| Notes |
- (Research):JAMES BLYTH and ANN LAING
James, the son of David Blyth and Janet Anderson, was born in Cupar, F i feshire, in 1802. However he was not christened until 16th June 1817 .
As a young man he traveled to South America. From early in 1830 unti l J anuary 1836 he worked as a carpenter, joiner and cabinetmaker in L ima, P eru. The British Consul General in Peru, Belford Hinton Wilson , was so i mpressed with James that he wrote him a reference praisin g his “unimpea chable honesty, sobriety and persevering industry''
After six years in Peru, which included involvement in a rebellion an d t he war with Bolivia, James returned to Scotland where on 24 Februa ry 19 40 in Cupar, he married Ann Laing, daughter of James Laing and C atherin e Anderson.
On 6th November 1841, with their 7-month-old son David, James and An n s ailed for New Zealand on the “Martha Ridgway” via the Cape of Goo d Hope . Records of the ship show that it was built in Liverpool in 18 40 and w as “sheathed in felt and yellow metal.” It was described a s a “splendid s hip constructed expressly for the passenger trade.” Sh e had a “very spa cious poop” and was “replete with every arrangemen t for the comfort and h ealth of the passengers.” The 621 ton sailin g ship made its maiden voya ge to New Zealand captained by Henry Webb , and after a tempestuous jour ney, arrived in Nelson on 7th April 184 2. James gave his occupation at t he time as a joiner. The family late r disembarked at Petone, less than t wo years after the settlement o f Wellington. The Martha Ridgway meet an u ntimely end that same yea r (1842) when on a trip from New Zealand to Bo mbay she was wrecked o n a reef in the Torres Strait.
For some years James was a businessman in Wellington. On October the 1 6 th, 17th, 19th and 24th of 1848 Wellington was rocked by earthquakes . W ard's book ‘Early Wellington', describing houses affected by the q uakes m entions James's two storied clay house in Dixon street as bein g “much s haken with one gable down.”
During his time in Wellington James was a member of the first “Kirk se s sion” of the Church of Scotland which occurred in 1853.
James appears on the Burgess Roll for the Borough of Wellington in 184 2 , is shown on the list of persons qualified to serve as jurors for t he D istrict of Port Nicholson for 1848 and 1856, and is on the City o f Well ington electoral Roll, as a Cabinet Maker of Dixon Street, up u ntil 185 8. The Burgess Roll, by way of explanation, was a record of a ll men gra nted the freedom of the city. It was an ancient Scottish ho nor which, a mong other things, granted the holder a share in governme nt.
At some time after the birth of his youngest child (Herbert in 1861) J a mes purchased a 2,000 acre property and homestead in the recently se ttl ed Wanganui area. He named the homestead “Marybank” in honor of hi s dau ghter Mary who coincidentally had been born the same year as th e home w as completed. The homestead had been built by David Stracha n from Kahik atea timber cut and pit sawn on site. It was of a double- gabled design w ith a front verandah.
The move to Wanganui would have been a major undertaking in those day s a s the country had not long been ‘opened up’ and the threat from ma raudi ng bands of Maori was very real.
With true pioneering spirit James entered into the local community det e rmined to establish a viable settlement. He was the first Chairman o f t he Whangaehu School Committee, a member of the Provincial Council , a Ju stice of the Peace and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. H e was no d oubt a well-respected member of the community.
On the evening of 8th October 1862, less than two years after moving t o t he area, while returning from visiting the Campbell family at near by ‘W iritoa,' James was thrown from his horse and killed.
On his death the properties “Marybank” at Putiki, and “Blythwood” at T a ylorville, were leased out. When Ann died in 1886 the properties wer e d ivided up between the couples nine children.
JAMES BLYTH and ANN LAING
James, the son of David Blyth and Janet Anderson, was born in Cupar, F i feshire, in 1802. However he was not christened until 16th June 1817 .
As a young man he traveled to South America. From early in 1830 unti l J anuary 1836 he worked as a carpenter, joiner and cabinetmaker in L ima, P eru. The British Consul General in Peru, Belford Hinton Wilson , was so i mpressed with James that he wrote him a reference praisin g his “unimpea chable honesty, sobriety and persevering industry''
After six years in Peru, which included involvement in a rebellion an d t he war with Bolivia, James returned to Scotland where on 24 Februa ry 19 40 in Cupar, he married Ann Laing, daughter of James Laing and C atherin e Anderson.
On 6th November 1841, with their 7-month-old son David, James and An n s ailed for New Zealand on the “Martha Ridgway” via the Cape of Goo d Hope . Records of the ship show that it was built in Liverpool in 18 40 and w as “sheathed in felt and yellow metal.” It was described a s a “splendid s hip constructed expressly for the passenger trade.” Sh e had a “very spa cious poop” and was “replete with every arrangemen t for the comfort and h ealth of the passengers.” The 621 ton sailin g ship made its maiden voya ge to New Zealand captained by Henry Webb , and after a tempestuous jour ney, arrived in Nelson on 7th April 184 2. James gave his occupation at t he time as a joiner. The family late r disembarked at Petone, less than t wo years after the settlement o f Wellington. The Martha Ridgway meet an u ntimely end that same yea r (1842) when on a trip from New Zealand to Bo mbay she was wrecked o n a reef in the Torres Strait.
For some years James was a businessman in Wellington. On October the 1 6 th, 17th, 19th and 24th of 1848 Wellington was rocked by earthquakes . W ard's book ‘Early Wellington', describing houses affected by the q uakes m entions James's two storied clay house in Dixon street as bein g “much s haken with one gable down.”
During his time in Wellington James was a member of the first “Kirk se s sion” of the Church of Scotland which occurred in 1853.
James appears on the Burgess Roll for the Borough of Wellington in 184 2 , is shown on the list of persons qualified to serve as jurors for t he D istrict of Port Nicholson for 1848 and 1856, and is on the City o f Well ington electoral Roll, as a Cabinet Maker of Dixon Street, up u ntil 185 8. The Burgess Roll, by way of explanation, was a record of a ll men gra nted the freedom of the city. It was an ancient Scottish ho nor which, a mong other things, granted the holder a share in governme nt.
At some time after the birth of his youngest child (Herbert in 1861) J a mes purchased a 2,000 acre property and homestead in the recently se ttl ed Wanganui area. He named the homestead “Marybank” in honor of hi s dau ghter Mary who coincidentally had been born the same year as th e home w as completed. The homestead had been built by David Stracha n from Kahik atea timber cut and pit sawn on site. It was of a double- gabled design w ith a front verandah.
The move to Wanganui would have been a major undertaking in those day s a s the country had not long been ‘opened up’ and the threat from ma raudi ng bands of Maori was very real.
With true pioneering spirit James entered into the local community det e rmined to establish a viable settlement. He was the first Chairman o f t he Whangaehu School Committee, a member of the Provincial Council , a Ju stice of the Peace and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. H e was no d oubt a well-respected member of the community.
On the evening of 8th October 1862, less than two years after moving t o t he area, while returning from visiting the Campbell family at near by ‘W iritoa,' James was thrown from his horse and killed.
On his death the properties “Marybank” at Putiki, and “Blythwood” at T a ylorville, were leased out. When Ann died in 1886 the properties wer e d ivided up between the couples nine children.
From THE PAMPHLET COLLECTION OF SIR ROBERT STOUT: VOLUME 76
WANGANUI OLD SETTLERS
Blyth, James.-This gentleman was an early settler and resided at "Mar y B ank" about four miles from the town on the No. 1 Line of road. Mr . Blyt h was a Justice of the Peace and Member of the Provincial Counc il, and a s taunch supporter of the late Dr. Featherston, Superintende nt of the Wel lington Province. He came to an untimely end, however, h aving been thro wn from his horse whilst riding home after dark one ev ening, his body b eing picked up by the roadside afterwards by a searc h party. Mr. Blyth w as much respected and his death deeply regretted.
PAPERS PAST NZ (NZ Archives), MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1791, 13 November 1862, Pag e 3
The Late Mr. James Blyth. - Many of our readers will peruse with feeli n gs of sincere regret, the following extract from the Wanganui Chroni cle o f the 9th October, narrating the sudden and untimely death of Mr . James B lyth. The deceased gentleman had many friends in Wellington , as well as i n other Provinces of New Zealand, and for some years wa s an elder in th e Free Church of Scotland here, and in common with ma ny others, we take t he opportunity afforded by the present mournful o ccasion, to pay a pass ing tribute of respect to the memory of the dep arted : - " It is with g reat pain that we record the sudden decease o f Mr. James Blyth, of Mary bank. Mr. Blyth was returning home last nig ht, from Dr. Allison's, acco mpanied by his two eldest sons. He was ri ding on before, and they follo wed a short way behind, When they arriv ed at the gate leading up to the h ouse, they found the horse standin g at it without its rider. Returning i n search of their father, the y found him lying in a ditch at the side o f the road near Wiritoa Mil l, quite dead. The body was carried into Mr. W m. Howie's house, and D r. Gibson sent for, who found that death had bee n caused by the burst ing- of a blood vessel in the brain, and that it m ust therefore hav e been instantaneous. No person in the district had a w ider and mor e attached circle of friends than Mr. Blyth, by all of whom h is deat h will be deplored, as occasioning the loss of a most excellent m embe r of society, a most genial companion, a warm-hearted friend, an d a c onsistent Christian. To his amiable widow and family this sudde n bereav ement must be especially distressing, as from Mr. Blyth's con stitution a nd habits, they might naturally have looked for a long con tinuance of t heir domestic felicity
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See attached sources.
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1801 - 1862 (61 years)
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