On the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France is the name of 23/569 Private Alexander Mackay, serving with the 23rd (Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers who died 01/07/1916.

In St. Marys Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:

In loving memory of
Jane
beloved wife of Alexander Mackay
who died July 27 1921 aged 65 years

Also their sons
Pte. A. Mackay 23/N.F.
who fell in France
July 1st 1916 aged 22 years

Tpr. J.R. Mackay, 14th Kings Hussars
who died at Basra
Dec. 30th 1917 aged 28 years.

also the above
Alexander Mackay
died Feb. 3rd 1943, aged 86 years.

Also A.B. Jack Mackay Tyrie, R.N.
grandson of the above, who was
accidently drowned at Singapore
on June 18th 1946, aged 20 years.

Colon McMillan has provided the following:

Alexander MacKay was the youngest of four surviving children born to Alexander MacKay and Jane MacKay. He was born in 1894.

The 1901 census shows that his father, who was born in Morpeth, was a 44 year old grocer’s cartman and that his mother was 45 and born in Newcastle. Alexander’s siblings were 13 year old Nora MacKay, 11 year old John R. MacKay and 10 year old Nance MacKay. All were born in Morpeth where the family lived at 1 Corporation Square.

By 1911 all of the children were at work. 23 year old Nora worked as a shop assistant in a sweet shop, John R., who was 21 worked as an ostler, Nance (20) worked as a dressmaker’s assistant while Alexander,  by then 17, was a farm labourer. The family were living at 8 Corporation Square, Morpeth.

Alexander MacKay enlisted into the 23rd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers with the rank of private and the service number 23/569. He died on 1st July 1916. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

His brother John R. MacKay was also killed in World War 1.

Alexander Mackay is remembered in Morpeth on M17.01, M17.02, M17.09, in the Battalion History and possibly on M17.29