Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 6, 1898

THE CELTIC MONTHLY:
4 MAGAZINE FOU HIGHLANDERS.
Edited by JOHN MACKAY, Glasgow.
No. 8. Vol. VI.]
MAY, If
[Price Threepence.
JOSEPH MACKAY, SIAM.
1855, married
frewshire lady, and
settled temporarily in
Dumbarton, where the
subject of our sketch
was born in 1857.
The family after-
wards removed to New
Zealand, where Mr.
Mackay was educated.
From there he was
sent home in 1874 to
receive an engineering
training in Greenock.
This completed, he left
in 1879 to join the
staff (if the Indian
Government Dockyard
at Calcutta, but soon
left that service to
obtain a marine experi-
ence. After qualify-
ing for and obtaining
the certificates in the
various grades of
marine engineering, he
came home again in
1882, and married
Miss Sara Thomson,
Kilmarnock.
After a i>rief holiday
he received an appoint-
^«pR. JOSEPH MAO-
^roah KAY, Manager of
J^V^ the Bangkok Dock
Co, Ltd., Siam, and Presi-
dent of the St. Andrew's
Society there, is descended
from the Mackays of Tain,
Ross-shire. His father,
Daniel Mackay, left Tain in
Ren-
MRS. JOSEPH MACKAY
ment in the Novelty Iron Works, Hong Kong,
and was afterwards put in charge of the West
Point Iron Works In 1885 he was induced to
leave Hong Kong and enter the service of the
Bangkok Dock Co., Ltd., as Superintendent
Engineer, receiving the appointment of Manager
three years later. Since then the business of
the Company has increased rapidly, an additional
dock having been constructed and the resources
of the Company trebled. Mr. Mackay was, on
1st January, 1895, presented by the Managing
Director, Admiral Bush, with a gold watch and
chain, bearing a suitable inscription, as a token of
appreciation. In 1890 he was elected a member
of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
During that year he and a few " brither
Scots " formed a St.
Andrew's Society in
Bangkok, the following
being the basis of its
constitution : — " The
Society has been
formed in order that
there may be in Bang-
kok a regularly consti-
tuted body of Scotsmen,
under whose auspices
and control the anni-
versary of St Andrew
may be observed, and
who may take cogni-
zance of, discuss, and
take steps in regard
to any matters which
possess a national
interest. The Society
shall also be a chari-
table association to
relieve distressed and
deserving countrymen,
in so far as considered
desirable and the funds
will permit, and also to
administer any special
funds which may be
placed at their disposal
for [the relief of
distressed Scotsmen."