Appendices to ‘The STRONGs of Ulster, Ireland’.
… section 4

The "STRONG Family" section of this site is divided into 12 sections and 9 appendices. Please read in sequence by following the links at the bottom of each page or use the "Quick Nav" at top right. If you wish to select individual chapters, please click on the top left link to the "Sitemap" page. Note that the chapters develop the story of our family and the appendices contain supporting data… for example the Descendancy Report in Appendix 1 with BDM records and photos of family members.

Contents of this Website are subject to Copyright © by Philip Strong, & allow fair academic use. See here.

Do you have information, opinion or a question relating to either this site’s contents or its copyright? Please use the e-mail link available at the bottom of each page. I look forward to corresponding with you.

… note that this page contains section 4, and that there is a separate page for each section of the appendix.

  1. Appendices Section 1: Miscellaneous
    1. Appendix 1: A Descendant Report of the STRONG Family— BDM records + photos
    2. Appendix 2: Internet sites that have been useful in researching this site
    3. Appendix 3: Some thoughts on the use of DNA technology
    4. Appendix 4: 'Similar'. Speculation concerning photograph identification
  2. Appendices Section 2: Belfast Records
    1. Appendix 5: 'Stayed in Belfast'. What if Robert STRONG had brothers who remained in Belfast and did not emigrate?
  3. Appendices Section 3: Hamilton STRONG in the USA.
    1. Appendix 6: ‘The search for Hamilton STRONG’ Did he emigrate to the United States?
  4. Appendices Section 4: Further Biographical Details… this page.
    1. Appendix 7: Obituary of John Burgess MACKAY:
  5. Appendices Section 5: Holywood Records
    1. Appendix 8: Accumulated data relating to the STRONGs and SLOAN(E)s of Holywood Parish & Knocknagoney Townland.
  6. Appendices Section 6: CALLAGHANs… the family next door.
    1. Appendix 9: CALLAGHANs lived next door to David STRONG. The two families were significant to each other and David's son Edward STRONG married Ruby CALLAGHAN.

Appendix 7: Further Biographical Details

(i) Obituary of John Burgess MACKAY:

Champion of migrants: John Burgess MACKAY
b. May 19, 1924, d. Aug 5, 2005.

John Mackay played a significant role in shaping WA as we enjoy it today. His career in immigration spanned four decades and he headed the WA Immigration Department from 1964-84. Mr Mackay was a passionate believer in immigration and the benefits migrants could bring to the country. He was born in Nowra NSW, to John and Amelia Mackay. After leaving school at 16, he joined the Commonwealth Public Service as a telegraph messenger in Sydney. Later, he was appointed to the personal staff of the federal minister for commerce. In 1942, aged 18, he joined the Royal Australian Navy. A year later, he joined HMAS Kanimbla as a midshipman before becoming a sub-lieutenant and lieutenant. He made many close friendships. After being discharged from the navy in 1946, he began work for the immigration minister and was later posted to Berlin as an immigration selection officer. Mr Mackay estimated he interviewed 25,000 people in the following two years. Many had horror stories. For the next two years, he worked in Germany, Austria, Italy and Denmark. He regarded the work as the most rewarding of his career.

His daughter, Deborah, said her father received Christmas cards and photos from immigrant families he had helped. "He was held in such high regard by these families whom he had helped settle in Australia," she said. "He had obviously made an impression on them." She said he was an honest and meticulous worker. "He didn't bend the rules, but he always used them fairly," she said.

Mr Mackay returned to Australia in 1950, working at the Department of Immigration in Sydney, before moving to Canberra a year later. He married Pamela TIERNEY in Canberra in 1954. They had two daughters. In the early 1960's he spent several years as the chief Australian migration officer in Scandinavia. He became the first Australian diplomat to visit Iceland and was the Australian representative at a Nobel Peace Prize dinner in Stockholm. In 1964, he was made director of the WA Immigration Department, a position he held until his retirement 20 years later. His career in immigration saw a major policy change during the 1970's. Before then, Australia had actively campaigned for migrants from Europe. but changing economic conditions saw the policy swing towards one based on family reunion criteria. Mr Mackay was reluctant to buy into immigration controversies during his tenure, other than to say immigration was important to our future.

In retirement, friends and family were Mr Mackay's life. A keen golfer, Mr Mackay was a member of the Royal Perth Club for 40 years. Also a prominent member of the Perth Rotary Club, he was made a Paul Harris Fellow. He is survived by daughters Deborah and Lisa and grandchildren Samantha, Chris, Cassandra and Emily.

Source: Champion of migrants: John Burgess MACKAY. The Sunday Times Western Australia; 21 Aug 2005; 68.

John's daughter Deborah provided more details about his postings:
Athens: 1960-1961; Copenhagen: 1961-1962; Stockholm: 1962-1964; Perth: 1964-1970; Vienna 1970-1973 (head of immigration); Perth: 1974-1984 (director of immigration).

The above item was an appendix to the story of Pam MACKAY’s family, which is traced from the STRONG family. See here for their story, which commences with Pam's grandfather, Joseph STRONG.

(ii) MACKAY family home.

Image of MACKAY family home.5 Platt Close, Mosman Park, Perth, Western Australia… partly surrounded by Buckland Hill reserve. This is a most desirable area about 1 km from both ocean and river, and overlooks both.

The above item was an appendix to the story of Pam MACKAY’s family, which is traced from the STRONG family. See here for their story, which commences with Pam's grandfather, Joseph STRONG.

The Story Continues