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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Mr. John Sinclair

Mr. John Sinclair , who was well known in the Oamaru district as a builder and contractor, in Dee Street, was born in Caithness Scotland, in 1889. Having learned his trade, he came out to New Zealand in the ship “Strathallan,' in 1858. For about a year he was working in Dunedin, prior to settling in the Oamaru district in 1860. He was for a short time on the Waitahuna diggings, and was afterwards at Fox's. Then he went to farm at Warepa but, a year later, removed to Levels station, near Timaru, where he continued for a year. In 1868 he settled in Oamaru, where he henceforth carried on as a builder and contractor, up to the time of his death, by drowning, in October, 1903, at the mouth of the Waitaki river. Mr. Sinclair erected a number of prominent buildings, such as the Colonial (now New Zealand) Bank, the Union Bank, St. Paul's Presbyterian church, the Oamaru Woollen Factory, Otekaike House, additions to St. Luke's Anglican church, and to the residence of Mr. John Bullied, besides a large number of shops and private residences in the district. He served for about six years as a member of the Oamaru Borough Council, and during that period the water and gas works in connection with the borough were taken in hand. For many years he took an active part in connection with the Caledonian Society. He had vivid recollections of the condititon of Oamuru in 1860, when the creek, which passes under the bridge in Thames Street, was spanned by a single plank, which, when carried away by a flood, left one part of the community cut off from the other, for fully three days. Mr. Sinclair was married, in 1888, to a daughter of the late Mr. James Bell, of Glasgow, and left three sons and three daughters.

Mahan and Muir, photo. The late Mr. J. Sinclair.

Mahan and Muir, photo.
The late Mr. J. Sinclair.