We welcome back Norman Hopkins to tell us of the extraordinary life of John MacGregor. Originally best known for being the ‘Shoe Black Man’ and the ‘Open-Air Mission man’, his fame greatly increased when he began his canoeing exploits. He later became famous for his four ‘Rob Roy’ books and the lectures on his travels, which began a canoeing craze. He was an extraordinary character, unusually enterprising and possessed unlimited energy.
He was rescued as a baby from the burning East Indiaman ship The Kent in one of the most dramatic sea rescues of the 19th century and indeed of the entire age of sail. Hailing from a Scottish family of military officers, he had incredible versatility and an ability to learn anything in which he took an interest. He was a true polymath, a patent lawyer, author of manuals on patents and a writer of many magazine articles. He illustrated his books with his own art, understood music, gave hundreds of lectures, drew up legislation for law reform, was deeply involved in education, lobbied parliament, was a volunteer soldier and a champion marksman. He loved teaching, was a competent draftsman overseeing boat designs, an outstanding canoeist, a mountaineer, delighted in exploring and was always ready for adventures.
He did not find time to settle down and marry and have children until the age of 48. His legacy is in the continuing existence of the many organizations he initiated and the famous ‘Rob Roy’ canoe. Collaborating very closely with Lord Shaftesbury, his connections lead us into a ‘who’s who’ of Victorian Britain.
An anonymous article in the London Quarterly 1895 said ‘John MacGregor is perhaps the finest specimen of Muscular Christianity that this or any other age has produced. Three men seemed to have struggled within his breast — the devout Christian, the earnest philanthropist, the enthusiastic athlete.’