Gilbert McKay (29 May 1865 – 13 June 1954) was a

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Born in Dunedin, he farmed in Ōtāne in the

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...

Early life

McKay was born in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

in 1865, the son of Gilbert McKay (1841–1922) and his wife Margaret McKay ( Houliston, 1841–1913).

Life in Hawke's Bay

McKay lived in Ōtāne and was the president of the Heretaunga Club in

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

. A farmer, he was described as a "shrewd local politician". He was the chairman of the school committee in Ōtāne.

Political career

McKay first stood for Parliament in the for the

in the

Hawkes Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region is ...

electorate, where he came a distant second to

Hugh Campbell Hugh Campbell (born May 21, 1941) is a former American football and Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He served as a head coach in three different professional gridiron football leagues: the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Unit ...

of the Reform Party out of three candidates. He won the Hawke's Bay electorate in

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann, the day after Éamon de Valera ...

against Reform's Andrew Hamilton Russell (Campbell had retired due to ill health), but was defeated in

1925 Events January * January 1 ** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the Itali ...

by Campbell. He stood in the for the United Party, but came last out of the three candidates, with Campbell holding the electorate.

Family and death

McKay was married three times. He married Rosina Collins (1877–1907) on 19 February 1894 and they had eight children before she died on 11 April 1907. On 24 October 1908, he married Elaine McDermott (1885–1913). They had no children but she brought a daughter (born 1906) into the union. His second wife died on 22 January 1913 aged 28. On 1 October 1913, he married Violet Person (1895–1966) of Anaroa homestead (15 km north of Ōtāne). They had four children. McKay died on 13 June 1954.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKay, Gilbert 1865 births 1954 deaths New Zealand Liberal Party MPs Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates Unsuccessful candidates in the 1919 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 1925 New Zealand general election Unsuccessful candidates in the 1928 New Zealand general election Colony of New Zealand people