Histories

Biographical Information: ROBERT BLACKIE, born 4th March 1825 in St Mary's Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland, baptised 15th April 1825 by Revd Henry Grey, died 10th December 1869 (aged 44) at his home on Madras Street, Christchurch, Canterbury District, New Zealand, buried in Plot 341 in the Barbadoes Street Church of England Cemetery, Chistchurch. Living (1857 and 1861) at 4 St Colme Street, Edinburgh, but also at Duke Street, Edinburgh, immediately before moving (1863) to New Zealand, where he was living (1869) on Madras Street, Christchurch. He and his wife sailed (17th January 1863) from Gravesend, Kent, England, aboard the S.S. Sebastopol and arrived (21st May 1863) in Christchurch. He was witness to the marriage (3rd July 1860 in Edinburgh) of his 1st cousin Fanny Blackie (see 1.1.3.7.5.2. below) and to the deaths (25th March 1857) of his cousin Maria Lennox Blackie (see 1.1.3.7.5.1. below) and (24th January 1861 at 4 St. Colme Street, Edinburgh) of his grandmother Mary Brown Purvis (Polly), widow of Burridge Purvis (see 1.1.3.7. above). Although a surviving heir of his uncle John Purvis (see 1.1.3.7.2. above), he does not appear as a petitioner in the case against Thomas Purvis Bruce (see 1.1.3.1.1.6. above) in 1866 but does appear as a "complainant" when this case finally came to judgement in October 1870 (by which time he had died – 10th December 1869). However he is cited (May 1867) as a surviving heir "of full age" with residence in Canterbury, New Zealand, when Thomas Purvis Bruce petitioned for final settlement of this executry. In his will (signed 19th August 1869) he is described as “late of Duke Street in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, but now of Madras Street in the City of Christchurch in the province of Canterbury, New Zealand”. In his death announcement in the Lyttelton Times of 13th December 1869 he is described as “late of Edinburgh and Oakland, Mississippi”. Married (not in New Zealand 1861-69, probably in Scotland or England before 1863) Isabella ….., who probably left New Zealand after her husband's death (she sailed (2nd September 1870) from Lyttelton, New Zealand to San Francisco, California, on the S.S. Airedale – see the Lyttelton Times of 3rd September 1870), probably having no children (no children are mentioned in his will and no Blackie birth is registered in New Zealand (1861-69)).