Mackay
Contributed by Hope Hazen Mackay Hunter
W. Malcolm Mackay (1851-1936) came to Saint John in 1872 and established the firm W. Malcolm Mackay Ltd., shippers of spruce wood. He married Susan Rankin McMillan on August 25, 1886 in St. Paul’s Church, Rothesay. They had five sons: Hugh, Colin, Campbell, Malcolm, and Reay. Although the Mackays lived on Orange Street in Saint John, the boys went to R.C.S. When Saint John instituted a resident head tax, the Mackays moved to Rothesay where they had previously spent the summers. They moved into the house on Rothesay Road now known as Balmaghie. Reay Mackay was killed in action at the age of 23 during World War I (1918); his picture hangs in the foyer of Mackay House at R.C.S. As the remaining Mackay sons established their own families, each took up residence in Rothesay in close proximity to their parents.
Hugh Mackay (1887-1957), son of Malcolm and Susan Mackay, was called home from his studies at McGill University to run his father’s lumber business when his brothers were called off to the First World War. He stayed with the business until 1930 when he returned to Montreal to join Ward Pitfield and ultimately to establish the investment firm Pitfield Mackay Ltd. (now RBC Dominion Securities). When he married Kate Hazen of Saint John, they settled in Whiting Cottage (now Lee Mowatt’s home), which was moved to its present location to allow for the building ofStrathnaver. Mr. Mackey maintained residences in Montreal and Rothesay and became involved in New Brunswick politics in the 1950s, sitting as leader of the Progressive Conservation Opposition. Kate Hazen Mackay (188-1969) was the daughter of Lady and Sir Douglas Hazen of Saint John. Her father was a lawyer in the city and became a leading political figure, serving as Premier of New Brunswick (1908) and Attorney General and, in 1911, in the Conservative Cabinet of Sir Robert Borden in Ottawa. His daughter Kate never ran for political office but followed in her father’s footsteps. She headed the Progressive Conservative’s Women’s Association and was active in the PC party, the Girl Guides, the IODE, the Church of England, Children’s Aid, Netherwood and R.C.S. BY the standards of her day, she was a political and social activist on many fronts. In recognition of her service to the community, she was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of New Brunswick.
“Memories of Hugh Mackay”
Contributed by Mrs. H.A. ‘Sally’ Dick
“My grandfather died when I was about eleven years old, so my memories are not many. He used to come to Toronto and stay at the Royal York Hotel. When we would go to see him he always had Laura Secord lollipops for us. In the summers when we visited him in Rothesay, I remember having breakfast in the dining room at a small round table, enjoying the morning sun. Sunday lunches were quite a performance and slightly difficult for small children. “Gramp,” as he was known, would stand at the sideboard and carve the meat, and we were no allowed to start eating until Gramp has served his own meal and sat down. What a long wait! My grandparents were in Boston when my grandmother called to say that Gramp had died. It was the only time I ever saw my father cry.”
Hugh and Katie Mackay and four children: Hugh H., Hope, Hazen, and Susan. Hugh H. Mackay was involved in the investment business and returned to live at Strathnaver in 1971. His children currently reside in Rothesay: Sheila in one of the cottages behind Strathnaver, Charles in the house built by Jeff Simson at the corner of Allison Drive and Rothesay Road, and Frances Simson off the end of Maiden Lane. Hope Hazen Mackay Hunter returned to live in Rothesay in 1988 and lives on Alexander Avenue in a house built on the site of her family’s former summer cottage. Hazen (Siti0) Inches lives in a house off the Old Hampton Road opposite Almon Lane; her son Dr. Hugh Scarth, lives in Highland Heights and her daughter Kathryn Grant in the Starr House at the corner of Church Avenue and Peter’s Lane; five other children live away. Susan Reay Mackay Leggat lives in Knowlton, Quebec.
“Memories of Hugh Hazen Mackay”
Contributed by Sheila Mackay Dick
“My father was a wonderful Dad. My earliest memories of him are listening to his war stories. For some reason I thought he worked in “socks and bombs” instead of stocks and bonds. I was his “little Miss Muffet,” It was always so exciting to meet the train in the summer on Friday evenings in Kingston as Dad would be coming to the cottage for the weekend form Toronto. The first thing he would do was jump into the lake (Lake Ontario) with a bar of ivory soap, which would always float on the water. Mum and Dad moved to Rothesay in 1971. He had an apple orchard on the Long Reach, and every Christmas he would load the car with soda pop and Ganong chocolates and visit all his neighbors on the Reach. I loved to go with him and will never forget the year on of the neighbors gave him a large portion of pork in payment for the apples Dad had given him during the year. I was still working in Toronto at the time and would only be able to visit on his birthday, the long weekend in August, and at Christmas. His birthday parties were great fun because he was always surrounded by his sisters, family, and friends. My mother’s chocolate birthday cake was always a treat. As for Christmas, my Dad was the best Santa Claus ever.”
Colin Mackay, son of Malcolm and Susan Mackay, went overseas during the First World War and returned to Rothesay to manage the family lumber business. He married Jeanette Bridges and lived in The Sheiling across from the old Netherwood grounds. They moved into Balmaghie in the 1940s. Their daughter Janet lives in BC, as do most of her children and grandchildren. Their son, Colin B. Mackay, was active with the Canadian Navy during the Second World War and delivered troops to Dunkirk. Returning to Canada, Mr. Mackay obtained a law degree form the University of British Columbia in 1949 and practiced law until he was called to assume the residency of The University of New Brunswick in 1953 at the age of 35. HE remained president until 1969 and was active in the International Association of Universities, especially in Lesotho, South Africa. He married Mary Ives Anglin and resided at Balmaghie.
“Memories of Colin B. Mackay”
Contributed by Sheila Mackay Dick
“Uncle Colin is a very special person to me. He introduced me to Canadian art, beginning with Fred Ross. My father bought me my first “real” piece of art, which was a Fred Ross sketch of the back of a young man in a black coat with his hands in his pockets. When Dad and I got home with the picture, my brother took one look at my newly acquired masterpiece and called it “Boy Peeing Over Harbor Bridge.” I had some wonderful trips with Uncle Colin. He, his wife Mary Ives, and I went to Scotland one time where we rented a car. The adventure proved quite scary because Uncle Colin, who had insisted upon a standard, got a bit confused with the gearshift being on his left side. You have no idea how many roundabouts we circled again and again while Mary and I were trying to match the exit signs with our maps. We drove right to the top of Scotland, to the land of the Mackays. It was a very moving experience to be there. I was also fortunate to travel twice with Uncle Colin to Africa, where I once waved to a king he had had to breakfast.”
Malcolm Mackay, son of Malcolm and Susan Mackay, returned from World War I to become a partner in the family lumber business. He married Daphne Crosby and lived in the Whiting Cottage then known as Braeleigh. They had two sons, William Reay and Malcolm (Micky), both of whom carried on the family lumber business. Mickey’s sons, Malcolm and Peter, are the current owners of Mackay Lumber. Bill’s son Reay went into the family investment business and is now head of Investment Banking with the Royal Bank.
Campbell Mackay, son of Malcolm and Susan Mackay, built the house at Kinghurst Farm and established the Kinghurst Dairy in the 1930s. He had two children; his son Douglas worked for RCB Dominion Securities. At one time the four surviving sons of W. Malcolm and Susan Mackay and their families lived in close proximity to one another in Rothesay: Colin Sr. (Sem) and Nettie at Balmaghie, Hugh and Katie across the street at Strathnaver, Malcolm and Daphne next door at Braeleigh, and Campbell and Lou down the road at Kinghurst Farms.
