John McKenzie

Awarded the compensation for a group of enslaved people in British Guiana. John McKenzie made his own registration in British Guiana in 1832, but was in Britain to collect his compensation. If, as appears likely, he is the man below, he settled in Britain permanently only c. 1850.

1. John McKenzie married Isabella (1817-1908), daughter of Donald Munro and Mary Munro of Skye. Mary Munro's family the McCraes had interests in sugar production in Demerera from the early 1800s, with Kenneth McCrae. Later Alexander McCrae wrote a Manual of Plantership in British Guiana, published in 1856. John and Isabella lived in British Guiana until 1850 when they returned to Scotland, living in Cockpen a small hamlet south west of Edinburgh. When John died he left his estate to his wife, along with £2,672 invested in shares with British Guiana Bank in Georgetown. Isabella remained in Scotland after her husband's death, living in the Grange area of Edinburgh. The family also had connections with the East India Company. When Isabella died she still owned 167 shares in the British Guiana Bank, and left an estate £6,366.75.

2. John McKenzie, retired West Indian planter, aged 51 born Sutherlandshire, was living in 1851 at Grove End, Cockpen, Midlothian, with wife Isabella 34 born Invernesshire and two children, Gilbert 3 and Donald 2, both born Demerara West Indies.  By 1861, Isabella McKenzie was living at the White House, Inveresk, Midlothian with her two sons and two nephews, one also born Demerara.

British Guiana no. 1160. John McKenzie registered 26 slaves 1832 T71/430 p 715.

1. Fully referenced e-mail from James Waugh, based upon archival research [16/8/2015].

2. 1851 Scotland census online, which transcribes the children's birthplaces as 'Dunarana'; 1861 Scotland census online.

We are grateful to James Waugh for his help compiling this entry.