George Mackay of Skibo explained

George Mackay of Skibo (c. 1715 – 25 June 1782) was a Scottish lawyer, soldier and politician. He fought for the British Government during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and was later a Member of Parliament.[1]

Early life

Mackay was a younger son of George Mackay, 3rd Lord Reay and his third wife Mary Dowell.He was educated at the University of Aberdeen and became an advocate in 1737.

Jacobite rising of 1745

The Clan Mackay supported the British Government during the Jacobite rising of 1745. George Mackay was Captain of the 1st Mackay Independent Highland Company that was raised by Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden to oppose the Jacobites.[2] George Mackay took an active part in the Skirmish of Tongue in March 1746 when money and supplies that were destined for the Jacobites were captured from a French ship.[3] [4] He also led his independent company in the Raids on Lochaber and Shiramore.[5] This led to a commission in the regular British Army, from which he retired in 1748.

Member of Parliament

He was elected at the 1747 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sutherland, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1741.He was re-elected in 1754, and held the seat until 1761,when his younger brother Alexander was elected in his place.[6]

In 1756, he was appointed Master of the Mint for Scotland in 1756.

Skibo Castle

George Mackay came into possession of Skibo Castle through his maternal uncle, Patrick Doull of Winterfield. However it was already heavily burdened and continued that way while under Mackay's ownership but he later disposed of the property.

Family

George Mackay married Anne Sutherland, daughter of Eric Sutherland, 4th Lord Duffus on 13 September 1766. They had the following children:[7]

  1. George Mackay (died in the East Indies in 1790).
  2. Eric Mackay, 7th Lord Reay.
  3. Alexander Mackay, 8th Lord Reay.
  4. Donald Mackay (a Captain in the Royal Navy).
  5. Patrick Mackay (died in infancy).
  6. Elizabeth Mackay.
  7. Mary Mackay.
  8. Harriet Mackay.
  9. Anne Mackay.

Independent Company

The names of the men in George Mackay's Independent Highland Company during the Jacobite rising of 1745 were:[8]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Mackay. Page 193.
  2. Simpson. Page 127 – 128 and 130.
  3. Mackay. Pages 190 – 191.
  4. MacLeod. p. 338.
  5. MacLeod. pp. 347–348.
  6. Web site: Edith . Haden-Guest . MACKAY, Hon. Alexander (1717-89), of Strathtongue, Sutherland . The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754 . R. Sedgwick . Boydell and Brewer . 19 June 2014 . 1970.
  7. Mackay. Page 193 - 194.
  8. Book: MacLeod, Ruairidh . 1984 . Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness . LIII . 361 and 370-371 . August 4, 2023 . Quoting from the Loudoun Papers held in the Henry E. Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

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