MACKINNON Grandparents – Why go to Rangoon, Burma 1920-1926?

[Chilis]

Would anyone have any suggestions as to why my grandparents, John and Annie MACKINNON (b.1880) would have left Helensburgh, Scotland for Rangoon, Burma in 1920, leaving behind their only child aged 7, placed in a boarding school in Edinburgh until their return in 1926?

My grandmother was a Schoolteacher and the grandfather might have traded in electrical goods, but certainly had no military connections.  He was listed as a ‘Merchant’ on the return passenger list.

Interestingly, a Benjamin B MACKINNON, J.P., who I think was my grandfather’s brother, apparently travelled to Rangoon in the 1950s.  At this stage, I have found no living relative to give me any leads.
Chilis

[Skoosh]

Chilis, aa load of Scots employed with Burma Oil.......Skoosh.

[Chilis]

Thank you for that idea Skoosh.  I'll follow that up
Chilis

[QUAY]

HI.I have just joined today,so forgive me if i get it Wrong.
I happened to notice the name MACKINNON.My Daughter is Married to a MACKINNON who's family originate from TIREE.AS far as i know there is stilll alot of MACKINNONS in that part of the world lovely place.Could be related .Glad i joined
and looking forward to reading all the posts.

[Chilis]

Evening Quay
Very pleased you sent me a message and welcome to Rootschat.

I have made good use of the Forum for various little snippets of information and have received a lot of help from others, so it's a very friendly site.  Then, by way of thanks, I try to help enquirers to the board that deals with my home county (Herefordshire).

Anyway, my mother's MACKINNON family came from Tiree.  I think they all left at the time of the Highland clearances.  Many left for the USA and Canada, but the older generation died on Tiree.  They were Lachlan MACKINNON and wife Mary McLEAN.  With the incredible number of MACKINNONs and McLEANs, I'd be surprised, but delighted, if we could tie any of these to yours.

There is a surprising amount of imformation about Tiree folk on the internet and I used Scotlandspeople for a really good start to my collection of factual information.  Also all the census returns are available nowadays, so you will be able to make quite a bit of headway.

Good Luck with your postings.  It is useful to ask for one piece of information at a time, I have found.  Sometimes these come to nothing, but other times a lot of useful information comes by way of replies.   

Regards, Isobel