Helen who was born in Arbroath was one of the first female graduates of the University of Edinburgh in 1896. She married Sir Stewart Macpherson who was a High Court Judge with the Indian Civil Service and it was there that she was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal for her work with Indian women and for her assistance to earthquake victims.

      Helen was Hon. Vice-President of the Clan Macpherson Association from 1964-1976