Malcolm and William Macmillian were both working on the new Irvine Academy building as carpenters when an accident happened which broke Malcom’s arm so badly that he was never able to work in manual labour again. This must have seemed further disaster to the family, but in fact it forced a change of career, into schoolmastering, which was to have a significant impact on the lives of both his younger brothers Daniel and Alexander. Somewhere along the way, Malcolm had gained sufficient grasp of the elements of a good education, including Latin, Greek, Hebrew and English, to find work as a teacher and then rise to head of house.

One accident didn’t pummel Malcom’s professional viability. He pivots, and changes his and his family’s destiny.

Harkness, Sarah. Literature for the People: How The Pioneering Macmillan Brothers Built a Publishing Powerhouse. United Kingdom, Pan Macmillan, 2024. pg219