Modern English biography

MACKAY, ALEXANDER MURDOCH (son of Alexander Mackay, free church minister of Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, D.D., residing at Ventnor). _b._ Rhynie 13 Oct. 1849; studied engineering in Edinb. univ. 1870–3; draughtsman with an engineering firm in Berlin 1873, chief of the locomotive department to Sep. 1875; sailed from Southampton as missionary to Uganda 27 April 1876, made a road from the coast to Mpwapwa 1877, arrived at Uganda Nov. 1878, where he resided to July 1887, driven away by Arab traders 12 Oct., went to the Great Lake 1887; taught the people of Uganda and converted many to christianity, reduced the language to writing and made translation of portions of scripture; prepared reading sheets by which many learnt to read, worked the printing presses himself; built houses, boats, &c. for the king of Uganda; sent constant news to England about Emin Pasha; recovered and sent bishop Hannington’s diary to England, Oct. 1886; with R. P. Ashe translated St. Matthew’s Gospel into Ganda 1888. _d._ Usambiro 8 Feb. 1890. _A. M. Mackay, pioneer missionary of the church missionary society in Uganda. By his sister_ (1890) _portrait_; _The story of Mackay of Uganda. By his sister_ (1891), _portrait_; _I.L.N. 26 April 1890 p._ 515, _portrait_. MACKAY, ANGUS (son of Murdoch Mackay of the 78th highlanders and a settler in Sydney). _b._ Aberdeen 26 Jany. 1824; taken to New South Wales 1827; ed. at Australian college, Sydney; a schoolmaster; edited The Atlas newspaper 1847–50; manager of a general business for sir Henry Parkes at Geelong 1850–1; a digger in Victoria 1853; proprietor and editor of the Bendigo Advertiser 1854; founded Riverina Herald in Echuca; started the Sydney Daily Telegraph 1879, manager to 1883; sat for Sandhurst burghs in Victorian legislature Feb. 1868 to 1879 and 1883; minister of mines 9 April 1870 to June 1871 and June 1872 to July 1874; minister for education May to July 1874; minister of mines and education July 1874 to Aug. 1875; played against the All England eleven 1865; author of The great goldfield, a tour through the first discovered gold district of New South Wales 1853; A visit to Sydney and the Cudgegong diamond mines 1870; The semi-tropical agriculturalists and colonists’ guide 1875. _d._ Sandhurst 7 July 1886. MC KAY, ARCHIBALD. _b._ Kilmarnock 1801; apprenticed to a handloom weaver; a bookbinder at Kilmarnock to death; kept a circulating library in King st. Kilmarnock; author of Droathy Tam 1828, many editions; Poems 1830; Recreations of leisure hours 1832, 2 ed. 1844; A history of Kilmarnock 1848, 3 ed. 1864; Ingleside lilts 1855. _d._ Kilmarnock 14 April 1883. _C. Rogers’s Modern Scottish Minstrel_, _v_ 85–90 (1857). MACKAY, CHARLES. _b._ High st. Edinb. 31 Oct. 1787; private in Argyll militia 1803–15; first appeared Greenock theatre as Don Pedro in The Wonder, Feb. 1816; first seen in Edinb. at theatre royal as Mr. Russell in The Jealous Wife 26 Dec. 1818, then as Baillie Nicol Jarvie in Rob Roy, Sir Walter Scott witnessing the representation on 15 Feb. 1819, one of the most popular characters on the stage; was also good in Old Dornton in the Road to Ruin, and in Sir Peter Teazle; played Baillie Nicol Jarvie at Drury Lane 3 July 1821, an engagement for 6 nights; ceased to be a member of regular company of the T.R. Edinb. 21 April 1841 after 22 years’ service; played Baillie Nicol Jarvie at Prince’s theatre, Glasgow 4 Feb. 1852 being the 1134th time of his acting the part; played the Baillie the last time and his final appearance 25 Jany. 1853; the most important of the actors in the Waverley dramas. _d._ 17 Lutton place, Edinburgh 2 Nov.