Mr Mackay of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh

 

I wandered into unfamiliar waters yesterday. The fault of this piece of sheet music ..

Interesting, thought I. A song -- a theatre song -- published in Scotland ... when? why? And who was Mr Mackay? Why is there no writer's name, no composer's name? Just Mr Mackay ... Is this a trad ballad? Lots of questions there.

Well, apparently the original lyric was written by Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne, who made a hobby of this sort of thing. The music was second-hand, taken, it is said from an older ditty titled 'When she cam' ben, she bobbit'. Lady Nairne's version was published, anonymously, in a set of volumes of songs around 1822. I cannot find any record of it being sung prominently in public until 1826 when it was performed at the Theatre Royal by Mr Mackay ...

The song (already, here, billed as 'old') and the tale went what would now be called 'viral'. It was parodied, adapted, arranged, spoiled, the Laird made the 'hero' of a novel and the name of posh dogs and racehorses, and the little tale of the lass who turned down a lofty suitor became a classic.

Scottish music historians have, I am sure, gone into the history of the song in great detail.  I am here to document Mr Mackay who seems, to all intents and purposes, to have launched the song on its rocket to success.

Many years ago, in my early days of Victorian Vocalisting, I was battling with the history of the soprano 'Claudina Fiorentini' and I came upon a 'biography' of the lady, on line. I wasted time on following up the details in the said article ... and then discovered it was someone playing fiction. I see, à propos, that there is also a published biography of Mackay. But I am older and warier nowadays: it, too, is admittedly fiction. So I, who always do my own primary-sources research, am ignoring anything and everything previously written and getting down to home-made brass facts.

Mr Mackay (always thus billed) was Charles MACKAY. There seems to be some doubt about his year of birth -- quoted, here and there, as anywhere between 1784 and 1787 -- even his gravestone in Old Calton Cemetery doesn't seem to know for sure -- but his father was named Hugh, and the event took place in or around Edinburgh.

At his death, he was granted a vast obituary, which I shall reprint here before double checking it against my own (large) list of professional credits .. because, you know, obits are inclined to be 'selective' ..

OK. Now my version. Facts only, obviously :-)

Our obituarist clearly and/or personally knew something to give Mackay's birthplace as High Street, Edinburgh, and the month as October 1787. So do we accept his say-so? I think so. Because in 1850 Charles signed an affadavit (why?) that he was 'born in one of the houses on the northsaide of the city in the month of October 1787'. Which I daresay is the source for the statement.

But what of his first thirty years? Was he acting? 'made some name at Aberdeen'?  Aberdeen was, at this stage, part of the Northern circuit of Scots theatre, recently come under the management of Mr Corbet Ryder. Alas, I can find no playbills from that place and time. All I know is that, when he was announced for Edinburgh, in 1818, he was said to be 'of the provincial theatres', or 'of the Theatres Royal, Glasgow and Aberdeen'. Glasgow and Aberdeen were 'provincial'??

So, I scoured some more and I found just a few crumbs:

'left Edinburgh for Glasgow when about nine years of age, where he sojourned for five years, thence he became a wanderer in many lands ...'  That sounds like a masterpiece of blurifcation. There is a suggestion that he had been, in his youth, a soldier. Anyway, the article which claims this then jumps a decade to Rob Roy in 1819. Nearly two decades. Well, I can do just a little bit better:

May 1818 'Mr Mackay from the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. First appearance in Perth': Teazle in School for Scandal.

But also: married 18 December 1816 in Greenock: Charles Mackay. To a young actress named Charlotte O'Keeffe. Greenock, eh? So he is already on the 'provincial' stage, it seems, in 1816.

Not much, is it? Anyhow, Charles Mackay was over thirty years old when he made his debut at the theatre of his own hometown, and there he would make his fame.

He made his first appearance at the Theatre Royal on 24 December 1818, playing Old Russet in The Jealous Wife, and, in the new year, he followed up in other roles of the 'old men' line --  Sir Robert Bramble in The Poor Gentleman, Sir George Thunder in Wild Oats, Donald Ramsay in The Wanderer, Fitzherbert in Which is the Man? ...

And then, came Rob Roy. The 'opera' had been produced at Covent Garden in 1818, with Liston featured in the role of Bailie Nicol Jarvie of the Sautmarket 'son of the worthy Deacon Nicol Jarvie'. And with enormous success. In February 1819, it came to the boards at Edinburgh, with comparable success. Hamerton (Rob Roy), theatre manager Harriet Siddons (Helen McGregor), the singing juvenile lady (Miss McAlpine) all fulfilled their roles laudably, Mr Duff scored as the Dugald Cratur ... but the huge honours of the evening went to Mr Mackay, as the Bailie:

'The Bailie could scarcely have fallen into better hands ... The odd humour, honesty and benevolence, the blended courage and fears of the original Nicol Jarvie, werer well conceived and delineated without the slightest approach to biuffoonery and cariacature. He seemed, indeed, to be the indentical merchant and magistrate of the Salt Market, Glasgow, so admirably painted by the unknown author of the novel ..' 'the life and spirit of the piece' ...

Mackay as Nicol Jarvie

The role of the Bailie would stay with Mackay throughout his career, indeed, his life ... he performed it at the greatest theatres in the British Isles to tumultuous receptions and amazing reviews ... and he assumed the character on stage and off for the enjoyment of all concerned.

But, for now, he was a member of Mrs Siddons and William H Murray's repertoire company, and the theatre's playbill, of course, changed every few nights. I've picked up the following pieces and roles amongst those that he played (in no particular order) in the remaining months of 1819:

Lord Mayor in Richard III

Farmer Enfield in The Falls of Clyde

Doctor Gullem in Mr H

Touchstone in As You Like It

Somno in The Sleepwalker

Clown in Twelfth Night

Sir Francis Wronghead in The Provok'd Husband

Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice

Old Fickle in The Weathercock

Polonius in Hamlet

Roque/Lope Tocho in The Mountaineers

Anothony Absolute in The Rivals

Starvemouse in Rochester

Chronicle in The Young Quaker

Job Thornberry in John Bull

Baron de Blusterville in A Short Reign and a Merry One

Mr Mackay was not hired as a vocalist, but, as he would prove time and again, he could put over a song most effectively. The Provok'd Husband is the first time I see him, here, with a song ('A woman is like to', originally sung two decades earlier in Lock and Key).

The plays and the roles rolled over manifold into 1820, and brought Mackay a second huge hit. A second role provided by the still anonymous 'author of Waverley'. This time it was Scott's Heart of Midlothian ..

The role of the Lord of Dumbledike was to be another enduring part for Mackay. 

PS I notice that the adaptor is not named, and feel that this version may have been more axed on the men rather than the later favourite Jeannie and Effie Deans, and Madge Wildfire, here played by Miss Rock, the house vocalist. Note Mrs Mackay in the small part of Lady Suffolk.

Donald in The Steward

Sir Solomon Cynic in The Will

Shelty in The Highland Reel

Aberdeen Lingo in The Agreeable Surprise

Sir Hugh Evans in The Merry Wives of Windsor

Hallowe'en or The Vampire and the Water Kelpie

Edie Ochiltree in The Antiquary

Growley in The Budget of Blunders

Picard in Therese the Orphan of Geneva

Pinceau in Henri Quatre

Grand Chamberlain in John of Paris

Jacob in Calas, the Merchant of Toulouse

The Edinburgh Theatre did not run twelve months of the year. In the summer it made 'relâche' and the artists were free to take engagements elsewhere

In 1820, Mr Mackay's 'other' engagement was at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 

He was also seen as Dominie Sampson in Guy Mannering and as Dumbledike in The Heart of Midlothian and his reputation, henceforth, was not just a local one, but a national one.

Back in Edinburgh, it was more of the same. Not only repeated repeats of his two big hits, but the usual run of other pieces:

Shallow in Henry IV

Don Pedro in The Wonder

Sir Francis Gripe in The Busybody

Andrew Mucklestone in The Warlock of the Glen 

Jemmy Green in Life in London

The Governor of Siberia in The Desert of Siberia

Captain Dugald Dalgetty of Drumthwackett in The Legend of Montrose with trio 'Green Grow the Rashes, O'

Lord Scratch in The Dramatist

Sir Pryer Oldencourt in The Duel

Sie Walter Weathercock in The Dead Alive

Cuddie Headrigg in The Battle of Bothwell Bridge

Marral in A New Way to Pay Old Debts

Bartolo in The Barber of Seville

Friar Tuck in Ivanhoe

Osmyn in The Sultan

Bryce Snailsfoot in The Pirate
Sir Bashful Constant in The Way to Keep Him

Caleb Baldestone in The Bride of Lammermoor

I notice that the role of Nicol Jarvie now had a song: 'Bailey Nicol Jarvie's Journey to Aberfoil'. 

In the off-season, Mackay went to Kilmarnock on 50% of the profit terms!

Jobson in The Devil to Pay

Restive in Turn Out

Plainway in Raising the Wind

Snarl in The Village Lawyer

Brummagem in Lock and Key

Mr Pritchard Flail in The Irish Tutor

The Baron of Brawardine in Waverley

Dominique in Paul and Virginia

Lord Duberly etc in The Heir at Law

Squire Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer

Giuseppo in Native Land

Sir John Contrast in The Lord of the Manor

Mr Solomon in The Stranger

Old Mirabel in The Inconstant

Captain Bertram in The Birth-Day

Motley in The Castle Spectre

Gabriotto in The Sleeping Draught

Abednego in The Jew and the Doctor

Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet

Governor Heartall in The Soldier's Daughter

Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro

Robin in No Song, No Supper

Lord Danberry in To Marry or not to Marry

Governor Tempest in The Wheel of Fortune

Marvell in A New Way to Pay Old Debts

Captain Gorgon of the "Thunderbomb" in Love Among the Roses

Admiral Franklin in Sweethearts and Wives

Christopher in Der Freischütz

2nd Citizen in Julius Caesar

Dogberry in Measure for Measure

Lockett in The Beggar's Opera

Quake in The Rendezvous

Mr Tresylian in Dog Days in Bond Street

Mr Aldwinkle in The Spectre Bridegroom

Stanley in Mrs Smith

Duke of Murcia in The Child of Nature

Mr Denhamster Clackit in The Guardian

Justice Woodcock in Love in a Village

Tag in The Spoil'd Child

And, amongst all this, came the third Walter-Scottish triumph of Mackay's career. An adaptation of the tale St Ronan's Well, or the House of Mowbray in which he took the role -- in skirts, for a rare occasion -- of Meg Dodds, the landlady of the Cleikum Inn. So great was 'her' success, that the play was forthwith renamed The Cleikum Inn. And he had a song 'There Cam' a Young Man to my Daddy's Door'. This number was another which, under various titles ('The Brisk Young Lad', 'The Cauldrife Wooer'), was already a favourite, and has become a part of Scottish 'traditional' minstrelsy.

Dromio of Syracuse in A Comedy of Errors

Mons Bonhomme in Two Galley Slaves

Richard Moniplies in George Heriot

Sir Christopher Curry in Inkle and Yarico

Roby Allsprice in The Way to Get Married

Don Jerome in The Duenna

Linco in Cymon

Druggett in Three Weeks after Marriage

Sir John Bull in Fontainbleau

Master Anthony Forster in Kenilworth

Rolama in Clari

Colonel Hardy in Paul Pry

Bras de Fer in Tekeli

Crabtree in School for Scandal

Baptista in The Banditti of Rosenwald

Sandy Macfarlane in Mary Stuart with song 'Bid ye yer'

John Howison of Braehead in Cramond Brig

Shilric in Malvina

Captain Copp in Charles II

Benjamin in Maid or Magpie (aka The Magpie or the Maid)

Bruhl in The Woodman's Hut

Hardy in The Belle's Stratagem

Briefwit in The Weathercock

Mr Harold Grainger in The Miller's Maid

Don Christoval de Tormes in Brother and Sister

Peter in The Cabinet

Sir Harry Sycamore in The Maid of the Mill

Colonel Hardy in Paul Pry

Don Scipio in The Castle of Andalusia

Darby in The Poor Soldier

Titus in Virginus

Lord Sands in Henry VIII

Sir Leatherlip Grossfeeder in Jonathan in England

It was in this period that he sang, on occasion, 'The Laird o' Cockpen' as an addition to whatever play was billed, and the piece was published by the Music Saloon, 47 Prince's Street. Alas, our copy dinna seem to have a publisher's imprint, but I have a feeling this was it. And, no, I have no idea who Alexander Robertson was. There were a vast number thus named, most of whom seem to have hanged, murdered or othwise hard done by.

It was also at this period that he essayed the role of Sir Pertinax MacSycophant in The Man of the World. Which puts paid to the last anecdote in the obituary, which (as so often) thus makes one unwilling to rely on the rest of the eulogy. It was judged not a wise choice, so perhaps he chose to pretend it hadn't happened.

It was also at this period that the Theatre Royal published its salary list. For the 35 weeks of the year that the theatre was open, Mr and Mrs Mackay were paid £4 per week. Mr Jones was top dog at 4 guineas, Calcraft was on 3 guineas, and Mr Duff, the Dugal Cratur of Rob Roy, but 2gns. 

It was also at this period that Walter Scott came out of the closet and admitted that he was 'the author of Waverley'. Apparently there was a merry face-to-face between he and Mackay ... the latter in the character of the Bailie. It made a fun story for the press, whether factual or not.

Yussuf in The Siege of Belgrade

Sir Matthew Scraggs in Englishmen in India

Baron de Boncoeur in The Rencontre

Bygrove in Know your own Mind

Drainemdry in Giovanni in London

In the off-season of 1828, Mackay went to Liverpool to give his Rob Roy. He may very well have visited before, but this is the first time I have caught him there. The Gastspiel was a distinct success, and he would henceforth visit Liverpool for a number of years with his main hits, as well as appearing in the usual number of other plays, at home and away:

Commander Hurricane in No!!

General d'Aumont in Henri Quatre

Mr Solus in Everyone Has His Fault

Mr Sterling in The Clandestine Marriage

King Arthur in Tom Thumb

Astley in The Castle Spectre

Mr Primrose in Popping the Question

Jock Muir in Gilderoy

After fifteen years at Edinburgh, he was now seen more often further afield. Manchester also became a regular date and I spot him doing starring engagements at Carlisle, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Belfast, Newcastle, Dundee  ...

Grumio in Katherine and Petruchio

Midas in Midas

Uncle John in Uncle John

1st Witch in Macbeth

At Edinburgh, he had a new role with a song: Caleb Quotem in the 1808 piece The Review, or the Wags of Windsor (I'm Parish Clerk, I'm Sexton Here') ... 

and, playing now at the local Adelphi, continued on his way

Pickwick in Scraps from Pickwick

Stephano in The Tempest

Landlord in The Ferry of Tobolsk

Old Rapid in Cure for the Heartache

Peter Trot in Town and Country

Poor Peter Peebles in Red Gauntlet

Duncan MacLoom in The Paisley Weaver singing 'The Laird o'Cockpen'

David Damper in Single Life

Peachum in The Beggar's Opera

Shylock in The Merchant of Venice ..

Baldy in The Gentle Shepherd 

I see him in Liverpool in 1842, in Dublin in 1843 and at Liverpool, again, later at the Dunlop Street Theatre, Glasgow (Bailie, Jock Howison) and in Cupar in 1848 ... I see his wife taking a Benefit at Dundee in 1849 ...

He officially retired from the permanent company of the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh (a different building, now, from that of 1818) in 1841, and altogether, on 25 April 1848, signing out with a farewell performance of Cramond Brig, but, alas, my last sighting of Charles Mackay 'the celebrated representative of Scotch characters' on a playbill is at Inverness in 1842, still playing Meg Dodds, still singing 'Daddy's Door' ...

'Retired' or not, he worked on, into the 1850s. And, in 1852, he appeared at the Edinburgh Adelphi in The Man of the World. This time, the reviews were laudatory. 'We are not aware of his appearing in the role before' commented the local press. Which is probably where the error in the obituary originated. Rob Roy, Cramond Brig and Gilderoy followed, with Rebecca Isaacs as leading lady .. 

Charles and Charlotte had three surviving children. Their daughter Charlotte (Mrs Shiels) died aged 27. Elder son, Charles Graham, lived into the 20th century while younger son, Hector (b 1826), essayed himself on the stage, with the ghastly 'son of' tag attached. He doesn't seem to have made a mark. Anyway, he ran off to Canada, became a constable, got arrested for murder of a prisoner, condemned to death ... and commuted to seven years' in prison. After that ...

As you can see, I have spent many hours immersing myself in the doings of Mr Mackay. I have found a good deal, but also interesting is what I have NOT found. Nowhere in the thousand contemporary newspapers and playbills that I have scanned have I ever seen him referred to as 'the real Mackay'. Mythology? He was celebrated nationswide as 'Mr Mackay', why would he need an adjective? Yes, latterly there was another Charles Mackay, a successful poet who billed himself thus ... well, maybe I have just looked in the wrong thousand places.

I'm sure there is much, much more to be exhumed concerning Mr Mackay. I've enjoyed digging up this much. Any additions greatly received.