Iain Macleod
Iain Macleod was born at Clifford House, Skipton, Yorkshire, on 11 November 1913. His father, Dr. Norman Alexander Macleod, was a well-respected general practitioner in Skipton, with a substantial poor-law practice (providing medical services for those who could not afford to pay); the young Macleod would often accompany his father on his rounds. His parents were from the Isle of Lewis in the Western Isles of Scotland, belonging to the branch of the Macleods of Pabbay and Uig. They moved to Skipton in 1907. Macleod grew up with strong personal and cultural ties to Scotland, as his parents bought in 1917 part of the Leverhulme estate on the Isle of Lewis, where they often used to stay for family holidays.
Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod
Norman Magnus MacLeod of MacLeod was born on 27 July 1839. He was the eldest son of Norman MacLeod of MacLeod (1812–1898), 25th chief of Clan MacLeod and his wife Louisa Barbara St John (1818–1880), only daughter of the 14th Baron St John of Bletso. He was educated at Harrow and in 1858, at the age of 19, was commissioned into the 74th Highlanders, immediately joining the regiment in India. He served as aide de camp to General Sir Hope Grant, Commander in Chief in the Presidency of Madras from 1862 to 1865. He retired from the 74th Highlanders as a Captain in 1872.