BARCLAY, John
Born 1 December 1867; died: 2 December 1918; buried: 4 December 1918; age 51
John Barclay was one of New Zealand’s most expert stonemasons, according to an obituary published after his death in Wellington, from influenza, in 1918.
He had overseen the construction of the new Parliament House in Wellington and Auckland’s Post Office. Among many public building works, he was also involved in the construction of prominent government buildings on the West Coast.
His father, a Scotsman, was a building contractor helping to build most of the prominent buildings in and around Oamaru in the early days. His son John Jnr will have learned his trade working with his father.
John Barclay Jnr was born on 1 December 1867 in Oamaru, Otago. He was the third son of John and Margaret (nee JARVIE). Some of their family of 6 boys and 4 girls were born in Scotland and some later in New Zealand.
An obituary written for his father, published in the Oamaru Mail on 14 May 1919, reports his arrival in New Zealand as follows:
The late Mr Barclay landed at Dunedin in 1862, and after a residence of a few months there, came to live in the Oamaru district. Born in Gourock, on the Clyde, he came to the Dominion at the age of 26 years, with the late Mrs Barclay and one son. A building contractor, he was concerned in the erection of most of the buildings in and around Oamaru in the early days, including the Queens Hotel, Meek’s mill, the new portion of St Luke’s Church. About four years ago he went under a serious operation since when he had been practically an invalid. He leaves three sons, and three daughters to mourn their loss. The sons are Messrs James, William and Hugh Barclay, storekeepers at Kurow and Haka, and the daughters Mrs M G Young (Dunedin), Mrs Norman Hayes (Haka), and Miss Barclay, of Eden street. The late Mr Barclay took a keen interest in education in the early days, but was of a retiring disposition. He had, nevertheless, especially amongst the older identities many firm friends, owing to his sterling worth”.
John Barclay Jnr’s mother, Margaret, died in August 1900 and was buried in the Oamaru Old Presbyterian Cemetery. His father died on 3 May 1919 at the residence of his daughter in Hakataramea.
John Barclay Jnr married Margaret ANDERSON on 10 October 1900 in Wellington. He was 32, a stonemason, and had been born in Oamaru but was living in Wellington at the time of the marriage. Margaret was 23, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the daughter of Andrew Anderson and Mary BAXTER. Her father was a boiler maker.
Margaret was living in Wellington at the time of her marriage and John’s brother-in-law Matthew Young, a jeweller of Wellington, was one of the witnesses.
John and Margaret welcomed their daughter May on 16 July 1901; their son John on 20 June 1904 and son James Grey on 10 July 1906.
In the 1900 Electoral Roll John was listed as living in Boulcoutt Street, Wellington and was a stonemason.
By 1905 the family had moved to Greymouth where John was an overseer for the Public Works Department and in 1909 he was transferred to work in Auckland.
In the Greymouth Evening Star dated 13 July 1909 the following article was published:
“Mr John Barclay, who was inspector of works during the erection of the Greymouth Post Office, also on the new public building recently erected at Hokitika and the second wing to the Westland Hospital, now being erected, is under orders to transfer to Auckland, when he leaves to-morrow. Mr Barclay has been promoted to the Auckland District in order to take up the position of overseer of works on the new post office in course of construction there, a building to cost upwards of £100,000, and which will take about two years and a half to complete. The friends of Mr and Mrs Barclay made on the West Coast during their sojourn will regret their departure, but will be pleased to hear of the promotion connected with the transfer, and will wish them continued success in their new abode”.
By the time of the 1914 Electoral Roll the Barclay family had returned to live in Wellington. John was still working for the Public Works Department and was to become the Overseer of Works for the new Parliament Building.
Born 1 December 1867; died: 2 December 1918; buried: 4 December 1918; age 51
John Barclay was one of New Zealand’s most expert stonemasons, according to an obituary published after his death in Wellington, from influenza, in 1918.
He had overseen the construction of the new Parliament House in Wellington and Auckland’s Post Office. Among many public building works, he was also involved in the construction of prominent government buildings on the West Coast.
His father, a Scotsman, was a building contractor helping to build most of the prominent buildings in and around Oamaru in the early days. His son John Jnr will have learned his trade working with his father.
John Barclay Jnr was born on 1 December 1867 in Oamaru, Otago. He was the third son of John and Margaret (nee JARVIE). Some of their family of 6 boys and 4 girls were born in Scotland and some later in New Zealand.
An obituary written for his father, published in the Oamaru Mail on 14 May 1919, reports his arrival in New Zealand as follows:
The late Mr Barclay landed at Dunedin in 1862, and after a residence of a few months there, came to live in the Oamaru district. Born in Gourock, on the Clyde, he came to the Dominion at the age of 26 years, with the late Mrs Barclay and one son. A building contractor, he was concerned in the erection of most of the buildings in and around Oamaru in the early days, including the Queens Hotel, Meek’s mill, the new portion of St Luke’s Church. About four years ago he went under a serious operation since when he had been practically an invalid. He leaves three sons, and three daughters to mourn their loss. The sons are Messrs James, William and Hugh Barclay, storekeepers at Kurow and Haka, and the daughters Mrs M G Young (Dunedin), Mrs Norman Hayes (Haka), and Miss Barclay, of Eden street. The late Mr Barclay took a keen interest in education in the early days, but was of a retiring disposition. He had, nevertheless, especially amongst the older identities many firm friends, owing to his sterling worth”.
John Barclay Jnr’s mother, Margaret, died in August 1900 and was buried in the Oamaru Old Presbyterian Cemetery. His father died on 3 May 1919 at the residence of his daughter in Hakataramea.
John Barclay Jnr married Margaret ANDERSON on 10 October 1900 in Wellington. He was 32, a stonemason, and had been born in Oamaru but was living in Wellington at the time of the marriage. Margaret was 23, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the daughter of Andrew Anderson and Mary BAXTER. Her father was a boiler maker.
Margaret was living in Wellington at the time of her marriage and John’s brother-in-law Matthew Young, a jeweller of Wellington, was one of the witnesses.
John and Margaret welcomed their daughter May on 16 July 1901; their son John on 20 June 1904 and son James Grey on 10 July 1906.
In the 1900 Electoral Roll John was listed as living in Boulcoutt Street, Wellington and was a stonemason.
By 1905 the family had moved to Greymouth where John was an overseer for the Public Works Department and in 1909 he was transferred to work in Auckland.
In the Greymouth Evening Star dated 13 July 1909 the following article was published:
“Mr John Barclay, who was inspector of works during the erection of the Greymouth Post Office, also on the new public building recently erected at Hokitika and the second wing to the Westland Hospital, now being erected, is under orders to transfer to Auckland, when he leaves to-morrow. Mr Barclay has been promoted to the Auckland District in order to take up the position of overseer of works on the new post office in course of construction there, a building to cost upwards of £100,000, and which will take about two years and a half to complete. The friends of Mr and Mrs Barclay made on the West Coast during their sojourn will regret their departure, but will be pleased to hear of the promotion connected with the transfer, and will wish them continued success in their new abode”.
By the time of the 1914 Electoral Roll the Barclay family had returned to live in Wellington. John was still working for the Public Works Department and was to become the Overseer of Works for the new Parliament Building.
Image: Corner of Bowen Street and Lambton Quay, circa 1929
Source: wikivisually.com/wiki/24th_New_Zealand_Parliament
Source: wikivisually.com/wiki/24th_New_Zealand_Parliament
Construction of the building had begun in 1912 and was hindered by problems of cost, design, supply of materials, and a lack of labour. By 1918, Members of Parliament were so desperate to get out of the now run down Government House that the Parliament decided to move into the incomplete building. Construction continued around the Government until 1922 when work was officially ceased, leaving the southern wall incomplete, but further work was carried out through to 1925. Local stone was used to face the building, with the base clad in granite from the Coromandel; the upper two floors were faced with Kairuru marble from Nelson. The government was to spend £100,000 on this first stage of the project, with the second stage not built due to the recession.
One of the stonemasons working on the project and more than likely known to John was James HOOD, husband of Mary who died of influenza during the epidemic and is also buried in Karori Cemetery.
The family attended Kelburn Presbyterian Church, with May mentioned in the 1915 Wellington Sunday School Union examinations and John mentioned in the 1918 results. May also attended Miss Barbara Putnam’s dancing classes in the Masonic Hall in Boulcott Street in 1915.
In November 1918 all the family contracted influenza, but only John died, at his home at 117 Northland Road, Northland, Wellington on 2 December. He was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery on 4 December.
The Evening Post published an obituary on 3 December 1918:
Mr John Barclay, the senior overseer of works in connection with new Parliament House, died at his home in Northland yesterday. Born in Oamaru 50 years ago, Mr Barclay was brought up as a builder with his father in that town, and became one of the most expert stone workers in New Zealand. Over 20 years ago he entered the service of the Public Works Department in Wellington, and proved himself a most capable and trustworthy officer, standing high in the estimation of all who knew him. Last month he and all the members of his family contracted influenza. He was very ill for some time, but on Saturday he was about again for a little while. Yesterday morning he had a relapse, and became unconscious, death occurring during the afternoon. He has left a widow and three children.
A second death notice was in the Oamaru Mail 3 December 1918:
On 2nd December, at Wellington, John Barclay, beloved third son of John Barclay, Eden-street
In 1919, Margaret and the family moved to live in Oamaru, to be nearer John’s extended family. The children attended school with James (known as Jack) attending Waitaki Boys High School. Margaret died on 24 December 1934 and is buried in Oamaru Cemetery with her son James who died in 1929.
Written by Beverley Hamlin with information from Madeleine Ashworth
Grave information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 1 W
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists
6. Oamaru Cemetery database - www.waitaki.govt.nz
One of the stonemasons working on the project and more than likely known to John was James HOOD, husband of Mary who died of influenza during the epidemic and is also buried in Karori Cemetery.
The family attended Kelburn Presbyterian Church, with May mentioned in the 1915 Wellington Sunday School Union examinations and John mentioned in the 1918 results. May also attended Miss Barbara Putnam’s dancing classes in the Masonic Hall in Boulcott Street in 1915.
In November 1918 all the family contracted influenza, but only John died, at his home at 117 Northland Road, Northland, Wellington on 2 December. He was buried in the public section of Karori Cemetery on 4 December.
The Evening Post published an obituary on 3 December 1918:
Mr John Barclay, the senior overseer of works in connection with new Parliament House, died at his home in Northland yesterday. Born in Oamaru 50 years ago, Mr Barclay was brought up as a builder with his father in that town, and became one of the most expert stone workers in New Zealand. Over 20 years ago he entered the service of the Public Works Department in Wellington, and proved himself a most capable and trustworthy officer, standing high in the estimation of all who knew him. Last month he and all the members of his family contracted influenza. He was very ill for some time, but on Saturday he was about again for a little while. Yesterday morning he had a relapse, and became unconscious, death occurring during the afternoon. He has left a widow and three children.
A second death notice was in the Oamaru Mail 3 December 1918:
On 2nd December, at Wellington, John Barclay, beloved third son of John Barclay, Eden-street
In 1919, Margaret and the family moved to live in Oamaru, to be nearer John’s extended family. The children attended school with James (known as Jack) attending Waitaki Boys High School. Margaret died on 24 December 1934 and is buried in Oamaru Cemetery with her son James who died in 1929.
Written by Beverley Hamlin with information from Madeleine Ashworth
Grave information:
Section: PUBLIC2
Plot: 1 W
Sources:
1. New Zealand Births Deaths & Marriages historical – www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
2. Newspapers – www.paperspast.natlib.gov.nz
3. Karori Cemetery – www.wellington.govt.nz > Services > Community & Culture > Cemeteries
4. New Zealand Electoral Rolls and family information – www.ancestry.co.uk
5. School Records – Kiwi Index from New Zealand Society of Genealogists
6. Oamaru Cemetery database - www.waitaki.govt.nz