John James Fraser McBain born 25 May 1871 in the Parish of Kirkhill, was the fourth child of Catherine McKay & Angus McBean.  John’s first job was a milkman in Inverness, then a groomsman at Rosehaugh House R&C, before becoming an apprentice blacksmith with “McAndrew the Blacksmith” of Foddarty in 1888. John’s annual wage as an apprentice was three pounds a year.   

In 1895, with only a few crude tools he set up business on his own, first in Duncraig Street, where they eventually lived at number 11, and then in King Street Inverness. According to The Inverness Courier, he dropped the hammer for the last time at the age of 78 on 01 April 1950.   He had 36 medals to his name from Highland Shows and The Royal Show in England. 

When times were hard John often went on the “tramp” as far away as Perth looking for work, shoeing horses and doing other odd jobs on the way.  In those days a journeyman blacksmith got one pound a week working twelve hours a day.  At his retirement, from the few crude tools that he started with, he left behind one of the most modern mechanical engineering shops

Christina, John and Cathie

Dorothy & Christina c 1916 

Note: Donald was born 1917 

John McKay, John JF McBain, Catherine (McKay )McBean, ,

Christina ( Nicol) McBain,

and children
Donald, Dorothy & Christina Circa 1927

He married Christina Nicol in Rosemarkie Church on 12 December 1895.  Christina was a maid servant prior to her marriage. They had children John Angus, who died aged 17, from osteomyelitis of the cervical spine, Catherine, Christina, Dorothy & Donald Alexander.  The loss of John Angus, known as Jack, was a great blow to John & Christina. John James Fraser always had Pan Drops in one pocket and pennies. or threepenny bits if you were lucky, in the other. As grand children, we were always given a coin and a sweet when we visited.  We then went to the corner shop in Duncraig Street and bought some more sweeties.  He loved taking us to the River Ness to watch the fishers and feed the swans.  Christina, known as Teanie, had a wonderful sense of humour and loved to laugh.