John Blair 1836-1922.jpg

Date1922DescriptionJohn Blair (1836-1922) was a native of Scotland (Alloa in Clackmannanshire between Edinburgh and Glasgow) who came to New Zealand aboard the “Dunedin” in 1855. His wife was Martha Dougall (1841-1933) who like John had emigrated from Scotland (Glasgow), a little later aboard the Pladda (1862).

They married in 22 February 1865, bought land in the Kaikorai region and lived in the adjacent Wakari Flagstaff area. John was "a former farmer and later the first schoolmaster at Walton Park Fairfield Dunedin" (Martha's obituary).

In 1889 he published a book of poems Lays of the Old Identities: and other pieces suitable for recitations and readings. Considered one of the early arrivals, or "Old Identities" in early New Zealand English, he was included in the Otago Witness feature below.
Biographical Sketches of the Colonists of the First Decade (March 17 1898).

Blair, John, Green Island and Owaka, served his time as a bookseller in Edinburgh, and came out in the Dunedin 1855, making a passage of 79 days. He bought land at Kaikorai. Published a book of poems "The Lays of the Old Identities," and was a frequent contributor to the Witness poetry columns. M.P.C. for Green Island 1864. Took to teaching for 16 years, and on retiring bought a second property at Owaka. Has been elder, member of Road Board, school committee and volunteers, and is president of different clubs at Catlins. He is still hale and hearty. (Otago Witness, March 17 1898)

Please note:

Originally uploaded to the Tauranga Memories website (2011-2020), into the Remembering War basket, or focus group, by Tauranga City Libraries staff (Harley Couper), on November 20, 2013.

Its original URL was: http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/en/remembering_war/images/show/6382 and its original license was: Creative Commons AttributionNoncommercial 3.0 New Zealand License.

Sometimes images contributed to Tauranga Memories by the community were uploaded by a library staff member. If this has resulted in your photographs being mis-attributed to a staff member, please let us know so we can correct this.The original Tauranga Memories site also sometimes collected the following (blank where empty):

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John Blair 1836-1922.jpg

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