Born in Grantown on Spey 1 December 1934, Dr Alexander (Sandy) Stewart Mackenzie stayed connected with the University of Aberdeen from his graduation in 1959 right through until his death in Kirkcaldy in October 2022. He was one of many alumni who sent inspiring messages of hope and encouragement to students during the Covid 19 lockdown and gave regularly during his lifetime over many years. His generous support continues even now with a gift in his will to the University.
The following story comes from notes that Sandy made during his life.
Sandy enrolled in Grantown Grammar School in 1939, just before the start of WW2, and on moving up to secondary, a minor hitch in 5th year – failing Higher Latin which was obligatory at the time for medical school – was remedied in 6th year. He said that he was not a great sportsman but enjoyed cycling around Strathspey, climbing in the Cairngorms, scouting and camping.
After school he was accepted by the University to study Medicine which he stated “was exciting but also stressful” but that “within a few weeks we were all developing the Medical Class esprit de corps which continues to exist even now”. He finished first year by winning the Silberg prize and entered second year where his head of department was Professor Lockhart “who always arrived at work immaculately dressed and driving a pale grey Daimler”. It was then that he discovered a flair for anatomy, was a student demonstrator for 4 terms and gained the Lizars Gold Medal and the Fyfe-Jamieson Gold medal in Anatomy.
Studies then moved to Foresterhill where he was “let loose on the patients in the hospital wards where medical students had to wear a dark suit, a white shirt and a starched collar”. On passing all exams after six years, he enrolled for graduation at Marischal College in June 1959 and remembered “there was a large ledger called the Album which you had to sign opposite your name before receiving your degree”.
During 5th year he became engaged to Julie Forbes from Forres and they married on 16 July 1959 in Kings College Chapel, exactly one week after he graduated MBChB with commendation.
Sandy very much enjoyed his six years at the University with “lots of happy times as well as lots of hard study”. He was a member and then president of The Anatomical and Anthropological Society and a member of the Medical Society in his senior years.
After doing his preregistration year as a resident at ARI, his exemption from military service was coming to an end and he decided to join the Royal Army Medical Corps. However, one day short of finishing his residency, he developed acute appendicitis and was declared unfit to join and so started a traineeship in Auchenblae.
During the year there he said he “was taught how to be a caring GP by Dr Hamilton, one of the kindest and most upstanding men I have ever met”. He then had nine months to fill before he could take up a house surgeon appointment in the Maternity Hospital and therefore became an assistant to Dr Farrell in Rhynie.
He entered the Aberdeen Maternity Hospital for his six-month house job under the University’s pioneering expert in women’s health, Professor Sir Dugald Baird. However, he found obstetrics very stressful and about three weeks in was invited for an interview, along with Julie, in Banff. This resulted in an offer of a partnership after three months as assistant to the out-going senior partner which he stated “was beyond our wildest dreams”. The start date was three months short of the completion of his house job but he was released early and started in Banff in August 1962.
He soon became an active member of Banff Town and County Club and, as entertainments convenor, got to know a number of well-known Scottish entertainers including Robbie and Esma Shepherd.
The style of practice in those days he stated “would be anathema to modern day GPs, beginning the day at casualty outpatient department then surgeries twice a day plus numerous house calls, some routine to the old and infirm, along with visits to the acutely ill”.
A bad road accident in the mid-60s resulted in blindness in his left eye and trips to London, having been referred to consultant and fellow Aberdeen alumnus, Mr Duguid. After attending a number of social events in London, he considered moving there but was “fortunately dissuaded and settled into country practice in Banff”.
He ended his GP days in 1986 after being offered the post of Regional Medical Officer with the Scottish Home and Health Dept and moving back to Aberdeen to take over the Regional Office. He then transferred to the Department for Work & Pensions in Dunfermline from where he retired early in the 2000s.
Sandy was involved in many community activities including the Banff Town & County Club, the local RNLI committee, the Banff Castle Community Centre committee, the Banff Preservation & Heritage Society and the Rotary Club along with dedicated charity work. He was also a JP and chairman of the Banffshire, Aberdeenshire and Peterhead Commissioners for income tax.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, an honorary life member of the Aberdeen Medico Chirurgical Society, a Burgess of Guild and served on the Business Committee of the University while also being active in the Alumnus Association. He was a very proud Aberdeen alumnus and was immediately impressed when he found out someone was a fellow graduate.
Sandy’s unrestricted legacy gift will provide the gift of opportunity and will make a real difference to areas of greatest need. An unrestricted gift allows us maximum flexibility when prioritising its use and we are extremely grateful for Sandy’s generosity. He collected many books about the University and its medical connections and his family donated some of his books to the University library and the Medico-Chirurgical Society.
His wife Julie died only one month before him in September 2022 and they were interred together in Forres in April 2023.
If you are considering remembering the University in your will and would like to discuss your options, please contact Vanessa Holmes, Development Officer for Legacy Giving by email at vanessa.holmes@abdn.ac.uk or telephone +44(0)1224 274132. The University has partnered with Bequeathed to offer an exclusive free will writing service in the UK for staff, alumni and supporters. You can find out more about Bequeathed here.
