James BLYTH

1837 - 1928  (91 years)

• Name	James BLYTH  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15]
  Birth	15 May 1837	Logie, Fife, Scotland   [2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16]
  Christening	29 May 1837	Logie, Fife, Scotland   [2, 6, 14, 15]
  Gender	Male
  Death	30 Oct 1928	Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand   [2, 6, 14, 15, 17, 18]
  Burial	2 Nov 1928	Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand   [2, 6, 14, 15, 18]
  Person ID	I17	Blyth Family Tree
  Last Modified	22 Dec 2025

  
  

  Father	Robert BLYTH,   b. 26 Jul 1807, Cults, Fife, Scotland d. 28 Aug 1892, Leuchars, Fife, Scotland (Age 85 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Elizabeth KINNEAR,   b. 18 Mar 1805, Leuchars, Fife, Scotland d. 26 Aug 1881, Leuchars, Fife, Scotland (Age 76 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	2 Nov 1828	Dunino, Fifeshire, Scotland   [19]
  Family ID	F91	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Alice Stewart DUNN,   b. 1 Jun 1844, Trafalgar Grove, Greenwich, Kent, England d. 25 Jun 1922, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	2 May 1863	The Stumps, Orari, Timaru, New Zealand   [2]
  Children	1. Thomas Robert BLYTH,   b. 19 May 1864, Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand d. 18 Mar 1904, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand (Age 39 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. Jessie Elizabeth BLYTH,   b. 8 Jul 1865, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. 26 Apr 1936, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand (Age 70 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   3. James BLYTH,   b. 1867, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. 13 Oct 1902, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand (Age 35 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   4. William Stewart BLYTH,   b. 1878, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. Yes, date unknown  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   5. Francis David BLYTH,   b. 24 Jul 1880, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. 8 Sep 1880, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand (Age 0 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   6. Beatrice BLYTH,   b. 26 Nov 1881, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. 5 Jan 1964, Wellington, New Zealand (Age 82 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   7. Ethel BLYTH,   b. 1884, Temuka, South Canterbury, New Zealand d. Yes, date unknown  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F4	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	22 Dec 2025

  
  

• Photos

  JamesBlyth-Newport.jpg

  
  

• Notes

  James Blyth:Autpbiographical Notes Mr James Blyth was born In Newport, Fifeshire, Scotland on 15th May 1837. He was educated at the Presbyterian School in his native town, and at the Grammar School, St Andrews. On leaving school he was apprenticed to a Master-Builder in order to learn the trade of a carpenter. At the end of his four year apprenticeship he was retained as a journey man carpenter and continued to serve his employer in that capacity for six months, and then decided to leave the land of his birth for far New Zealand. He left London on fifth October, 1858, in the ship “Strathallan” of five hundred and forty tons register. The passengers numbered two hundred and thirty-five souls including thirty-two children. The immigrants included farm laborers, general laborers, gardeners, shepherds, blacksmith carpenters, sawyers, bricklayers, tailors, painters, domestic servants and dressmakers. The voyage was full of interest. The French coast was sighted on the morning of the 17th and shortly afterwards the rough weather so often encountered in the Bay of Biscay was experienced. The weather was stormy with a high sea running and sea-sickness was general among the passengers. Running into finer weather they eventually reached the tropics and the ship became becalmed in the Doldrums. Fishing was indulged in here. A twelve months old shark was caught by the first mate, and the following morning the passengers were regaled with shark for breakfast fried in butter, and for tea on the same day shark stewed in vinegar. In order to interest those on board a ship's newspaper was published periodically, being usually read after dinner. As occasion offered, there were concerts, dances, deck games and entertainments by a scrach band. Very dirty weather was encountered in southern latitudes, and during time there was a good deal of bickering, discontent and fighting taking place among members of the Crew. During the voyage two woman and six children died and there were three births. On the morning of January 13th, New Zealand was distinctly visible and on a bearing taken at noon, it was calculated that the ship was thirty-five miles from land. The Ship arrived of Timaru on 14th January, 1859. Timaru in those days was nothing but a whaling station. The buildings consisted of five houses, Mr Rhodes’s wool shed and an Accommodation house kept by Sam Williams. The country was a wilderness of tussock and flax. Owing to a lack of accommodation, James Blyth spent the first few nights under a flax bush with no other covering but for a blanket, and he continued the outdoor night life for a month Two days after arrival he met Mr David Innes was in partnership with William Harrison in Pareora Station, a block of country of 25000 acres just south of the Pareora river. Mr Innes engaged James Blyth as a carpenter to co-operate with two other tradesmen in the construction of a wool-shed and house on that part of the run now known as Holme station, the wages being 12s6d a day and found. On the completion of the wool-shed and the partial construction of the house, there was a shortage of timber, and rather than stand idle the carpenters left but agreed to return later to complete the work. James Blyth went down to the Waimate bush where he helped to build a sheep-dip and wash, and later built a dairy at Waihao for a former employee of Mr Innes. On finishing this work, he decided to see some of the countryside and he thereupon commenced a long walk to Dunedin. On reaching the Waitaki, he was faced with the difficulty of getting to the other side of the river in order to continue his tramp. Meeting a Maori, he discussed his difficulty and the native suggested the construction of a raft of koradi sticks and flax. Together they built a raft six feet by four feet, and the Maori poled the new colonist across the river. Navigation was difficult and tricky owing to the rapidly flowing water; but the native proved himself a past-master with the pole. On reaching the other side, the Maori declined to accept anything for the service he had rendered, and it was only after repeated efforts that Blyth prevailed on him to accept half a Sovereign for his trouble. The Waitaki plain was then a regular plaster of cabbage trees and flax. The Maori gave the pioneer directions as to his route, informing that after walking six miles he would reach Mr Filluel’s sheep station. He stayed at the station that night and walked into Oamaru, a distance of four miles, the following morning. Oamaru then consisted of a blacksmith’s shop, a carpenter’s shop and a few houses, the first hotel being at that time under construction. The traveller here inquired the way to Dunedin and continued on the even tenor of his way. The following morning he fell in with two sailors who had deserted from a ship previously when at Port Chalmers and who where then walking back to Port Chalmers with a view securing a job on a returning vessel. The journey to Dunedin occupied a week. The party stayed one night with the Maoris at Waikoiti and slept out other nights. On reaching Port Chalmers they made a stay of one night at the hotel, and the following morning the party took passage in a boat to Dunedin. In 1859, Dunedin was a very small place, a couple of hotels, a few houses and several shops constituting the town at that time. James Blyth stayed here for a month then took passage for Oamaru on the steamer “Geelong”. On reaching Oamaru he proceeded on foot to a ford on the Waitaki river called Jimmy-the-needle’s crossing. He had to disgorge the sum of £1 in advance before Jimmy would put him across the river. A good swimming pony carried him across the river, and he then walked to Pike’s station, about eight miles north of the river, and stayed there the night. The following day he walked to Pareora Station, a distance of forty miles, and finding that additional supplies of timber had been secured by Messrs. Harris and Innes he resumed work the following morning and two months later had completed the work, James Blyth tendered for the construction of a house for Mr W.K. Macdonald, 0rari Station, and secured the contract. It was a house of five rooms which was liked up with the original slab house. It was completed to Mr Macdonald’s entire satisfaction in 1860. This was the beginning of James Blyth's association with W.K. Macdonald, but was destined to cover a number of years during which Mr Blyth Carried out extensive work for Mr Macdonald. Whilst James Blyth had the construction of W.K. Macdonald's the house in hand, he met the lady who was to be the sharer joys and sorrows over a long period of happy wedded life. Miss Alice Dunn the daughter of Thomas Dunn who had a farm at Orari called the Stumps. On the completion of Macdonald's house James Blyth decided that he would give the "diggings" a go. He rode from Timaru up through the Lindus Pass to the diggings. He joined two other men in the working of a claim, put in plenty of work during a very hard winter there but without any luck, and returned to Timaru. He then commenced business as a Master-Builder and carried out extensive work in town and country. On 2nd May, 1863, he was united in Holy Matrimony with Alice Dunn at her father's home , The Stumps, Orari, the ceremony being performed by the first Anglican Vicar of Geraldine, the Rev. Lawrence Brown. The happy couple made their home in Timaru and continued to reside there for three years. Mr Blyth then secured a building contract at Orari and other contracts in the same location following which the Blyth's decided to move to Orari in order that Mr Blyth would be more conveniently placed to carry out the work . He purchased twenty acres of land on which he built a house which they made their home until the children became of school age when he sold out of the Orari property and returned to Timaru. The family lived in Timaru for several years, but the ever increasing contracts offering in Temuka town and district brought about another move and he came to Temuka in 1873 to make the town his permanent hone. In 1875 he decided to enlarge the sphere of his operations and to this end he commenced business as a Timber and Hardware merchant. A Man of substance, he began to take an active interest in municipal matters and played a prominent part in the formation and development of the town. For years he was chairman o f the Temuka Town Board, and he has been a Justice of the Peace for a long period of years. He has been an enthusiastic worker in the Presbyterian Church and gave of his best in all things calculated to further its good work. In 1894 he made a trip to the old country where he travelled a great deal before returning to New Zealand. In June 1922, after a happy association extend ing over fifty-nine years, a partnership commenced on 2nd May 1863 came to an end when Mrs Blyth passed away. Shortly after the sad event Mr Blyth retired from business in order to enjoy remaining years of life in peace and quiet. Well over ninety years of age, he is a living testimony t o the inestimable benefits gained by a life of rectitude and hard work The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District] Old Colonists Mr. James Blyth, J.P., was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, in 1837, and served an apprenticeship to the building trade. He came to Timaru by the Strathallan,in 1859, and followed his trade until 1861, when he tried , his fortune on the Otago goldfields. Returning to Timaru, he carried on business as a builder for some years, and settled in Temuka in 1872. I n 1880 he commenced business as a timber, coal, and iron merchant. His premises occupy an acre and a-half of ground in Wood Street, where he also has a large grain store. Mr. Blyth is district agent for the National Insurance Company. He has taken a leading part in all movements for the welfare of the district, and was associated with the Temuka Pioneers ' Memorial, which was erected in commemoration of the Record Reign, and was unveiled by Mrs. Blyth on the 16th of December, 1897. He was made a Justice of the Peace in 1897. Mr. Blyth is a member of the Masonic fratrnrity, and also of the Alexanda Lodge of Oddfellows, American order , in which he has occupied all the chairs and has been for years treasurer of of the lodge. He was one of the first members of the Temuka Town Board, of which he was chairman from 1890 to 1894. Mr. Blyth was married in 862 to the eldest daughter of Mr. Thos. Dunn, of The Stumps farm, Orari , and has three sons and three daughters.

  
  

• Sources

  [S15] Ancestry Family Trees (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ances try.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry membe rs.;), Ancestry Family Trees. [S15] Ancestry Family Trees (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ances try.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry membe rs.;), Database online. Member Tree Name Parents Adkins Clayton family Public Member Tree Unsourced James Blyth Birth: 15 May 1837 - Fife, Scotland Death: 30 Oct 1928 - New Zealand Marriage: 2 May 1863 - Orari, New Zealand Spouse: Alice Stewart Dunn F: Robert Blyth M: Elizabeth Kinnear [S3] 1841 Scotland Census Records, James Blyth - 1841 Logie Fife Parish: Logie; ED: 1; Page: 5; Line: 1080; Year: 1841. Name: James Blyth Age: 4 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1837 Gender: Male Where born: Fife, Scotland Civil Parish: Logie County: Fife Address: Lucklanhill Fews Parish Number: 446 Household Members: Name Age Robert Blyth 32 Elisabeth Blyth 34 Elisabeth Blyth 12 William Blyth 8 Hellen Blyth 6 James Blyth 4 Thomas Blyth 1 [S6] Ancestry.com, 1851 Scotland Census Records. Name: James Blyth Age: 13 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838 Relationship: Son Father's Name: Robert Blyth Mother's name: Elizabeth Blyth Gender: Male Where born: Logie, Fifeshire Parish Number: 446 Civil parish: Logie County: Fife Address: Luchlawhill Feus Occupation: Scholar ED: 2 Page: 10 (click to see others on page) Household schedule number: 36 Line: 11 Roll: CSSCT1851_92 Household Members: Name Age Robert Blyth 43 Elizabeth Blyth 44 Elizabeth Blyth 21 William Blyth 18 Hellen Blyth 15 James Blyth 13 Thomas Blyth 11 David Blyth 6 [S3] 1841 Scotland Census Records. Birth date: abt 1837 Birth place: Fife, Scotland Residence date: 1841 Residence place: Fife, Scotland [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 07 April 2020, 15:22), entry for James Blyth (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:99BM-X3N ); contributed by various users. PersonID 99BM-X3N. James Blyth https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:99BM-X3N [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-L4G6 : 4 October 2016), James Blyth and Alison Stewart Dunn, 1863; citing Marriage, New Zealand, registration number 1863/6057, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-L4G6 [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-G9KP : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for Thomas Robert Blyth, 1864; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1864/7316, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for Thomas Robert Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-G9KP [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-P8TR : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for Jessie Elizabeth Blyth, 1865; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1865/15742, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for Jessie Elizabeth Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1896" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24J-P8TR [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-PTL4 : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for Beatrice Blyth, 1882; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1882/4198, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for Beatrice Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1896" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-PTL4 [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-BHRP : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for Ethel Blyth, 1884; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1884/38, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for Ethel Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1896" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-BHRP [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-23MQ : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for Frances David Blyth, 1880; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1880/16477, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for Frances David Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1896" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-23MQ [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-XNRC : 27 November 2017), James Blyth in entry for William Stewart Blyth, 1878; citing Birth, New Zealand, registration number 1878/9616, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington. James Blyth in entry for William Stewart Blyth, "New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1896" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-XNRC [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Scotland Census, 1841", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY8R-YYT : 22 June 2021), James Blyth in entry for Robert Blyth, 1841. James Blyth, "Scotland Census, 1841" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VY8R-YYT [S113] FamilySearch.org, FamilySearch Family Tree, "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYVB-KQ7 : 11 February 2020), James Blyth, 1837. James Blyth, "Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XYVB-KQ7 [S99] www.scotlandspeople.govt.co.uk, Scotland Old Parish Records - Births & B aptisms 1564-1855. 1 29/05/1837 BLYTH JAMES ROBERT BLYTH/ELISABETH KINNEAR M LOGIE (FIFE) / FIFE 446/00 0020 0017 [S108] Timaru Cemetery Database - Online. Record Details Reference 18923 Surname Blyth Forenames James Occupation M ERCHANT Address Allnutt Street Temuka Age at Death 91 Years Date of D eath Unknown Date of Interment Friday, 2 November 1928 Cemetery Temuka C emetery Section General Block 2 Plot 175 Beam New Row 82 New Plot 175 C lergy Name Funeral Director [S95] Registrar of Births, Deaths and Mariages, New Zealand - Death Records, Death Certificate of James Blyth - temuka 1928. New Zealand Death Certificate BOM 108 First/given name(s) James Surname family name Blyth (If different First/given name(s) at birth from above) Surnam e/family name at birth Date of death Place of death Cause or causes of death (as specified in doctor's certificate or coroner's order) 30 October 1928 Allnutt Street Temuka Chronic Bronchitis and Myocarditis -10 years Cardiac Failure - 4 days Name of certifying doctor Date last seen alive by certifying doctor Sex Age and date of birth Place of birth If not born in New Zealand number of years lived here Usual home address Usual occupation, profession or job Date of burial or cremation Place of burial or cremation Age of each daughter Age of each son A S Mclnnes 29 October 1928 Male 91 years Not Recorded Fifeshire Scotland 72 Not Recorded Timber Merchant 2 November 1928 Temuka 62 46 44 50 MOTHER First/given tiamefs) (If different from above) Surname/family name First/given namefs) at birth Surname/family name at birth FATHER: First/given riamefs) Surname family name (ifdifferent First/given namefs) at birth from above) Surname /family name at birth Elizabeth Kinnear Blyth Not Recorded Robert Blyth PARENTS Relationship status at time of death Not Recorded Relationship type Age of deceased at event 26 Place of marriage/civil union Orari SPOUSE/ First/given name(s) Alison Stewart PARTNER: Surname/family name Dunn Sex Not Recorded [S98] www.scotlandpeople.govt.co.uk, Scotland Old Parish Records - Banns & Ma rriages 1564-1855, 02/11/1828 BLYTHE ROBERT ELIZABETH KINNEAR/FR580 (FR580) M DUNINO /FIFE 425/00 0030 0023.