McRAE, GEORGE (1800-64) was born in Inverness-shire. As a young man he responded to the invitation of Lord Selkirk to raise 200 men to form a free company for Canada. They sailed in 1816 for Hudson's Bay, where he remained for six years and married. Returning to Scotland in 1822, he took charge of a sheep farm for Major Gilchrist, and six years later became manager of the Duke of Sutherland's Blairich estate.

On the death of his father (1841) McRae sailed for New Zealand with his family in the Mary Ann, reaching Nelson in 1842. For eight years he farmed two sections at Waimea south, with 88 acres for cattle rearing. In 1848 he acquired Lake Rotoiti, but sold it two years later and bought Blairich and Braes of Sutherland, in the Awatere. McRae represented Awatere in the Marlborough Provincial Council (1861-63). He died on 3 Sep 1864.

Cycl. N.Z., v; Marlborough Express, 3 Sep 1864, 16 Apr 1870.

Reference: Volume 2, page 24

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