wife to be styled Lady MacLehose. She was appointed CStJ in 1972.

The couple arrived in Hong Kong on 19 November 1971 aboard Cathay Pacific flight CX501. As chatelaine of Government House, Hong Kong, she oversaw the household, replacing ceiling fans with antique Italian crystal chandeliers purchased from India. She also commissioned custom Canton porcelain tableware for Government House, a pattern later commercialised as "Governor's Flower".

Despite this, according to Shelley Lee, who served as MacLehose's private secretary during his governorship, the MacLehoses were in fact very frugal. Whenever her husband's shirts were damaged, Lady MacLehose would mend them herself for continued use. Although she was not an outgoing personality, she was kind-hearted and very considerate of the Government House staff. She proactively proposed a review of staff salaries, resulting in the first pay increase for employees whose wages had remained unchanged for many years. including the 1975 state visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, and accompanied him to Beijing in 1979 to meet Deng Xiaoping.

Charity and community work Lady MacLehose was honorary president of the Young Women's Christian Association of Hong Kong, chair of the Gurkha Welfare Committee, honorary patron of the Hong Kong Chinese Women's Club, and patron of the Hong Kong Women's Lawn Bowls Association. She served as president of the Community Chest of Hong Kong from 1971 to 1976, regularly visiting member agencies and participating in events such as the Community Chest .

She visited schools and facilities, including the new wing of Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital (1973) and (1977), and co-officiated the opening of the first section of the MTR (Kwun Tong to Shek Kip Mei) in 1979. The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Lady MacLehose Centre, opened in 1973 under her auspices, was named in her honor.

She strongly supported therapeutic riding for disabled children. In 1974, at the request of the Hong Kong Junior Equestrian Club, she proposed establishing a riding-for-the-disabled association modelled on programmes in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Supported by Jockey Club chairman Peter P. F. Woo and general manager General John Peyton, the association was founded in 1975 at the Jockey Club's Sheung Shui Beas River Country Club, initially borrowing mules from the British Forces Riding Club at Lo Wu. She often introduced visiting guests to Hong Kong plants.

She supported Dr. Shiu-Ying Hu's botanical research in Hong Kong, arranging police launches for fieldwork and joining expeditions to remote areas, including military restricted zones.

Outside Hong Kong, she visited Gangtok in the Himalayas (1977) and climbed Mount Wuyi in Fujian at Chinese invitation (1988).

In recognition of their love of hiking, the government named the 100 km MacLehose Trail after the couple in 1979. In 1981, with a HK$2 million donation from Sir Shiu-Kin Tang, the was built at Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, and opened by Lady MacLehose on 8 January 1981.

Later life The MacLehose couple lived in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. During this period, her husband, who served as Governor, successfully and significantly improved the standard of living in Hong Kong, earning him widespread support from the local population.

Upon arriving at Edinburgh Place near Queen's Pier, the MacLehoses attended a simple yet solemn farewell ceremony. They shook hands and said goodbye to the assembled Executive and members, as well as prominent figures from various sectors of society who had come to see them off. As the Royal Hong Kong Police Band played "Auld Lang Syne," the couple boarded the (慕莲夫人号) and slowly crossed Victoria Harbour. After disembarking at the Kowloon Public Pier, they once again shook hands with the large crowd waiting there, once more demonstrating their approachable and people-friendly style. They then transferred to a special car heading to Kai Tak Airport. Along the way, huge crowds gathered to bid them farewell. Finally, at 9:00 p.m., they departed Hong Kong on British Airways Flight BA20, a Boeing 747, traveling via Abu Dhabi back to London.

Return to the United Kingdom and Settlement After returning to the United Kingdom with her husband, Lady MacLehose settled back in her hometown of Maybole in South Ayrshire, Scotland. They resided in a house in the suburb of Beoch, where in their leisure time they lived a relaxed life tending to sheep on the property. On October 2, 1988, while walking her dog in a wooded area about 2 miles from their home, Lady MacLehose tripped over an object in a ditch. She soon discovered that what had caused her to stumble was the body of a young boy. She immediately returned home and called the police for assistance.

Investigation later confirmed that the deceased was five-year-old Stephen McKerron, who had gone missing 16 days earlier on September 17.

At the fatal accident inquiry held at the end of March the following year, eyewitnesses gave conflicting accounts. Some claimed to have seen Stephen being led away by an unidentified man, and one driver reported seeing the boy walking hand-in-hand with a man on the road. With testimonies varying widely and the body already in a state of decomposition when discovered, forensic examination could not confirm any obvious injuries. It was concluded that he had died from exposure outdoors. The inquiry ruled out murder and returned a verdict of death by misadventure. After her husband passed away on May 27, 2000, In 2005, she visited Hong Kong again to attend the 25th silver jubilee celebration of the Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association, which she had founded. Thereafter, she lived a quiet life in Maybole, South Ayrshire, maintaining correspondence with friends such as Shelley Lee.

From a young age, Lady MacLehose had a love for plants and nature, and gardening became one of her major interests in later life. Drawing on the horticultural knowledge and skills she had accumulated from living in various places overseas, she carefully selected plants from different regions for her garden at home, along with ornamental trees and shrubs. A thanksgiving service was held on February 26 at St Oswald's Episcopal Church in her hometown of Maybole.

Personal life Lady MacLehose married her husband on June 24, 1947. Sylvia Margaret: In 1970, she married Ronald Leighton Sandeman (b. 1944), whose business specialized in automotive rustproofing. They had one daughter, Emma. In early 1974, while five months pregnant, Sylvia was involved in a head-on collision in Scotland caused by another car swerving into her lane. Although the unborn child was unharmed, Sylvia was left permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Following the accident, she became a prominent disability rights advocate in Scotland. Her extensive public service included roles on the Scottish Sports Council, the Scottish Council on Disability, and the Scottish Consumer Council. Chair of the Scottish Paraplegic Association, and Chief Executive of both the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit Despite using a wheelchair, she and her husband remained avid sailors and members of the Royal Yachting Association.

During her time as the Governor's consort in Hong Kong, Lady MacLehose was known for her prematurely silver-white hair. Although not short, she was often dwarfed by her exceptionally tall husband. Both were devoted hickers and lovers of the countryside, Queen Mother Elizabeth Medal – 2004

Titles Miss Margaret Noël Dunlop (1920–1947) Mrs. M. Noël MacLehose (1947–1971) Lady MacLehose (1971–1972) Lady MacLehose, CStJ (1972–1982) The Lady MacLehose of Beoch, CStJ (1982–2020)

Legacy HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre. A community centre on , Kwai Chung, opened in 1973. Hong Kong Riding for the Disabled Association Lady MacLehose Centre. Located on Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Road, opened in 1979. . A recreational facility in Sai Kung West Country Park, Pak Tam Chung, opened in 1981.