My grandfather, Hector Mackay, emigrated in 1909 with the intention of working on the gold mines of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg). Instead, he started and developed a very successful horse and "cart" taxi service. Soon after, in 1910, he brought the first car into Randfontein, South Africa. His business flourished and when Hector died age 89 he had one of the largest General Motors dealerships west of Johannesburg. I helped look after him in his old age. He remained independent and had a sharp mind right to the end. He never retired and never stopped working. His advice to everybody was "I am not afraid of work. Work never killed anyone." He often talked about his home in Coldbackie and often travelled "back home" for a visit to the old country. (Ian Hector Mackay)
• 5 Apr 1891 census: age 7, son of John Mackay at Coldbackie, Tongue. 4
• 31 Mar 1901 census: age 17, butcher's apprentice, lodging with Donald Sutherland at Durness Street, Thurso, CAI. 3
Hector married Barbara Ironside Watson [10814] after 1909 in South Africa. (Barbara Ironside Watson [10814] was born on 11 Aug 1881 in Aberdeen, ABD 2 and died on 2 Dec 1963 in Randfontein, South Africa 2.)
Sources
1
Tongue Births 1883 056/29 image (Hector Mackay). HECTOR MACKAY male born 7 Sep. 1883 at Coldbacky Tongue father John Mackay, crofter and fisherman mother Emily McKay ms Munro married 17 October 1878 Thurso informant John Mackay, father.
2
Ian Hector Mackay (descendant of Hector Mackay) in emails to Mary Young.
3
1901 census of Scotland, Caithness, Volume 41 Thurso, enumeration district (ED) 5, page 8, schedule no. 47, household of Donald Sutherland (Durness Street, Thurso); Donald Sutherland 60 flagstone cutter, Latheron Caithness (and his wife and 2 children) Hector Reid 17 lodger, tailor's apprentice, Tongue Sutherland Hector McKay 17 lodger, butcher's apprentice, Tongue Donald Mckay 15 lodger, ironmonger's apprentice, Tongue
4
1891 census of Scotland, Sutherland, Volume 56 Tongue, enumeration district (ED) 5, page 4, schedule no. 16, household of John Mackay (Coldbackie); John MacKay 41 M head, fisherman, Tongue Emilie MacKay 34 M wife, Tongue Robertina MacKay 11 daughter, Tongue Alexander MacKay 9 son, Tongue Hector MacKay 7 son, Tongue Catherine MacKay 5 daughter, Tongue Hugh MacKay 3 son, Tongue Robert MacKay 2 Month son, Tongue Dora MacKay 50 U sister, general servant, Tongue Isabella MacKay 80 W mother, annuitant, Tongue
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