Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

THE CKLTFO MONTHLY.
WILLIAM MACANDREW, ESSEX.
r--|dllHE subject of the accompanying portrait
XKp ''^ ^^'^' ^^^'l''**™ Macandrew of Westwood
^^^ House, Essex. He was born in 1828, at
Elgin, Moray.shire, and educated chiefly at
Liverpool. In tlie early forties he went out to
the west coast of South America to take up a
commercial career, and learned the rudiments of
business in the eminent firm of Messrs Graham,
Rowe & Co., of Valparaiso, of which he event-
ually became a partner.
In 1848 he proceeded to Peru to a confidential
position at Arequipa, with the wealthy firm of
Messrs. Jack, Brothers & Co. of that city, wliich
he held for four years, during which time he
acquired an e.\ceptional knowledge of the capa-
bilities of Southern Peru, during frequent jour-
neys to tiie interior towns and centres of produc-
tion. In 1852 he became the chief local partner
of that firm, and conducted the business at
Arequipa for several years, during which he
found time to travel extensively in the neigh-
bouring Repulilic of Bolivia, to study its com-
mercial possibilities. As a result of this investi-
gation he established a branch of Messrs. Jack
Brothers' business at Tacnn, which lie conducted
personally for some yenrs ; the Bolivian trade at
that time finding its natural outlet thmugh
Tacna, and its port Arica, and being both
important and lucrative.
In 18(30, after twelve years' residence in Peru,
lie retired with the intention of settling in this
country, and visited Valparaiso en route, witii
the intention of taking leave of his old friends
ill that cpntre. Here he was after some hesita-
tion, induced to postpone his retirement to
England for five years, and to accept proposals
made by his old employers, Messrs Graham,
Rowe A: Co. to re-enter their business as a
partner resident in Valparaiso. During this
period he travelled much in Chili, and extended
thereby his already consideralile knowledge of
the Republics of the Pacific Coast.
In 1865 he retired altogether from business,
and eventually bought a residential estate in
Essex, where he settled and was soon placed on
the Commission of the Peace for the County.
His sojourn on the West Coast of South America
lasted for twenty-one years, and the experience
acquired during this time led to his being much
sought after by his friends in London, who were
engaged in developing South American resources
and trade, to take part in the new enterprises
that were from time to time brought forward in
London. He joined several of these, and is still
the chairman of the Anglo-Chilian Nitrate and
Railway Company, and of the London Bank of
Mexico and South America. He is a Liberal
Unionist in politics and a memberof the Reform
Club. He is also a vice-president of the London
Morayshire Club, and a fellow of the Royal
Historical and Statistical Societies.
In 1888 the freedom of his native City of
Elgin was conferred on him, on the occasion of
the inauguration of a new Muckle Cross, which
he erected and presented to the City. It bears
the following inscription : —
Ye Muckle X oe Elgin
Bt!ILT ABOUT 1G30 = DESTROYED ABOUT 1792.
RE-BUILT AND PRESENTED TO HIS
NATIVIi CITY BY
William Macandrew
OF
WESTWOOD HOUSE, LITTLE HORKESLEV, ESSEX,
1888,
Ja.mes Black — Loud Provost.
TlUNSACTIONS OF THE GaEHC SOCIETY OF
Inverness. — We have just received the 20th
Volume of these Transactions. The contents cover
a wide field, almost every branch of study having a
chapter devoted to it. Dr. Fraser-Mackintdsh
treats of Minor Highland Families ; Sutherland
Place Names, by John Mack.ny, Hereford ; Legends
of Kintyre, by Rev. D. J. Macdonald, Killean ;
Gleanings from the Charter Chest at Cluny Castle,
by Provost Macpherson, Kingussie ; Old Gaelic
System of Personal Names, by Alexander Macbain,
M.A. The Legends and Traditions of Strathardle,
by Charles Ferguson, Fairburn, ia one of the most
attractive papers in this very interesting volume.
There are several other excellent papers, such as
that by Rev. A. Maclean Sinclair on "Unpubbshed
Gaelic Songs." Altogether the Gaelic Society
deserve to be congratulated on their latest volume
of Transactions, in our opinion it is the best (yet
published. This Society has done splendid service
in issuing these valuable products of each year's
work, and for this alone it deserves the support of
every Highlander who is interested in the literature
of his country.
The Good Ship " Matthew," by A. C. Mac-
pherson (J. W. AiTowsmith, Bristol). In this
little work, Mr. Macpherson, whose name should
be familiar to our readers, treats of the voyage of
the "Matthew," commanded by those brave English
seamen, the Cabots, who sailed away into unknown
seas and discovered the New World. Mr.
Macpherson has the poetic gift in no ordinary
degree, the verses being written in a spirited and
tuneful measure. He has also recently published
a Clan ode, with Royal Salute, entitled, "Hail!
Clan Chattan ! "
It is only a few years ago that the Prime Minister
of Holland was Baron ^Eneas Mackay, cousin of
the Chief of the clan, and now among the Vans
in the new Dutch Ministry is a M,icLeod~Vice-
Adiiiiral MacLeod, who is responsible for the
navy.