John Angus Macsween (17 October 1939 – 12 July 2006) was a Scottish butcher and entrepreneur who helped popularise

haggis Haggis ( ) is a savoury pudding containing sheep's offal, pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), Mincing, minced with chopped onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with Stock (food), stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the anima ...

as an international dish.

Business

Macsween came from a family of

butcher A butcher is a person who may Animal slaughter, slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat, or participate within any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat and poultry for sale in retail or wholesale ...

s in Edinburgh, where he noted the popularity of haggis among English rugby fans attending international matches at

Murrayfield Stadium Murrayfield Stadium is a rugby union stadium located in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The stadium is owned by the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) who has its headquarters based at the stadium, and is the national stadium of the Scotla ...

. After taking over the family business in 1975, the subsequent popularity of their haggis led to his opening the world's first purpose-built haggis factory, and the sale of the butchers company. In the 1970s Macsween took samples to London, and soon received orders for Macsween haggis from major buyers including

Selfridges Selfridges, also known as Selfridges & Co., is a chain of upmarket department stores in the United Kingdom that is operated by Selfridges Retail Limited. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908. The historic Daniel Burnham-designed Self ...

Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...

, and

Fortnum & Mason Fortnum & Mason plc (colloquially often shortened to just Fortnum's) is an Luxury goods, upmarket department store in London, England. The main store is located at 181 Piccadilly in the St James's area of London, where it was established in 1707 ...

. Macsween started to produce what was described as a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

haggis in 1984, after a request from the

Burns Supper A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), the author of many Scots poems. The suppers are usually held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, known as Burns Night (; ) ...

at the

Scottish Poetry Library The Scottish Poetry Library is a public library with charitable status specialising in contemporary Scottish writing in English, Scots and Scottish Gaelic. The library, which is free to join for UK residents, celebrated its 40th anniversary in ...

. It is stated that this was the first vegetarian haggis produced and available commercially.

Personal life

Macsween was the eldest of three siblings and attended

James Gillespie's High School James Gillespie's High School (Scottish Gaelic: Àrd-sgoil Sheumais Ghilleasbuig) is a state-funded secondary school in Marchmont, Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a comprehensive high school, educating pupils between the ages of 11 and 18, situated at ...

and

George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a private primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Lauriston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff. It was ...

. Macsween married Kate Mackay, the daughter of

James Wilson McKay Sir James Wilson McKay (12 March 1912 – 25 May 1992) was a Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh between 1969 and 1972. A Freemason, he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland from 1979 to 1983. Life McKay was b ...

, who became

Lord Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of ...

, in 1964. His wife and his four children survived him at this death, and Macsween haggis continued to be produced, sold under both the Macsween name and as supermarkets' own brands. He also had an interest in

horticulture Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacSween, John 1939 births 2006 deaths People educated at George Heriot's School Businesspeople from Edinburgh 20th-century Scottish businesspeople Scottish butchers