top of page
William Mackenzie
& Ann Buik
William Mackenzie and Ann (Annie) Buik were born within a month of each other in 1858 in Dundee. They were married on 13th December 1888 at Park Avenue Hall, Dundee. The couple went on to have five children in Dundee (see the mini family tree below) before moving south to London.
"The Mackenzie family came south from Dundee in 1900 - Emily was a baby, about 6 months old"
(quote from Margery Kelsey).
Annie & William: Welcome
Annie & William: Image
At the time of their marriage William & Annie were both living in Dundee; William at 7, William Street and Annie at 183, Victoria Road. He was working as a ‘Clothiers Collector’ and she was employed as a 'Housekeeper'.
Annie & William’s first child, John Alexander, was born at 20, Wolseley Street, in 1889. They were living at the same address at the time of the 1891 Census and William’s brother Alexander (25) and his wife Mary-Ann (23) were also living with them. However by the time of the birth of their second child - William, in October 1891 - Annie & William had moved to 23, Union Street, Dundee; and their third child, Grace, was born at the same address in 1894. In the following few years the couple moved twice more (shown by the addresses on the children's birth certificates):
1896: 9, Ellen Street, Dundee (birth cert. for Annie Mackenzie) - their daughter Annie was later known as Nance.
1899: 6, Clepington Street, Dundee (birth cert. for Emily Mackenzie)
At the turn of the century the family headed south to start a new life in London. There’s a family story that Annie had the family move from Dundee to try - in vain - to break William’s attachment to whisky. Whilst another story recalls that William was involved in "wheeling old ladies around the Empire Exhibition" at Crystal Palace in 1924; apparently he had "the gift of the gab".
By the time of the 1901 census William had found work as a ‘dockyard labourer’. The growth in overseas trade during the 19th century, coupled with the growth of the railways, had seen the rapid development of the London docks, providing thousands of new job opportunities and by the start of the 20th century there was a huge labour force working in the docks and warehouses along the banks of the River Thames.
Once a cargo had been unloaded from a ship and placed onto the quayside it would be moved to a warehouse by relatively unskilled dock labourers. The work was arduous, requiring brute strength to fetch and carry goods – and, as such, was open to anyone seeking employment.
Annie & William: About
Annie & William: Text
In the same 1901 Census the Mackenzie family are recorded living at 36, Cedar Grove, Charlton. The western end of the road used to be lined with cedar trees, but the site has since been redeveloped and the road has been renamed as Floyd Road. It overlooks 'The Valley' home of Charlton Athletic Football Club. There were a couple of family photographs of the Charlton Boys' football team (from 1906/1907) that included William & Annie's eldest son John A Mackenzie, when he was the club secretary of the newly formed team.
Annie & William: Text
Annie & William: Image
The photos were donated to Charlton Athletic FC in 1971 and appear in the Club museum at The Valley. They were reproduced in the book 'The History of Charlton Athletic: Valley of Tears, Valley of Joy' by Richard Redden and one photo was also included in the official match day programme of 28th August 1971 that celebrated the Club’s golden jubilee. Several of the family maintain a link with the Club to this day, still following the team.
Annie & William: Text
John and his younger brother William, both went on to join the Merchant Navy. In June 1910 whilst serving on the S.S. Huron William sent this postcard to his father from Antwerp.
The postcard reads: "Dear Father, we arrived here late on Thursday night, & I received your letter from home & 1 letter & two bundles of papers via Bangkok. I am writing this in the Mission. Will write fully tomorrow. From your loving son W Mackenzie"
The following year both John (aged 21) and William (age 19) were recorded in the 1911 Census as being on the same ship - the S.S. Huron - whilst it was in Swansea Docks; John as a ‘Mess Room Steward’ and William as an ‘Apprentice’.
Other records show that in March 1914 William received his “Certificate of Competency as Second Mate” quickly followed in September 1915 by the “Certificate of Competency as First Mate” and in March 1919 he received his Certificate of Competency as Master for Foreign-going Steamships”
Annie & William: About
John Mackenzie went on to become the ship’s cook on another steamship, the S.S. Heron, but in September 1917, during World War 1, the Heron was torpedoed in the Bay of Biscay with the loss of 22 crew (you can read more about this in ‘Personal Stories’).
Annie & William: Text
In the 1911 Census, Annie & William are recorded along with their two youngest children, Annie (Nance) and Emily, at 93, East Street, Charlton (the address on the Antwerp postcard). William is again listed as a labourer, but now more specifically as a 'Government' employee in the 'Royal Dockyard'.
The couple's eldest daughter, Grace (aged 17) is now working as a housekeeper and in the same census she is listed as a 'servant' at a large house in Coulsdon in Surrey.
By 1915 the family have moved again, this time to 57, Delafield Road, Charlton; and in July, just after Grace's 21st birthday and in the midst of the First World War, Grace married Charles Chambers. Their wedding photograph (on the home page of the website) was taken in the back garden of the house in Delafield Road.
Annie & William: About
Grace's younger sisters, Nance and Emily, both married after the First World War and went on to have families who settled in Surrey and Essex respectively (Nance with Arthur Mellows; and Emily with Stanley Kinsey).
In the mid-1920s Annie & William would often visit their daughters and their grandchildren (you can read more about their daughter Grace and her husband Charles and their family, on the 'Families' page under 'Grace & Charles Chambers').
In the 1926 Electoral Roll, Annie and William are recorded as still living at 57, Delafield Road and William’s nephew, Daniel and his wife Rita (Reetie) are listed as staying with them.
Annie & William: About
William Mackenzie (senior) died in 1928, but Annie continued to live at 57, Delafield Road for another 10 years until the outbreak of the Second World War.
After William's death Annie often visited her daughters, joining them and their young families on outings to the seaside in Kent.
In the 1939 Register, with the onset of the Second World War, Annie is recorded as living with her youngest daughter and son-in-law (Emily & Stan Kinsey) in Rayleigh, Essex. But after the war Annie returned to London to live with Grace & Charles Chambers at their house at 107a, Shooters Hill Road in Charlton (see below: the 1948 electoral roll for Greenwich Borough). She remained with them until her death in 1952, aged 93.
Annie & William: About
Annie & William: Image
Annie & William: Text
bottom of page