James Mackay (New Zealand politician, born 1804)
| James Mackay | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Town of Nelson |
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In office 1853 – 1855 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1804 Scotland |
| Died |
(aged 71) Nelson, New Zealand |
| Political party | Independent |
| Relations | James Mackay (son) |
James Mackay (1804 – 29 May 1875) was a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the 1st New Zealand Parliament. He is remembered for the incident with Henry Sewell in Parliament in 1854.
James Mackay was born in 1804 in Aberdeen, Scotland, the second son of Alexander Mackie and Elspet (née Davidson). He was one of eleven children born between 1799 and 1821. Though his father was the owner of a large shipping company in Aberdeen, James reinvented himself as being born and bred a highlander, which is a likely reason for him assuming the name Mackay.
As a young man he moved to London where he was employed as a banker, probably by Lloyds, as he remained their agent in Nelson until 1859. He had studied political economy and free trade principals under John Ramsay McCulloch, which he claimed meant that he supported all measures which had a progressive tendency. Politically, he participated in committees and actively supported liberal causes such as the passing of the Reform Bill, which gave greater suffrage to common people.
In about 1831, when they were both 27, Mackay married Ann Charles. From 1829 to 1848 they had eight children, the first six being born in London and the youngest two in New Zealand. They also raised two sons of his late younger brother, who were born in Edinburgh. At the end of 1844 the family embarked from London on the Slains Castle for Nelson, New Zealand. Before leaving, Mackay commissioned a painting which portrays the family as highlanders departing Scotland in tartans and travel attire, stocked with sheep, calves, poultry, ploughs and other accoutrements required for starting a new life in a distant land.
Arriving in Nelson in January 1845, Mackay established a farm in Wakapuaka, which he named Drumduan. He also had a town house, a sheep-run in the Wairau after 1847, and in 1852 he established a cattle and sheep-run in Golden Bay in conjunction with his eldest son James Mackay junior.
Mackay soon became actively involved with local affairs, joining institutions and voicing his opinion at public meetings. He joined the volunteer forces and had the rank of captain. He was also a magistrate. When representative government was established in New Zealand in 1853, he became a member of the House of Representatives for the Town of Nelson. He was also a member of the Provincial Council for the Town of Nelson from 1857–1861.
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