Sir James Wilson McKay (12 March 1912[1] – 25 May 1992) was a Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh between 1969 and 1972. A Freemason, he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1979 to 1983.
Life edit
McKay was born in 1912 in Bo'ness, the son of John McKay, an insurance superintendent,[2] and Alice Easton Wilson McKay.[1] He was educated at Dunfermline High School in Dunfermline, Fife.[2]
McKay was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1971 Birthday Honours and knighted by Elizabeth II on 16 November 1971 at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth II.[3][4] He also received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1971.[5]
From 1979 to 1983 he was Grand Master Mason of Scotland, the head of Scottish freemasonry.[6]
He died in Edinburgh on 25 May 1992. He was cremated and his ashes are buried against the south wall of Cramond Parish Church in north-west Edinburgh.
Artistic recognition edit
He was portrayed in office by David Abercrombie Donaldson.[7]
Family edit
He was married to Janette (1917-2006), later Lady McKay.[8]
References edit
- ^ a b "1912 MCKAY, JAMES WILSON (Statutory registers Births 663/1 83)". ScotlandsPeople. National Records of Scotland. October 1975.
- ^ a b Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage. Kelly's Directories. 1973. p. 2288. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ "No. 45384". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1971. p. 5958.
- ^ "No. 45527". The London Gazette. 23 November 1971. p. 12761.
- ^ "Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". hw.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ^ "List of Grand Masters of Scotland | Masonic Forum of Light".
- ^ "David Abercrombie Donaldson". wahooart.com.
- ^ Grave of J W McKay, Cramond churchyard
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