Date of Birth: 05/06/1859
Place of Birth: Wallendenbeen Station near Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death: 16/11/1935
Place of Death: Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia
Parliamentary Service
| Vice President of Executive Council |
06 Jun 1903 |
29 Aug 1904 |
1 year 2 months 24 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Council |
18 Oct 1899 |
22 Apr 1934 |
34 years 6 months 5 days |
Life Appointment under the Constitution Act. Date of Writ of Summons 15 September 1899 |
| Vice President of Executive Council |
15 Sep 1899 |
24 Apr 1900 |
7 months 10 days |
|
| Privilege Committee No.11 |
23 Aug 1899 |
30 Aug 1899 |
8 days |
|
| Library Committee No.5 |
02 Aug 1899 |
10 Oct 1899 |
2 months 9 days |
|
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 |
18 Jul 1899 |
23 Dec 1899 |
5 months 6 days |
|
| Library Committee No.3 |
13 Apr 1899 |
21 Apr 1899 |
9 days |
|
| Library Committee No.2 |
21 Feb 1899 |
30 Mar 1899 |
1 month 10 days |
|
| Care of Rachel Dawson Committee No.20 |
22 Oct 1898 |
23 Dec 1898 |
2 months 2 days |
|
| Library Committee No. 4 |
25 Aug 1898 |
23 Dec 1898 |
3 months 29 days |
|
| Member for Boorowa |
27 Jul 1898 |
15 Sep 1899 |
1 year 1 month 20 days |
|
| Library Committee No. 4 |
28 Jun 1898 |
08 Jul 1898 |
11 days |
|
| Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 |
28 Apr 1897 |
10 Dec 1897 |
7 months 13 days |
|
| Library Committee No.3 |
28 Apr 1897 |
10 Dec 1897 |
7 months 13 days |
|
| Claim of Richardson, Turner & Co Committee No.36 |
21 Oct 1896 |
12 Nov 1896 |
23 days |
|
| Narrandera Roman Catholic Church Trustees Enabling Bill Committee No.15 |
02 Jul 1896 |
22 Jul 1896 |
21 days |
|
| Library Committee No.3 |
14 May 1896 |
16 Nov 1896 |
6 months 3 days |
|
| Borough of Redfern Electric Lighting Bill Committee No.11 |
08 Oct 1895 |
17 Oct 1895 |
10 days |
|
| Library. Committee No. 3 |
20 Aug 1895 |
08 Jul 1898 |
2 years 10 months 19 days |
|
| Member for Boorowa |
24 Jul 1895 |
08 Jul 1898 |
2 years 11 months 15 days |
|
| Member for Boorowa |
24 Jan 1895 |
05 Jul 1895 |
5 months 12 days |
|
| Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly |
24 Jan 1895 |
15 Sep 1899 |
4 years 7 months 23 days |
|
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Pastoralist; poet and dramatist. Educated at Camden College and Sydney Grammar School. Early experience on father's 50,000 acre station at Wallendbeen and later inherited part of it. Noted roughrider and amateur jockey. Between 1887 and 1908, under the name of Kenneth Mackay, he published three books of poetry and two novels. He also wrote a play, an Australian drama, in five acts, in collaboration with the actor-dramatist Alfred Dampier, called 'To the West', in 1896.
Military Service
Joined volunteers and raised West Camden Light Horse in 1885. Commissioned in 1886, Captain until 1896, raised first Australian Volunteer Horse Regiment in 1897; Mayor and Lieutentant Colonel in 1898. Commanded New South Wales 6th Imperial Bushmen's contingent at Boer War in 1900. Chief staff officer and assistant adjutant general of overseas colonial forces, Capetown from 1900 until 1901. Mentioned in despatches. Colonel 1912. Brigadier first Light Horse Brigade 1912; formulated a scheme for Australian Reserve Army 1915, Brigadier General in 1920; retired in 1920 as a Major General. Resolution of Sympathy passed in the Legislative Council on 19 November 1935.
Honours Received
Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), 1912; Volunteer Officers' Decoration (VD), 1912; Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 1920.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Son of Alexander Mackay, pastoralist, and his wife Annie Mackenzie . Married Mabel Katherine White, daughter of John Coppock White, in 1890 and they had 2 daughters. Presbyterian.
Additional Information
Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB), Volume 10.
Eric Irvin, Dictionary of the Australian Theatre 1788 - 1914 (1985)
