The Mackie family and their wives - revisited

Now I have found out a bit more about the family, I believe I can correct some wrong assumptions made when I first posted this picture in February 2008 and also put names to all the faces.

Adam Mackie (1846-1930 from Udny, Aberdeenshire) married Mary Thomas (1847-1929 from Stackpole Elidor, Pembroke) in 1870.  They had six sons: William George (1876-1936), John Alexander (1880-1914), Albert Charles (1883-1950), Adam James (1885-1961), Edmund Harry (1888-1980) and Archibald Sheridan (1896-1966).  The entry in the 1911 census shows there was a seventh child, no longer living.  The best fit in the births and deaths register would be Margaret Ellen (1878-1880).

I had identified John Alexander by his military uniform and from this put the date at around 1902, the year he left the army.  But now I would revise that to the latter part of 1908 or the earlier part of 1909.  By this time, three of the brothers had married, but only one had a child.  William married Kate Morgan (1873-1955) in 1902 and they had a daughter Winifred in 1903.  John married Edith Bullus (1878-1968) in 1906 and their son was born in 1914.  Adam married Kate Swearer (1885-?) in 1908 and their first daughter Margaret was born in the third quarter of 1909.

I believe the men, left to right, are John, Albert, William, Adam Sr behind Archibald, Edmund and Adam Jr.  I won't repeat all the arguments here, but first time round I believe I mixed up Adam Jr and William.  William was an armature winder in Edinburgh in the early 1900s and I think the chap with the moustache in this picture is the same as the one just right of centre, front row in the Bruce Peebles picture.  (See posting W. Mackie, 6 February 2008).  The little girl at the front must be Winifred.  Presuming that the ladies are sitting directly in front of their husbands, they must be, leftto right, Edith, Kate (Morgan), Mary and Kate (Swearer).

I am inclined to speculate about the occasion that brought the family together and where the picture was taken.  Adam Sr, Mary and Archibald were in Woolwich in 1901 and Edinburgh in 1911.  In 1908/9 William was in Edinburgh and John was in Portsmouth.  Adam Jr's first child was born in Ramsey, Huntingdon (Kate's home town), so he may have been there.  Albert and Edmund lived and died around SE London.  Perhaps it was some sort of farewell celebration before Adam and Mary left Woolwich for Edinburgh.

The Mackie family and their wives

... it says on the back (in ballpoint, so added much later.) From what I know so far, my great grandfather Adam had six sons and I think that is who we see here. I am assuming that is John on the left, as we know he served in the Imperial Yeomanry. That would probably date the picture as 1902. By then, everybody's ages (to within a year) would be Adam 55, Mary (his wife) 54, William 26, John 21, Albert 19, Adam junior 17, Edmund 13 and Archibald 9. I think that is Albert on John's immediate right, though at the moment I can only compare it with pictures taken when he was a lot older. (Somewhere I know we have a photo album with pictures taken in the 1920s, but it has not come to light yet.) Archibald is obviously the young lad. The one on the extreme right is clearly not a teenager, so I guess he must be William. Of the remaining two males, the one to the right of Bert looks older (he appears to be sporting a moustache) so I am guessing that he is Adam junior, leaving the other one as Edmund.

The wives are not so easy. Mary is presumably the much older lady, but who were the rest? So far I know very little about William, but it is quite possible that one of the ladies here is his wife and the young girl could be his daughter. John did not marry until 1906 and Bert until 1912 (and none of the ladies here looks at all like Ada.) At 17, Adam junior was unlikely to be married and Edmund and Archibald were well below marriageable age. As I have said, the caption on the back was added much later so I don't think the term "wives" can be taken too literally.

SEE UPDATE 19 APRIL 2011.  I THINK I HAVE MIXED UP TWO OF THE BROTHERS HERE AND I CAN NOW NAME ALL THE LADIES IN THE PICTURE.

W. Mackie

From an old Bruce Peebles house magazine. I'm sure I must be related somehow to the W. Mackie in the picture at the bottom of the page.

I copied this to Peter Stubbs, who has a website about Edinburgh history and he has included the picture - see URL below. Fingers crossed, a descendant of W. Mackie might visit his site and make contact.

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_G/0_groups_and_outings_bruce_peebles_winders_1905.htm