The Late Colonel Macfie

We greatly regret to announce the death of Colonel Wm Macfie, C.B. J.P., which took place at his Lancashire residence, Uplands Hall, Preston on Monday. Col. Macfie was a member of a family long and intimately associated with Oban and neighbourhood. The eldest son of the late Mr Robert Macfie, D.L., of Airds and Oban, he was born in 1840, at Greenock, where his father was largely interested in the sugar refining industry. he was educated at Greenock Academy and at Edinburgh Academy and the University of Edinburgh. He settled in Liverpool in 1858, where he became a well-known, influential, and highly honoured citizen.

Like his father, he entered upon a commercial career, devoting himself to the sugar refining business, as a member of the firm of Macfie & Sons, and outside of that he took a keen interest in Volunteer and public affairs. He joined the Volunteers in Liverpool as a private in 1859, and passed through the various grades of officership till he became Lieutenant- Colonel in 1880 and Hon. Colonel seven years later, retiring under the age limit in 1900. He received the decoration of Commander of the Bath in 1897, and had also the V.D.

He was elected to the first County Council of Lancashire in 1888, and at its first meeting was appointed a county alderman. For several years he was chairman of the Liverpool Caledonian Association and of the Caledonian Free Schools. He was a member of the committee of the Northern Hospital, and at one time he was a vice-chairman. For many years he was president of the Liberal Association of the Southport division of Lancashire, and in 1890 he was president of the Liverpool Reform Club. For some years he served on the committee of the latter club, and no one was more popular. He was a good friend of the Y.M.C.A. movement.

Though Colonel Macfie's life was mostly identified with Liverpool, he was for many years a familiar figure in the Oban district during the period his father owned the Airds estate, and subsequently he succeeded to the property. Every summer Colonel Macfie and his family were in residence at Airds, where they were highly esteemed, and where they showed much active sympathy with the interests of the people. He was the donor of the Macfie gold medal at Oban High School. Colonel Macfie married in 1867, the second daughter of Mr James Allan, of Glasgow, who was then senior partner of the Allan Line of Canadian steamers; and to her and her family heartfelt sympathy will be extended in their bereavement.