John LAMBIE

   Research Notes:

"OBITUARY

JOHN LAMBIE

Few men who have moved in the realm of public life in the Ashburton County have reached a higher niche in the esteem and affections of their fellows than the late Mr John Lambie, who, after a very protracted illness, yesterday afternoon passed peacefully into the sleep 'which knows no awakening this side of Jordan.' Those who knew the late Mr Lambie loved him, for he was a man whom to know was to love. Although, owing to his illness, Mr Lambie had not been a prominent figure in the public eye for the last couple of years, it will be generally conceded that his will be a place hard to fill, and his loss will be felt not by his relatives alone, but by the whole community, which entertained for him a rare regard and affection.

The late Mr Lambie was born on May 4, 1840, in the parish of Craigie and the district of Kyle, Ayrshire, Scotland. He had therefore just reached the age of 75 years. His ancestors had been farmers in that district for many generations, and he also was brought up to farming. In 1860 the Auckland Provincial Government was offering free grants of 40 acres of land as an inducement to immigrants, and, in 1860, Mr Lambie arrived at Auckland in the ship 'Northern Bride'. His first colonial experience was gained in the employment of the late Mr John Wallace, of Flat Bush, Otahuhu, Auckland. About that time there was trouble with the Maoris, and Mr Lambie was sworn in as a militia man, and drilled for some time, but saw no active service. In 1863 he came to Canterbury, and after some time spent in contract work he took up some land at Boggy Creek, near where the township of Doylestown now stands, and devoted his attention to dairy farming. On the introduction of the late Sir Julius Vogel's public works policy, the branch railway line from Hornby to Southbridge was constructed, and as this line ran through Mr Lambie's property at Doyleston, he cut up and sold about 100 acres as an extension to the township. He also gave a free site for a public library. During his residence in the district Mr Lambie served as a member of the North Rakaia Board of River Conservators. He was also a prime mover in establishing a public school at Leeston, and was chairman of the first meeting called for that purpose.

In 1873, Mr Lambie's wife died, and shortly afterwards he sold his Doyleston property, and purchased 1500 acres of Government land on the South Rakaia plains. As one of the pioneer settlers of the new district, he was one of the initial movers in establishing a public school and post office. He also gave the district its name of Kyle, in honour of Scotland's national poet Burns, and also of his own birthplace. Mr Lambie was an intimate friend and admirer of the New Zealand poet Thomas Bracken, and the latter dedicated his last book to Mr Lambie. Soon after he settled in the Kyle district Mr Lambie began to take an active share in public business, and it is in this particular sphere that the residents generally of the County knew him best.

He was a member of the Ashburton County Council on and off for a period of 27 years, being elected to represent the South Rakaia Riding of the County first in 1881. He was chairman for one triennial term at the time when the Mount Hutt County Bill was prominently before the public. At a later time Mr Lambie was again elected chairman of the Council, but he occupied the chair for only a part of the term of three years, and then resigned. As a member of the County Council the late Mr Lambie's public spiritedness was displayed at its best, and there is no man who would not agree that he was one of the most useful and valuable units of that body, and one who worked always in the direction of progress. He was among the first to advocate the present and eminently fine water-race system in the County. He resigned his seat on the County Council in October, 1913. Mr Lambie was a County representative on the Ashburton Hospital and Charitable Aid Board as from April, 1910-when the Board was first established. He retained his seat until compelled by physical infirmities to retire, a similar reason actuating his retirement from the Lyttelton Harbour Board, on which body he held a seat for a great number of years. For a long period he was also a member of the South Rakaia Road Board, and acted as chairman for a lengthy term. Being a prosperous and a successful farmer, it was only natural that he should take a prominent and active interest in the functions of the Ashburton A. and P. Association. He was also a prime mover in the formation of the Ashburton branch of the Farmers' Union, and was subsequently chairman of that body. He was chairman of the Kyle School Committee, and also served as local postmaster there.

He was for many years a leading member of the old Ashburton Caledonian Society, and subsequently and up to the time of his death was a member and a past Chief of the present Ashburton Scottish Society. During his long residence in the Ashburton district he had also been and active and useful member of many other institutions, and no man ever did a fuller or more useful share of public work than Mr Lambie, while at the same time he never neglected his farm.

Mr Lambie was one of the first to realise the value of trees on the Ashburton Plains, and he had not been long settled in the Kyle district before he planted one block of some 90 or 100 acres in forest trees. Mr Lambie was a deeply read man. He was well versed in both Home and New Zealand politics, and had been on several occasions strongly urged to contest the Ashburton seat for Parliament. He claimed an intimate knowledge of Scottish history and Scotch poetry, and was a keen lover of Scottish songs and Scottish music.

In 1890 Mr Lambie visited the Old Country, and he also paid two subsequent visits-one about eight years ago and the other about three or four years back. He was twice married. His first wife was a daughter of the late Mr James Crawford, a very old settler of Wairoa South, Auckland. She died in 1873, and three years later Mr Lambie married a daughter of Mr T. Hunt, of Christchurch. By his first marriage he had three children (two daughters and one son), and by his second wife he had two sons and three daughters. The children all survive him. They are: Messrs James Lambie (of Kyle), Robert Henry Lambie (of Kyle), and William Lambie (of Orawia, Southland), Mrs. James Bruce (of Seafield), Mrs. James Bruce (of Wellington), Mrs Wallace (of Ormondville), Mrs Lochhead (of Buccleuch), and Mrs Wilson (of Carterton). It is interesting to recall that the late Mr Lambie's mother's grandfather, Alexander Brown, occupied a farm in Ayrshire adjoining that of the poet Burns's father at Lochlea, and when the bard's father died Mr Brown was one of those who helped to carry him to his last resting-place in Alloway Kirkyard, immortalised in 'Tam O'Shanter'.

The mortal remains of the late deceased gentleman will be interred at the Southbridge Cemetery on Sunday." ⁴

   Marriage Information:

John married Mary CRAWFORD, daughter of James CRAWFORD and Mary BANNATYNE, on 4 Oct 1864 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand ¹. (Mary CRAWFORD was born in 1839 and died on 21 Nov 1873 near Doyleston, Cantebury, New Zealand ⁵.)

   Marriage Information:

John also married Jane LUNT, daughter of Thomas LUNT and Ann BANTON, in 1876 in New Zealand ². (Jane LUNT was born on 27 Apr 1855 and died in 1932 ⁶.)