Mackay/van Blerk/Albert/Albertyn - Cape Town

[barbarag]

Trying to trace descendants of my Gt Uncle, Reginald Randolph Mackay, b. Liverpool, England, 16 Nov 1868, d. Cape Province 7 Jan 1933 (I have details from Death Notice).  According to Death Notice, married Johanna Albertyn who died 1925 (no info to corroborate this).  Children of the marriage believedto be:
Alice Mabel Mackay b. 12.4.1891 (confirmed by Baptism, St Marks) Married John van Blerk, location unknown.
Reginald Stanley Mackay b. 10.11.1892 (confirmed by Baptism St Marks) no further info.
Elizabeth Mackay
William Victor Mackay
Edith Charlotte Mackay - married surname believed to be Albert (from Death Notice of RR Mackay)
Charles Mackay - possibly died 12 September 1933 (pencil note on Death Notice of RR Mackay)
George Mackay.

If anyone recognises these names and can provide any information, I would be extremely greatful.
With thanks,  Shirley

[TracyG]

My maternal grandmother was Alice Mackay, married to John van Blerk. I am the eldest daughter of their youngest child, Alan John van Blerk. I am from Cape Town in South Africa and I would love to get in touch with you.

[barbarag]

Hi Tracy

Good to hear from you.  Reginald Randolph was the 4th child of William M(a)cKay and Elizabeth Frith.  My Grandmother, Harriette Isabella Mckay was the 10th child (born Sweden 1881).

This makes you and I 2nd cousins once removed.

I have information on most of the children with the exception of Reginald Randolph - perhaps you might be able to fill in some of the gaps?  If you are interested in the other siblings, I will happily share any information with you.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Shirley

[jamcat95]

Hi
An old post here. You might already have this by now.
Saw this and thought I would look into the name MacKay name in Sweden. There are quite a number of them in the databases including this family from 1881:

Mackay, William b.1841 - Father
Elisabeth b. 1844 - Mother
William Gordon b.1865
Donald Dangerfield b.1867
Reginald Randolf b.1868
Frederich George b.1871
Oscar Stanley b.1872
Harold b.1874
Vernon Harcourt b.1878
Alice b.1863
Florence b.1876
Lizzie b.1880


Ian

[brigidmac]

What an interesting list of names

The same family settled in Croydon London in 1891
As well as the ones already named
There was Harriet aged 8  & Margaret 6 born Sweden and
Gwendoline age 4 born Nottinghamshire
 
The eldest Alice 28 was born Newport
William 26 born Hull where their parents married

Donald 24 b Leigh
Frederick 20 Newcastle

Harold Florence Vernon  Lizzie all born Sweden

Reginald Randolph ,+ 0scar Stanly
Absent on this household

By my calculation  Harriet was the 11th of 13 children  6 born Sweden

I wish my Donald Mckay.s had had middle name of Dangerfield.

Does anyone know what trade William was in
wholesaler " grosshandlare" in Swedish
The Gothenburg census showed them with 2 domestic servants and a tutor so they must have been well-off

[barbarag]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I already had the information, Harriet(te) was the 12th child of 15, two having died. - as you say, at the time they were in a fortunate position, which like so many of that era, subsequently changed.

You ask about William being a wholesale "grosshandlere", he was a merchant dealing mainly in timber and iron.

Thanks again and happy hunting with your research.

[brigidmac]

I looked into this family for a Swedish based friend of my sister
I will send her link to rootschat as she's probably your relative

[barbarag]

Thanks - are you able to tell me which of the McKays she is connected to?

[brigidmac]

The original request to Sweden wanted to know more about William grandson of Lachlan McKay ...didn't say which child they were descended from .but presumably one born in Sweden

Heres comments about life in Gothenburg .".little London"
:
At the time
the 1800s, Gamlestaden was an industrial area (still is), with a massive factory for the textile industry, which grew even more and bought out the large sugar refinery there in the 1850s. I don't know how old this photo is, but it gives an idea.
https://www.stadshem.se/omrade/gamlestaden/

But maybe William was in some other trade. I think the margarine factory (still standing) came later, but isn't it a lovely building?
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellerins_margarinfabrik#/media/Fil:Pellerins_margarinfabrik.JPG