Hugh Mackay and early photography in Hongkong

Abstract

Scholars have acknowledged the scotsman, hugh Mackay (c. 1824–1857), as the earliest photographer in Hongkong. A resident of the British colony during the late 1840s, he was beleived to have operated a daguerreotype studio in that growing port town. 1 A recent study of newspapers published in Hongkong between 1845 and 1849, revelas that Mackay's involvement with photography has been overstated and he may never, in fact, have taken a photograph. A review of Mackay's career, as documented in these publications, illustrates how the thoughtful use of primary source material, such as advertisements, can assist the historian of photography and, as demontrated in this case, challenge generally accepted notions.