Sir William Mackenzie

Sir William Mackenzie 1849-1923, Canadian railroad builder and financier, b. Ontario. In the early 1870s he became a railroad contractor. He constructed portions of the Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific railroads. Entering (c.1888) into partnership with Sir Donald Mann, another Canadian Pacific contractor, he began the organization and construction of the far-flung network later known as the Canadian Northern Railway, of which Mackenzie became president. Taken over by the Canadian government in 1918, the railroad is now a part of the Canadian National Railway system. Mackenzie was knighted in 1911.

Mackenzie, Sir George (1636–91). ‘Bloody Mackenzie’ was a nephew of the 2nd earl of Seaforth [S], briefly secretary of state [S] to Charles II in exile. A lawyer by profession, he opposed the rule of Lauderdale at first but in 1677 was appointed king's advocate [S]. In this capacity he harassed the covenanters, particularly after the skirmish at Bothwell Bridge in 1679. He rated his services to the crown highly and is reported to have boasted that he deserved a statue riding behind Charles II's in Parliament Square. His use of torture and his legal ingenuity earned him his nickname and the 1680s were known in covenanting circles as ‘the killing time’. He took no part in public life after the Glorious Revolution.

J. A. Cannon

Mackenzie, Sir George (1636–91). ‘Bloody Mackenzie’ was a nephew of the 2nd earl of Seaforth [S], briefly secretary of state [S] to Charles II in exile. A lawyer by profession, he opposed the rule of Lauderdale at first but in 1677 was appointed king's advocate [S]. In this capacity he harassed the covenanters, particularly after the skirmish at Bothwell Bridge in 1679. His use of torture earned him his nickname and the 1680s were known in covenanting circles as ‘the killing time’. He took no part in public life after the Glorious Revolution.