Mr. John Greig was born in the Isle of Bute, Scotland, and landed in Canterbury with his parents when thirteen years of age. He fulfilled an apprenticeship in Christchurch, and worked at his trade there, and for three years afterwards in Napier and Auckland. He was contracting for eight years in Melbourne, and built many Government buildings there. Later on he was in West Australia contracting for eighteen months, and also spent six months on the goldfields of Coolgardie and Menzies. He then returned to Canterbury, and two years afterwards joined Mr. Graham in partnership.