Edith Mabel Mackenzie

[SWH1]

Hello, as part of my ongoing ww1 project i am trying to look into the background of the women who served in the Scottish Women's Hospitals during ww1. Edith was one of those. She served as a driver and so far i think she might be from Fort William born in 1888.  I wonder if anyone has any information on her.

Alan

[Br1gau]

Hello Allan,

The National Archives certainly do have a record of Edith Mabel Mackenzie, born 2 March 1888 in Fort William, but you probably already have her service records. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7228348

She shows in the censuses as being the daughter of Nigel Banks Mackenzie, a banker & Solicitor originally from the isle of Harris.  They lived at Bank House in Cameron Square which used to be the British Linen Company Bank and manager’s house combined.  Still extant, it is now home to the West Highland Museum collection; there are several good images online.  Nigel B Mackenzie was, without a doubt, one of the most influential men in Fort William so there is already a lot of information about him.

Edith Mable’s birth record will be on Scotland’s People, as will the 1911 census.

[SWH1]

Hi and thank you for your help on Ancestry they have him being born on St Kilda in the 1901 census. Am getting closer to finding out about her background thanks to your help.

Alan

[Br1gau]

Oh sorry, Alan, 1891 has St Harris, I made a presumptive leap.  Shouldn't be too hard to trace him back though.

[MonicaL]

Hi Both 

Extensive details on the family here www.highlifehighland.com/lochaber-archive-centre/wp-content/uploads/sites/122/2015/03/WHM.pdf including  :

In 1872 he married Lilias  Scott  MacKenzie (1851/2-1914) and the couple had 11 children, including Nigel  Banks  MacKenzie Jr, Donald MacPherson MacKenzie, Margaret Elizabeth MacKenzie, who married John Frederick Rogers in 1916, Mary Helen MacKenzie, who married Henry Cecil Knox   Dick,  Agnes Cecelia Jane Mackenzie, who married James Hamilton - Gunn and moved to Canada, Margaret Elizabeth MacKenzie, Lilias Kathleen MacKenzie, Edith Mabel MacKenzie, who was confined in the Royal Asylum in Montrose, Frank MacKenzie and Charles Edward Stuart MacKenzie....

Monica

[SWH1]

Hi Monica, I wonder when she was "confined" and to what that really means. Interested if that was when she was an infant or later in life. Sounds grim.

alan

[MonicaL]

Likely death for Edith Mabel in 1942 in Motrose (at the Royal Asylum likely?). She must have been there many years.  Maybe some clues from the Mackenzie estate papers linked above? Did see a reference there from the early 1930s for her and the Asylum which now make sense.

Monica

[SWH1]

She seems to have come home from the Russian front early, i wonder if something happened, i will try to dig some more.

Great help people,  brilliant thank you

[SWH1]

Seems she returned from the Russian front with a group of 4 other women all ill. That said the scenes their at that time were awful. Perhaps it left her troubled. Would like now to find out when she went into Montrose.