MacKay family papers
Primary maker
1. Trustees of Andrew MacKay Trust
2. Trustees of John Selby MacKay Trust
3. MacKay Family
Production date
1842-1930
Description
Papers relating to John Selby MacKay during his lifetime, his executry and testamentary Trust papers, some items from his son Andrew’s lifetime and Andrew’s executry and Trust papers and also executry papers for John Selby Mackay’s daughter Margaret Johnston MacKay.
Object detail
John Selby’s probable date of birth in Aberdeen was 1757. Originally a seafarer with his own craft he served in the Royal Navy, having been captured by the Press Gang. About 1795 he was appointed Collector for the Forth and Clyde Canal Company at Grangemouth. He retired in 1835 after 40 years’ service. He died in 1836.
John Selby’s sister Margaret married David Younger, shipmaster in Airth. Their daughter Margaret married Andrew Mackay, Ll.D , teacher of mathematics and astronomy in Aberdeen and London, an eminent scholar in his time. Their children were John Selby MacKay, Advocate, Alexander Lindsay MacKay, Marion Jane Stoddart MacKay and Margaret MacKay or Bridges
John Selby Mackay, banker and coalmaster in Grangemouth succeeded John Selby in the office of Collector of canal dues for the Forth and Clyde Canal Company at Grangemouth. John Selby MacKay was also manager of the Grangemouth branch of the Commercial Bank in or before1836. He also became Treasurer and a Director the Grangemouth Gas Company. He was closely involved in Grangemouth Coal Co, Grangemouth Traders Building Co and Grangemouth Towing Co as well as owner of several heritable properties and the owner of shares in several ships along with his brother, George Gray MacKay. He was also collector of subscriptions to the local Volunteer Force from 1860. He was the first Chief Magistrate for Grangemouth, from 1872 to 1878, there being no Provost at the time. John Selby MacKay had a family as follows: Andrew MacKay, Joseph Bogue MacKay, John Selby MacKay, William George MacKay, Marion Johnston MacKay, Margaret Johnston MacKay and Isabella Jane Mackay.
George Gray Mackay began the activities of the Grangemouth Coal Company in 1839 under a Lease from the Earl of Zetland and in 1845 John Selby MacKay became involved and the village of Skinflats was created. In addition the brothers owned the lands of Springfield and Thrislet for coal extraction. The coal was worked out by 1911. George Gray MacKay had a son, Andrew Younger MacKay. There is no evidence with the papers of the names of the rest of George Gray Mackay’s family.
Andrew Mackay JP, Fairfield, Grangemouth, son of John Selby MacKay was a merchant in Grangemouth. He was Chief Magistrate from 1892-1893 and the first Provost of the Burgh from 1893 to 1900.
Andrew Younger Mackay, son of George Gray MacKay, succeeded his cousin as Provost from 1900 to 1911. The two were known as Black Andrew and Red Andrew.
Information about John Selby in James Love Notes and Queries Vol1 p347 and about John Selby MacKay, George Gray MacKay and the two Andrew MacKays in Robert Porteous Grangemouth’s Modern History. See also the papers of the Grangemouth Coal Company (Russel & Aitken Finding Aid 44)
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