The Lairds of the Locks Celebrates Thomas MacKay and other Scots of Bytown
By Joyce MacPhee
The Lairds of the Locks: The Scots of Bytown premiered to a full house at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on March 21. Written and performed by Pierre Brault and presented by the Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO), the play dramatizes the life of Scottish stonemason Thomas MacKay, who emigrated to Canada in 1817, and was a key builder of the Rideau Canal (1826-1832).
MacKay later established mills, a woolen factory and a distillery in a neighbourhood he named New Edinburgh and bought land that eventually became Rockliffe Park. He built a private residence, and it later evolved into Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence. MacKay also influenced the choice of Ottawa as capital of Canada, became a prominent businessman, and entered provincial politics.
Brault, known for his historical one‑man shows, artfully portrayed MacKay along with Colonel John By, MacKay’s wife, labourers, settlers, clergy and civic leaders. He noted beforehand that although he normally spends 18 months developing a play, this one came together in just two. He emphasized that the historical details were accurate and described the performance as “a first run‑through”.
St. Andrew’s was a fitting venue: MacKay helped build the church in 1828 and served as an elder. It was thrilling to witness MacKay’s story portrayed in a church he had been involved in building nearly 200 years before. The simple staging - a chair and masonry tools - kept the focus on Brault’s expressive performance, which blended humour with poignant reflections on immigration, hardship and the multicultural workforce that built the canal. The script traced MacKay’s journey from Scotland to Canada, the personal tragedies he endured, and his central role in constructing the Rideau Canal, where up to a thousand workers died during the project.
Actor Pierre Brault Breathes life into the characters
Brault’s animated expressions, gestures and varied accents breathed life into the characters he portrayed, transporting us into Bytown’s past. The audience responded enthusiastically, giving a standing ovation. The play highlighted the enduring legacy of MacKay, Colonel By and their fellow “lairds of the locks,” whose craftsmanship helped earn the Rideau Canal its UNESCO World Heritage designation (deemed ”a masterpiece of creative genius”).
The canal’s 202 kilometres stretches from Ottawa to Kingston,19 kilometres of which was dug out by hand and it has 45 locks. It was originally built for military purposes as a secure supply and communications route between Montreal and Kingston, later it became a commercial shipping route and nowadays, a pleasure boat waterway.
The production was supported by Scottish Connections, which promotes Scottish diaspora engagement. After the show, Head of the Scottish Government in Canada Office, John Devine, spoke about the deep ties between Scotland and Canada. Musician Spencer Murray provided a Scottish ambience before the play by playing bagpipes at the entryway, and he played uilleann pipes during a post‑show reception in the church where everyone enjoyed tea, sweets and a chance to mingle and discuss reactions to this stellar glimpse of our city’s history.
Photos Maggi Maccauley
