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MACKINNON, Charles William Godfrey (1917-1996)

MACKINNON, Charles William Godfrey (1917-1996)


Charles William Godfrey Mackinnon followed his family to Argentina, becoming a well-known and respected Patagonian grazier and property manager specializing in Australian Merino Sheep.

He was born on 1 June 1917 at Windhoek in what is now Namibia (then German South-West Africa). After his father died in about 1924, his mother returned to Australia with her children, Charles, his brother Jack and their younger sister, Margaret.

Charles boarded at Geelong College from 15 February 1929 to May 1933 and was enrolled there by Ann Mary Mackinnon of 'Blaaven', Limbri, NSW. He had previously attended St Mary's Public School. After leaving Geelong College he studied at Longrenong Agricultural College.

At Geelong College, he ran equal 3rd with D McDonald in the 100 yds Handicap sprint at the Preparatory School Sports in 1930. Throughout his time at College he played cricket, firstly for 'Pegasus House' at Preparatory School, and in 1933, as a member of the 1st Cricket XI. Unfortunately, no image of the 1st Cricket XI of 1933 was published in the School Magazine, Pegasus and the only photo of a 1933 Cricket XI held in the College Archive does not name Mackinnon in it.

His parents were John Alexander Lauchlan Mackinnon (1872-1925) and Anne nee Obitz. John Alexander Mackinnon was a student of Scotch College, Melbourne.

His daughter Flora described his working life. 'He went to Argentina in about 1936, after finishing at Longrenong, when his uncle William ('Bill'), at that time the General Manager of the Southern Land Co. in Patagonia, offered him a job there. Charles worked on various Estancias (large grazing properties) of the Southern Land Co until his retirement in 1980. By that time he had become the General Manager.

The only interruption to his working life was during World War II. He volunteered with the Scottish Greys and fought in North Africa returning to Patagonia in 1945. He had tried to enlist with Australia but it was much more complicated both logistically and moneywise (he had to pay his ticket either to Australia or England to enlist with them), so he volunteered with Scotland which had easier options to enlist from Argentina.

In 1954, he married Nora Traill, an Argentine of Irish descent, and together they had three daughters. Charles retired to Esquel in 1980. He loved his work, became an expert in his field - Australian Merino Sheep, and ran the very successful stud of Estancia Leleque as well as the property itself.'

He died on 3 August 1996 at Esquel, Province of Chubut, Northern Patagonia, Argentina. His name is not listed on the Geelong College World War II Memorial Tablet nor on the World War II Nominal Roll by the Department of Veteran's Affairs.

'Henderson's Early Pioneer Families' noted that Charles joined his uncle, William Charles Godfrey Mackinnon (?-1956) in Argentina. According to Henderson's, at the time of his death, William Charles Godfrey Mackinnon (?-1956) was the Managing Director of the 'Argentine Land Company, Buernos Aires'.



















Sources: Pegasus May 1930 p31; Pegasus December 1930 p35; Pegasus February 1934 p82; Pegasus December 1934 p81; 'Henderson's Early Pioneer Families' p 509; The Argus 5 December 1956; Correspondence - Flora MacKinnon; Photos - F Mackinnon. OGC 1933.