Elizabeth (Lizzie) MacKay was born on the 4th July, 1874 at 26 Madras Street, Inverness. The only child of Jessie Fraser and William MacKay. Young Lizzie went to Merkinch School which is still in use today.
Lizzie was working as a domestic servant when she met William Dewar Munro, a carter from 24 Waterloo Place, Inverness. He was a bachelor and on the 1st December 1893 they married at 25 Union Street, Inverness. This was apparently a hotel. William's mother was Christina Munro, a domestic servant, and his father was unknown. The witnesses were Margaret Fraser and Donald Cameron.
William was a hard-working man, and obtained the property of a house, stables, byre and yard in 19 Madras Street. This, I think was next to the railway bridge. He set himself up in business as a carting contractor, transporting coal from the coal boats, which berthed at Shore Harbour on the other side of the River Ness to take to Rose Street Foundry. He also carted sand from the Longman sandbank, took "draff" from the Milburn Distillery for cattle and horse feeding, coke from the gasworks and bake houses in the town and any other suitable work. They also kept cows in the byre and Lizzie sold the surplus milk.
Lizzie and William had eight children. Jessie, William (Bill), Marjorie (Madge), Catherine (Kate), Donald, Alexander (Alex), and twins Christine (Chrissie) and Elisabeth (Bessie). Lizzie had a hot temper and provided the discipline within the family, but was fair and stood up for her children's rights. She was also a kindly person who was taken advantage of by many a 'poorer' person.
They apparently had a fairly comfortable lifestyle. Children were well-dressed with "Sunday clothes" and were well fed. William was a regular attender at church and spent Sunday afternoons reading the Bible to his family.
In 1905,William died of pneumonia and was buried in the Tomnahurich Cemetery, a well-kept cemetery overlooking the Caledonian Canal. Lizzie was 32 at the time and she had to wind up his business, as it was a manual job. The horse, carts and all livestock were sold at auction.
Shortly afterwards the family all went to live at Muir of Ord with Lizzie's uncle Alexander and his daughter Maggie. Life was difficult as there were no support benefits and they had to survive on very little money. The children went to Malbuie School about two miles away from the croft.
In 1906 Alexander's daughter Maggie died and after that Lizzie's Aunt Maggie came to stay. She was a very strong minded lady and I think clashed in personality with Lizzie and she soon left with the children and returned to Madras Street to stay with her mother at No 26.
It is presumed that following her mother Jessie's death in 1906, Lizzie would have inherited the house on Madras Street.
Angus Fraser married Lizzie Munro (nee MacKay) at 26 Madras Street on the 30th April 1909, when Angus was 40 years of age and Lizzie was 36.
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