McGill Libraries
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Mackay, R. (Robert), 1816-1888
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1816-1888
History
Robert Mackay was born on October 27, 1816, in Montreal, Quebec.
He was a judge and philanthropist. After being admitted to the bar in 1838, he developed a highly successful law practice in partnership with W.H. Austin and received acknowledgment of his professional accomplishments by becoming Batonnier of the Montreal Bar. In 1867, he became Queen's Counsel, and in 1868, Judge of the Superior Court. Due to ill health, he retired from the judiciary in 1882. He also served on the McGill Board of Governors from 1879 to 1887 and bequeathed his book collection consisting of some 2,000 titles, of which 450 were on non-law subjects to McGill university. In addition to his legal/judicial career, he had a great interest in art, becoming President of the Montreal Art Association in 1882. He donated his valuable art collection to the Fraser Institute.
He was married to Ann Kearney (-1843) and in 1848, he remarried Christina MacKay (1824-). He died on February 23, 1888, in Montreal, Quebec.