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 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...

and was later a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

.Mackay. Page 193.

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 , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

and became an advocate in 1737.

Jacobite rising of 1745

The

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; gd, Clann Mhic Aoidh ) is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish ...

supported the British Government during the

. George Mackay was Captain of the 1st Mackay Independent Highland Company that was raised by

Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden Duncan Forbes of Culloden (10 November 1685 – 10 December 1747) was a Scottish lawyer and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1721 to 1737. As Lord President and senior Scottish legal officer, he played a major role in helpin ...

to oppose the Jacobites. 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. He also led his independent company in the

Raids on Lochaber and Shiramore The Raids on Lochaber and Shiramore took place in the Scottish Highlands between 22 May and 31 August 1746 and were part of the closing operations of the British-Hanoverian Government to bring to an end the Jacobite rising of 1745. Sometimes ref ...

. This led to a commission in the regular

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, from which he retired in 1748.

Member of Parliament

He was elected at the 1747 general election as the

(MP) for Sutherland, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in

1741 Events January–March * January 13 – Lanesborough, Massachusetts is created as a township. *February 13 – Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, popularizes the term "the balance of power" in a speech ...

. He was re-elected in 1754, and held the seat until

1761 Events January–March * January 14 – Third Battle of Panipat: Ahmad Shah Durrani and his coalition decisively defeat the Maratha Confederacy, and restore the Mughal Empire to Shah Alam II. * January 16 – Siege of Pond ...

, when his younger brother

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

was elected in his place. In 1756, he was appointed

Master of the Mint Master of the Mint is a title within the Royal Mint given to the most senior person responsible for its operation. It was an important office in the governments of Scotland and England, and later Great Britain and then the United Kingdom, between ...

for Scotland in 1756.

Skibo Castle

George Mackay came into possession of

Skibo Castle Skibo Castle (Scottish Gaelic: ''Caisteal Sgìobail'') is located to the west of Dornoch in the Highland county of Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Although largely of the 19th century and early 20th century, when it was the hom ...

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: #George Mackay (died in the

East Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies), is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The Indies refers to various lands in the East or the Eastern hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found in and around ...

in 1790). #Eric Mackay, 7th

Lord Reay Lord Reay, of Reay in the County of Caithness, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. Lord Reay (pronounced "ray") is the hereditary Clan Chief of Clan Mackay, whose lands in Strathnaver and northwest Sutherland were known as the Reay Country. ...

. #Alexander Mackay, 8th Lord Reay. #Donald Mackay (a Captain in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

). #Patrick Mackay (died in infancy). #Elizabeth Mackay. #Mary Mackay. #Harriet Mackay. #Anne Mackay.

Independent Company

The names of the men in George Mackay's Independent Highland Company during the

were: *Hugh Mackay (younger of Bighouse) (Lieutenant) *Aneas Mackay (Ensign) *William Mackay (Sergeant) *Hugh Mackay (Sergeant) *Donald Morison (Sergeant) *Alexander Morison (Sergeant) *Hugh Mackay (Corporal) *Hugh Mackay (Corporal) *William Morison (Corporal) *John Polsone (Corporal) *George MacLeod (Drummer and Piper) *John Mackay (Drummer and Piper) *John Aningtown (centinel) *Alexander Beaton (centinel) *Donald Forbes (centinel) *Donald Fraser (centinel) *Alexander Gun (centinel) *Donald Gun (centinel) *Andrew Gray (centinel) *Robert Lebby (centinel) *George Leith (centinel) *Angus Mackay (centinel) (in Kylestrome) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Kylestrome) *Alexander Mackay (centinel) (in Glencoll) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Maldy) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Skerray) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Huinleam) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Eribol) *George Mackay (centinel) (in Tongue) *John Mackay (centinel) (in Kylestrome) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Ardachow) *Finlay Mackay (centinel) *Murdoch Mackay (centinel) (in Failliskard) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Ardbeag) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Skerray) *Hector Mackay (centinel) (in Island Roan) *Alexander Mackay (centinel) (in Borgie) *John Mackay (centinel) (in Strathskerray) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Torisdale) *Neil Mackay (centinel) (in Borgie) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Brae Tongue) *James Mackay (centinel) (in Torisdale) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Sandwood) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Eribol) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Farr) *Hector Mackay (centinel) (in Scrabster) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Oldshours) *William Mackay (centinel) (in Mussol) *James Mackay (centinel) (in Hopes) *John Mackay (centinel) (in Strathmore) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Oldshoremore) *Hugh Mackay (centinel) (in Oldshorebeagg) *Murdoch Mackay (centinel) (in Scale) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Strathmore) *John Mackay (centinel) (in Eribol) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Baddveoir) *Donald Mackay (centinel) (in Durin) *Charles Mackay (centinel) *George Mackay (centinel) (in Sleisdaridh) *Alexander Mackay (centinel) (in Cloionell) *Alexander Mackay (centinel) (in Strathmelness) *Roderick Mackay (centinel) *Murdoch Mackay (centinel) (in Eriboll) *Alexander Mackay (centinel) (in Farr) *John MacLeod (centinel) *Donald MacLeod (centinel) (in Tongue) *Donald MacLeod (centinel) (in Arduchow) *Angus MacLeod (centinel) *William MacLeod (centinel) *Hector MacLeod (centinel) *Norman MacLeod (centinel) (in Strathmelness) *Norman MacLeod (centinel) (in Sky) *Alexander Mackenzie (centinel) (in Achfary) *Alexander Mackenzie (centinel)(in Borgie) *William Mackenzie (centinel) (in Rians) *John Mackenzie (centinel) *Hugh MacIntosh (centinel) (in Kylestrome) *Hugh MacIntosh (centinel) (in Eribole) *Hugh MacIntosh (centinel) (in Durness) *Alexander MacIntosh (centinel) *George MacIntosh (centinel) *Donald McPhadrick (centinel) *Donald MacLean (centinel) *Hugh Morsion (centinel) *William Morison (Elder) (centinel) *William Morison (Younger) (centinel) *Thomas Morison (centinel) *Angus Morison (centinel) *Donald Morison (centinel) *Neil Morison (centinel) *Neil Matheson (centinel) *Donald Munro (centinel) (in Ribbigill) *Donald Munro (centinel) (in Farr) *Hugh Munro (centinel) *Alexander Munro (centinel) *William Munro (centinel) *William Murray (centinel) *William Ross (centinel) (in Crech) *William Ross (Elder) (centinel) *William Ross (Younger) (centinel) *Lachlin Ross (centinel) *Donald Ross (centinel) *Hector Ross (centinel) *David Ross (centinel) *John Ross (centinel) *Kenneth Sutherland (centinel)

References

Bibliography

*Mackay, Angus, M.A. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. (St Andrews University). *MacLeod, Ruairidh. F.S.A. Scot. (1984). ''Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness''. Volume LIII. *Simpson, Peter. (1996). ''The Independent Highland Companies, 1603 - 1760''. . {{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, George 1715 births Year of birth uncertain 1782 deaths George Mackay Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 Members of the Faculty of Advocates Scottish soldiers British Army officers British Army personnel of the Jacobite rising of 1745 Younger sons of barons