Robert was born at 9 Lamb Street, Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland and traveled with his two brothers and parents to New Zealand in 1875 onboard ‘Christian McAusland’ arriving at Bluff, Southland on the 29 of August after a voyage of 91 days.
After originally settling in Mataura, Robert and his siblings attended Mataura School and other local schools before he embarked on his journey as a Blacksmith.
By 1888 however, Robert started to make his presence known in the district sporting arena. At rugby, he represented the Mataura Moonlighters against the Gore juniors, playing in the 3-quarters.
In the same year he teamed up with his older brother James and was active in Cricket playing for the Mataura 2nd Elevens against Gore. He was elected to the Committee of the Mataura Junior Eleven Cricket club for the 1888/89 season too. Sport would play a big part in his life.
During 1890 Robert played Rugby for Mataura against Invercargill, Gore and Orepuki. By end of 1892, Robert had moved from Mataura to Riversdale as evidenced by him playing Cricket for the Riversdale team – he was a handy bowler too, taking 6 wickets in one match, but usually picked for his batting. He also played against Mandeville and Gore for this team.
In 1893 he was elected to the committee of the Riversdale Cricket Club and 1894 he was made the Captain of the Riversdale Rugby Team and he maintained this through to 1895 playing teams such as Gore and Waikaia. In 1896-1898 he was in the Rugby team committee again. In 1899 he would not be in the committee, but continued to represent the club playing at interclub level right up until his move to Balfour in July 1899.
Robert was known for his rendition of the ‘Sailor’s Horn-pipe’ which he danced in costume. He was also a Private in the Riversdale Rifles and a good shot with a 9 handicap at best and 12 at worst. He always did well at competitive meets. The Rifles disbanded in September 1898.
On the social front, he was a Warden in the Riversdale M.U.I.O.O.F. (Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows).
In 1895 he started working as a journeyman for John McDougall’ smithy in Riversdale. The ad (right) appeared in the papers in November 1899. Robert remained as a journeyman blacksmith for a number of years, before eventually owning his own business in Balfour in 1900. Robert bought the Balfour section from Peter Johnston Hood in 1901 and sold it to David McMath in 1912.
Move to Balfour
In July 1900, Robert and his family set up shop in Balfour on the property formerly owned by P. Hood. “General Blacksmith and Farrier” was the title which came to number 15, Balfour, the one acre section with its smithy and house.
The smithy was L shaped and built of wood and iron. It had two forges – proof that sometimes four men worked for the blacksmiths. The main work for the smith was making shoes and shoeing horses, iron-mongery for horses and making and repairing implements. The forge was charcoal fanned by bellows for the extreme heat needed to shape the red hot metal. A barrel of water stood nearby to cool the metal after it had been beaten into shape. The building construction was wood and steel.
Regarding the section number, then according to the Mataura Ensign, it was section 16, so this needs to be checked.
Robert held the Balfour agency for McCormack binders. He was member of the Caledonian society and captain of the Balfour football team and was also their president in 1905 and 1910.
Tragedy would befall the family in April 1901. Kate died of Tuberculosis following a 6-month illness. This completely devastated the family and made life extremely difficult for a working father with 3 children under 5. I am fairly confident in saying, by looking at various records, Rosina (sister) moved in with Robert to help with the domestic duties. Obviously that relationship ceased when Rosina married in 1909.
There are very few records of Robert’s wife, Kate, but this is one of her last resting place, Balfour Cemetery, Southland, New Zealand.
First Family
Robert and Kate married at the Registrar’s Office in Gore and it would be fair to suggest that it was done with haste, as there were only 4 months between the marriage and the arrival of their first child. They had 3 together, all born at Riversdale; Robert born 1896, Eileen born 1898 and lastly Les born 1899.
Second Family
In 1909, Robert married Jeannie McKinlay Balderston Campbell, who like Robert, was born in Scotland. The marriage was held at Balfour. Jeanie was widowed in 1907, with 2 children. More on them down the page.
In the meantime, Les became the message boy at the post office in 1912. This post card was in Les’ personal effects held by my Nana, Grace, Les’ widow.
For whatever reason, a decision was made to sell the Balfour Blacksmith shop to D. McMath, which occurred about 1913.
In 1913 the family moved to Wyndham where Robert again set up a blacksmith shop. They lived at Inkerman Street. This would last a couple of years after which the family would move to Orepuki with the business still being as a blacksmith.
In 1916, both Vera and Sidney attended Orepuki School, but by the end of that year, the kids would be attending a completely different school. Orepuki seems to have been very ‘temporary’
North Island
Jeannie’s first marriage to Walter McGuire was set in Wellington, and it seems obvious that there was a desire to get back there. But first, the family of 4 would be spending some time in the Wairarapa.
The family established themselves initially at 56 Cornwall Street, then at 125 Lincoln Road and finally at 10 Victoria Street, Masterton and the children attended Masterton Side School. Robert worked as a blacksmith in Masterton for the first couple of years and then in 1919 he became the manager of the “Masterton Farmers Implements” – the MFI – at Carterton, just south of Masterton.
The MFI was well known for its production of patented wool-presses, which it sent to farms all over New Zealand. Support for his managerial role was provided by Charles, who on his immigration papers to the USA, states that his next of kin were “James Stark, c/- Implement Coy, Carterton, New Zealand.
Move to Wellington
In 1921/2 Jeannie and Robert moved for the last time as a couple to their residence at No. 27 Jessie Street, Central Wellington
Following are from Jessie Street (number 26 in the middle) around the time that Robert and Jeanie lived there. I suspect that they are the houses opposite their own. This photo is for illustration, but their house was a rental of 2 storeys.
Money needed to be made, and as far as my research has been able to prove, Robert was employed by the New Zealand Railways as a blacksmith. This continued up until 1936 when he changed jobs and went to work for the Petone Gasworks.
The gasworks (above) taken in the 1950’s. In the (left) photo, the gasworks is in the centre directly above the “C” in Capstan has 2 black chimneys and a triangular roof. This has since been pulled down. The gasworks was founded on a loan in the 1890s for the betterment of Petone.
Robert would keep working at the gasworks until the death of Jeannie in 1944. He hosted various grandchildren and children – remembered by Marie Anderson nee Stark at the New Zealand Exhibition.
Following his retirement from the railways, he lived with his daughter Vera in 15a Maida Vale Rd. Roseneath, Wellington and worked as a blacksmith for the Petone Borough Council right up to the time of his death at the age of 78; not a bad feat by today’s standards… Robert passed away in 7th September 1948. He is cremated and buried alongside his wife at Karori Cemetery. Sidney took care of the estate and the burial. After a life working, there was about 256 pounds in the estate split between the 5 children. No money to Jeannie’s first 2 children.
| Born | Married | Died | Children | |
| Robert Francis | 26 Jun 1896 | Winifred Doherty | 12 May 1966 | 4 |
| Eileen | 2 Mar 1898 | David Cathro | 22 Sep 1991 | 2 |
| John Leslie | 23 Apr 1899 | Grace Robertson | 9 May 1962 | 1 |
| Sidney Owen | 15 Sep 1909 | Jeanetta Dunn | 06 Nov 1986 | 2 |
| Vera | 28 May 1912 | Harry Crawford | 22 Jul 1969 | 6 |
Other Children – Step Children to Robert
I would like to make mention of 2 other children that should be mentioned. Robert’s second wife, Jeannie, had 2 children to a previous marriage. It is not clear that these children ever lived with her at Balfour, but I will add them her for completeness.
Jeanie’s first marriage was to Walter John McGuire at Wellington on the 4 Sep 1899. Sadly, Walter passed in 1907.
| Born | Married | Died | Children | |
| James Duncan McGuire | 7 Aug 1900 | Thelma Duncan | 6 Mar 1955 | 3 |
| Susannah B M McGuire | 24 May 1903 | Charles Pomeroy | 19 Apr 1993 | 3 |
James Duncan McGuire
One of the children, James McGuire, went on to attain two degrees and received in 1947 an MBE. What is remarkable about James is that he was blinded at a young age (7) and went onto head a school that re-educated blind soldiers returning after WWII. He also headed the Blind Institute as it was then. James married Thelma Duncan in 1934.
Susannah Balderston Miller McGuire
James also had a sister, Susannah, but there is little on her. There is almost nothing on the blended family living together and sharing a home with the children of Robert and Jeannie’s family, Sidney and Vera.
Susannah gained a degree from Auckland University in English and trained and qualified as a Teacher in 1940. She married Charles Pomeroy in 1936.