Mackenzie & Grant

A Brief History

19th century

The Firm of Mackenzie & Grant, Solicitors, Forres, was established by Felix Calvert MacKenzie and William Grant who entered into partnership on 01 November 1878.

At that time, their premises were at National Bank Buildings, 57 High Street, Forres. The Firm remained there until about 1990, when it moved to 100 High Street, Forres.

Felix Calvert MacKenzie had qualified as a solicitor in 1850 and, shortly afterwards, began trading in Forres on his own account.

William Grant qualified as a solicitor in 1872 and also set up business in Forres.

The mutual trust built up from their regular business dealings led to the formation of the Partnership of Mackenzie & Grant.

Felix Calvert MacKenzie was knighted on the occasion of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

20th century

Charles Grant MacKenzie, son of Sir Felix, was assumed as a Partner of the Firm in May 1900. The Partnership was short-lived in that Sir Felix died on 02 October 1902.

William Grant and Charles Grant MacKenzie continued in Partnership together until the death of William Grant on 24 April 1915. At that time, Charles MacKenzie was engaged in wartime service. As there was no other partner or assistant solicitor to run the business in his absence, he had to delegate that responsibility to his assistant and cashier, James Munro.

On his return from the war, Charles MacKenzie resumed the running of the business as its sole principal.

In the early 1920s, James Munro qualified as a solicitor and he was assumed as a Partner on 15 February 1923. However, he died on 08 January 1925, leaving Charles MacKenzie again as a sole practitioner.

By 1928, Charles MacKenzie was in failing health and on 04 May of that year he delegated the date of the running of the business to his assistant solicitor, Robert Souter. Charles MacKenzie died on 16 May 1928.

Robert Souter acquired the business of Mackenzie & Grant from the representatives of Charles MacKenzie and was its sole principal from 1928 until the early 1960s when he assumed his assistant, William A. Taylor, as a Partner.

On the retiral of Robert Souter in about 1964, William Taylor was the sole principal for some years.

By the late 1980s, he was the Senior Partner in a three Partner Firm, a growing business. Latterly, he was Consultant to the Firm which then underwent a number of changes in personnel during the 1990s.

The recent past and the present

In 2002, Grigor & Young acquired the business from the sole principal at that time, Patricia Black.

The business continued to trade as Mackenzie & Grant – as a trading name of Grigor & Young – until 2012, from which time it has traded under the Grigor & Young name.

How we can help you today

The solicitors based in Grigor & Young’s Forres office are Ann Cruickshank (Partner) and Erica Ferguson (Associate).

Feel free to contact either of them by phoning 01309 672126 or by sending a Free Online Enquiry.

All initial enquiries are free of charge and without obligation.