Photo Description
This picture of Abbian House was taken sometime in the 1920's when it was the British Linen Bank and Bank House. The left hand part is now part of the Tain branch of the Bank of Scotland and the right hand part a private house. The gentleman, second from right, is Charles Ian Mackenzie who was the Bank Agent at the time. He was born at Rhamore, Edderton, in 1856.
| Cat No. | 2715 |
| Year | 1925 |
| Albums | Businesses / Places |
| Date added | April 26th, 2004 |
| Added by | Tain & District Museum |
Katharine Broome
I lived in the Bank House for several months at the beginning of WW2. My mother, brother & I were "evacuated" from Tees-side & stayed with my uncle Charlie Anderson who was the Manager at the time.
Donald Frederick Lyon Cross
I believe my father, Donalds Mackenzie Cross, is second from the left. He was born in Lochalsh Road, Inverness in 1900, and served in Tain Branch followed by Perth, and finally Grangemouth.
Estelle Quick
Charles Mackenzie was the brother of Murdo Mackenzie "the cattle king" of the Prairie Cattle Company, Colorado. Maud Fraser (nee Rattray) lived in Chapel Road behind the Bank House as a child. She told me once that she and her sister used to watch the Mackenzie's maid climbing out of the window in the evening to meet her young man - Mrs Charles was very strict!
Ryan Macleay Mackenzie
Charles Ian Mackenzie was not only a brother to the Murdo Mackenzie mentioned above but his eldest brother happened to be a David Mackenzie who was my Great Great Grandfather, this is the first time i've ever seen this picture.
Lori Whitener
Charles Ian Mackenzie's younger sister, Barbara Mackenzie was my Great Grandmother and this is also the first time I have seen this photo. Barbara came to the United States with Murdo on what was to be a 6 month trip to help with the children. She met and married WJ Cartwright who was a superintendent with the Prairie Cattle Company in Texas. They married in Trinidad, Colorado and lived in various places in New Mexico for the rest of their life.
Ian Harris
Charles Ian Mackenzie was also brother to my great-grandmother, Jessie (1854-1941). She, Charles and the above-mentioned David, Murdo and Barbara were among eleven children born at Rhamore farm, Edderton (aka. Rathmore) to tenant farmers Jessie & David Mackenzie. The family later moved to nearby Craigroy farm. My great-grandmother, Jessie, emigrated in 1879 to New Zealand with her first husband, John Gallie, but he died there soon after from appendicitis, so she returned to Craigroy with her two young daughters and later married my great-grandfather, Alexander MacArthur (1863-1938) who was employed at nearby Balblair, but came from Nairnshire. I am the only living descendant of both Alexander & Jessie, and have lived in Denmark almost 30 years.
Robin Baker
My grandfather, William Cowper Thomson, worked at the British Linen Bank (Tain) from 1917 until 1924 transferring to Glasgow in that year. It is possible he could be the gentleman in the left of the picture although I unsure of this. His family owned the Railway Hotel which his mother ran from 1909, when she was widowed, until 1927. His youngest sister (May) was I believe dux of Tain Academy in 1921.
Tim Johnson
Charles MacKenzie and his wife Helen were my great-great-grandparents, via their daughter Isabel. It's great to find this picture and see comments from distant relatives!