Figure 1.--A man representing himself as James Mackay commisioned a portrait of his family by William Allsworth. Mckay was painted in a romantic Highlands setting surrounded by his large family and two nephews and amist a mountain of luggage. They are departing the Scottish Highlands and headed for New Zealand in 1844. The children are depicted in two groups. Left group: We think that the left group are sons James Junior and Robert with one of their sisters. They look to be out 6-13 years old. James wears a Highland kilt outfit with Glengarry, black military jacket, kilt sporran and other reglia with knee socks. His younger brother Robert wears a checked dress and plaid full plaid with Scottish knee socks. His dress is shortr than his sister's dresses, perhaps because kilts were worn shorter. We are not sure about his hat. The 'full plaid' is a length of tartan (usually the same tartan as the kilt) which both boys are wearing, although the older boy has a black full plaid which is hard to see. The full plaid is wrapped around the wearer's chest, and under the right arm with the excess material being thrown over the left shoulder, probably a artifact of the extra material worn as part of the great kilt (breacan or belted plaid). Their older sister wears a bonnet, cloak and dress. We do not note anything Scottish about her clothes. Right group: Put your cursor on the image to see the right group. Here we see mother and three more children, One of the Mackay girls and the two nephews: Alexander Tertius Mackay and James Tertius Mackay. This group looks looks about 7-13 years old.The girl wears a dark dress, again without any Scottish styling. We do not see his hat. The older boys looks to be wearing a plaid tunic, a plaid wrap, with pantalettes and a cap we can not quite make out. Wemight have thought the younger boy would have worn this. His younger brother wears a plaid wrap and a tam. As you can see kneesocks, we are guessing he is wearing a kilt.

We have very little information about William Allsworth born (1811). His parents were Ralph and Mary. He exhibited 10 paintings at the Royal Academy -- London) (1836-56). All but one was a portrait. He was not a member of the Academy. His wife was Georgiana who surbived him. They lived at in Camden Town / St Pancras in 1861, which isn’t far from Bethnal Green. He also exhibited two portraits at the British Institute (1854 and 1856). His most notable work is 'The Emigrants’ (1844). This is the work that we fond interesting because it depicts a Scottish emigrant family with eight children. The individuals are painted in a rather stiff manner, giving the scene a rather a ‘naïve’ look. His portrairs seem more professionally done. But the clothing is pinted in detail. The only problem is that rather than a scene painted in Scotland, it appears to have been painted in London. The family was suposedly the wealthy Mackay family gathered on the coast near their Scottish Highland home - Drumdruin in Sutherlandshire. They are surrounded by luggage, and are preparing to New Zealand. The ship they have chartered to take them the Slains Castle cn be seen in the background. The father and husband is James Mackay Senior, the brother of the local laird. Here is the full portrait. Mackay stands at the back surrounded by his lrge family and mountin of luggage. His wife, Anne is seated near him with the baby. Their own six children: James Junior, Robert, Anne, Janet, Isabella, and Erica. Also in the group are two nephews - Alexander Tertius Mackay and James Tertius Mackay. Unfortunately we do not know who is who. We think Mackay boys are at the left and the two nephews are in the group at the right. The only problem is that they were not the Macays. Their actual name is unknown. We think they must have been Scottish as when they arrived in New Zealnd, unless they were Scottish, their accent would have given them away. The children apparently sat for the portait individually in a London studio. While the Highland scenery is imaginary, we believe the children's clothing is how they were dressed when they sat for Allsworth. Note that the boy's wear Scottish outfits or outfits with Scottish touuches. The girls wear English fashions which may have been similar to what a girls in a wealthy Scottish family would have worn. They apparently brought the portrait wih them to Zealand to help establish their elaborate family story. Chosing a recognized portratist helped him establish his bonafides which were in fact false. But he was wll to do and the family did well in New Zealand.

William Allsworth (1811-65)

We have very little information about the artist William Allsworth. He was born (1811). His parents were Ralph and Mary. He exhibited 10 paintings at the Royal Academy -- London) (1836-56). All but one we are familiar with was a single subject portrait. He was not a member of the Academy. His wife was Georgiana who surbived him. They lived at Camden Town / St Pancras in 1861, which isn’t far from Bethnal Green. Allsworth also exhibited two portraits at the British Institute (1854 and 1856). His most notable work is 'The Emigrants’ (1844). It wasn't the most professionlly painted, but as their are eight childre, there is all kinds of detil about children's clothing. The individuals are painted in a rather stiff manner, giving the painting a rather ‘naïve’ look. Allsworth's other portraits seem more professionally done.

The Mackay Family (1844)

This portrait od the Mackay family is Allsworth painying we found interesting because it depicts a Scottish emigrant family with eight children. They were a wealthy family, but not as wealthy as they pretended. The Mackays were apparently wealthy or at least well-to-do, but perhaps not as wealthy as one might expect or wanted others to believe. Note how James wears a kilt outfit that he has clearly outgrown. Notice how short the kilt is. This was not how the kilt was worn at the time or even today. Of course this is a painting not a photograph, but we suspect that the outfits are correctly depicted. If they were really wealthy, we suspct that mother would have purchased a new, properly sized kilt for James. The clothing in the portait is painted in great detail. The only problem is that rather than a scene painted in Scotland, it appears to have been painted in London. The family was suposedly the wealthy Mackay family gathered on the coast near their Scottish Highland home - Drumdruin in Sutherlandshire. They are surrounded by luggage, and are preparing to New Zealand. The ship they have chartered to take them the Slains Castle cn be seen in the background. The father and husband is James Mackay Senior, the brother of the local laird. Here is the full portrait. Mackay stands at the back surrounded by his lrge family and mountain of luggage. His wife, Anne is seated near him with the baby. Their six children: James Junior, Robert, Anne, Janet, Isabella, and Erica. Also in the group are two nephews - Alexander Tertius Mackay and James Tertius Mackay. Unfortunately we do not know who is who. We think Mackay boys are at the left and the two nephews are in the group at the right. The only problem is that they were not the Mackays. Their actual name is unknown. We think they must have been Scottish as when they arrived in New Zealand, unless they were Scottish, their accent would have given them away. The children apparently sat for the portait individually in a London studio. While the Highland scenery is imaginary, we believe the children's clothing is how they were dressed when they sat for Allsworth. Note that the boy's wear Scottish outfits or outfits with Scottish touches. The girls wear English fashions which may have been similar to what a girls in a wealthy Scottish family would have worn. They apparently brought the portrait wih them to Zealand to help establish their elaborate family story. Chosing a recognized portratist helped him establish his bonafides which were in fact false. But he was wll to do and the family did well in New Zealand.

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Created: 5:41 PM 5/19/2016
Last updated: 2:07 PM 5/20/2016