MUIR, James

James Muir

[also see Muir and MacKinlay]
 born circa 1870 son of Janet Walker and Robert Muir (he died 15 June 1905 aged 59 years)

native of Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland
 died 30 July 1935 at his residence, 26 The Terrace, Wellington aged 65 years

married firstly 20 June 1906 reg. 1905/7177, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North by Rev. Isaac Jolly,  Elizabeth Ada Sophie West (Lisa West) third daughter of Maria Ann Bannister and Ludolph Georg West, architect, Palmerston North, divorced in 1920. Her father was born at Borre, Island of Moen, Denmark. Her brother Ludolph Edwin Wynn West, is considered by the Ministry of Defence to be the first soldier in the NZ Expeditionary Force to die in World War I.

 
 MUIR. v. MUIR. James Muir, applied for a divorce from his wife, Elizabeth Muir, on the ground of desertion. Petitioner, for whom Mr. E. P. Hay appeared, said he was married at Palmerston North in 1905. There was one child of the marriage. His wife left him in 1911, and had refused to return to him, in spite of repeated requests. A decree nisi was granted.

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 45, 23 February 1920

 
married secondly 23 December 1922 at "Weardale," Rawhiti Terrace, Kelburn, Wellington by the Rev. W. J. Comrie, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, Mary King younger daughter of Mrs King formerly of "Eskbank," Hataitai and W.S. King of Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. 

MUIR.—On the 29th November, 1909, at 37 Low Barholm, Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, Scotland, Janet Walker, widow of the late Robert Muir. in her 65th year, and beloved mother of James and A. W. Muir, Wellington.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1910

his brother Alexander Walker Muir died 5 December 1944 Wellington of 58 Beauchamp Street, Karori, Wellington, married 1926, reg. 1926/2599, Elspeth Carrack Robinson,

New Zealand

Amongst the outward passengers by the Ormuz (says the British Australasian) is Mr James Muir, who is proceeding to Wellington, New Zealand, with the view of taking the management of a hydropathic establishment or sanatorium in that colony. Mr Muir possesses the highest testimonials, and has had an almost unrivalled experience in all departments of hydro work in this country. He should prove an acquisition to the colony.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3470, 27 June 1898 


Sanatorium at Seatoun

A seaside hydropathic establishment and sanatorium within easy distance of the city must prove a great help to the delicate and the invalids of Wellington city and country districts. Mr. Gawne has just completed the fitting up of such an establishment at Seatoun, close to Wellington Heads, and has engaged for its management Mr. James Muir, a recent arrival from Scotland, who has had much experience in the best hydropathic establishments in both Scotland and England. Under Mr. Muir's direction the Seatoun institution has been fitted up on the latest principles, its resources including special baths for rheumatism, sciatica, and colds, the spinal douche, the ascending douche, the Russian, and the ordinal hot and cold baths. Pipes are also run into the sea for salt-water baths.

With Mr. Muir's personal oversight, the Russian bath becomes a luxury, and he gives the most careful attention to those, receiving treatment, so that the most delicate or nervous need have no fear. The Sanatorium, which has a fine and uninterrupted view of the waterway to Wellington and the Heads, contains on the lower floor two packrooms (one for each sex), a drawingroom, diningroom, and the baths. Upstairs there is a promenade hallway running the length of the building, and fitted with couches, easy chairs, and cork matting, which is used throughout the building. On this floor sleeping accommodation is provided for some 20 persons, and the healthy, as well as the ailing, will also find quarters there. The Postal Department has decided to establish a Post and Telegraph office and Telephone Bureau at the Sanatorium for the convenience of Seatoun, with Mr. Muir as postmaster, and there will be two deliveries daily, Kent's brake being a regular means of communication.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 86, 8 October 1898

Mr. James Muir, who has been manager of the hydropathic establishment at Seatoun, has received an appointment in connection with the Government Sanatorium at Rotorua, under Dr. Kenny, formerly Medical Superintendent of Wellington Hospital, and will leave for the North on Saturday night to take up his new duties.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 63, 16 March 1899

Mr James Muir, hydropathic specialist, Te Aroha, has been offered and accepted an important appointment as travelling representative in New Zealand for the New Zealand Rug and Export Company. Previous to undergoing the hydropathic treatment at Matlock fully nine years ago, after which he followed it up as a scientific profession, Mr Muir had two years' practical experience at the hand-loom weaving in Kilbarchan, and following that seven years in the practical department of the woollen manufacturing warehouses and the service room in Glasgow. At the latter end of that time he occupied the position of foreman in a leading fancy dress manufacturer's in Glasgow, so that he has had thorough practical experience in the manufacturing of woollens.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 213, 7 September 1900

 
Mr James Muir, formerly manager of the hydropathic establishment at Seatoun, and who has lately been hydropathic specialist to To Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board, has just returned to Wellington, having received a better appointment as travelling representative of the New Zealand Rug and Export Company, whose goods are manufactured by the Wellington Woollen Company. Mr Muir was in his earlier years connected with the woollen industry in Glasgow.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4186, 23 October 1900

Mr. James Muir, formerly manager of the hydropathic establishment at Seatoun, and who has lately been hydropathic specialist to Te Aroha Hot Springs Domain Board, is now in Wellington, having been appointed travelling representative of the New Zealand Rug and Export Company, whose goods are manufactured by the Wellington Woollen Company. Before he adopted hydropathy ,as his vocation Mr. Muir had eight years' experience in hand-loom weaving and the general manufacture of woollen goods.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 98, 23 October 1900

Amongst the passengers who arrived at Wellington by the Moeraki on Wednesday is Mr. Robert Muir of Kilbarchan, Scotland. He is coming to the colony for the purpose of visiting his two sons, Messrs.  James and Alexander Muir, of Wellington. Mr. Muir is the proprietor of a small handIoom weaving factory, was recently chairman of the Kilbarchan Gas Company, and is a past president of the Bowling Club. During his stay in New Zealand he intends to visit the Hot Lakes district.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12775, 27 January 1905

The retirement from business of the aid-established firm of photographers, Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns, is now definitely announced. The retiring firm has been so long associated with the life of Wellington that its disappearance is a notable event. Two announcements an the subject appear in another part of this issue; and from one of these it appears that Mr James Muir, the well-known artist, of King’s Chambers, has engaged certain former employees of Messrs Wrigglesworth and Binns, and the patrons of the last-named firm are invited to call at Mr Muir’s studio, which is reached by a lift, and is immediately opposite the promises of the retiring firm.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5599, 27 May 1905

New Zealand Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 257, 3 June 1905

When Wrigglesworth and Binns closed in Wellington, James Muir employed three of their employees, Archibald Malcolm MacKinlay, Operator; Miss H. MacKinlay, Head Artist and Miss L. Naylor, Head Retoucher

All Sorts of People

If you haven't met Mr. James Muir, who last week won the contested election for the vacant seat on the Miramar Borough Council, then how on earth have you managed to dodge his camera? For the past five or six years he has been shooting off groups from high to low, and few are the people who can boast of eluding this most determined of snap-shotters. In fact, tenacity of purpose is Mr. Muir's strong point, and it explains how he generally succeeds in getting what he has a mind to.

Have you forgotten that it was Mr. James Muir who invaded tie sacred precincts of Parliament one afternoon and kept members in their seats by the spell of his glittering eye, and delayed prayers for ten solid minutes while he got them into focus for his picture. You don't mean to say you didn't hear how he got the "Lords" also to sit for him, and sharply rebuked one member who dared to flick a fly off his nose just when James was giving the signal to drop the shutter? In groups he has photographed the lawyers, the doctors, the Civil Service, the police - in heaven's name where are the people whom he hasn't grouped and pictured?

Mr. Muir got to photography by degrees. He hails from "a wee bit ootside Glesga," and first tried his hand at soft-goods. His health failing, he got an insight into hydropathy in a leading Home establishment, and so quickly picked up the points of the water cure that he was chosen to go out with Sir Thomas McIlwraith ex-Premier of Queensland - and then an invalid - to Australia. Sir Thomas, however, wasn't well enough for travel, and as a matter of fact did soon afterwards. Mr Muir shaped his course for New Zealand instead, having read that her Government was going in bald-headed for hydropathic establishments.

It was just eleven years last Sunday since he landed in Wellington, and, oddly enough, his first colonial job was at Seatoun. He became manager of a sanatorium and hadn't been there more than a quarter of an hour before he started to agitate for a post-office and telephone. The Government promptly refused the 'phone but they didn't know James Muir. It took him only ten days to worry them into granting it. Seatoun wasn't big enough to keep him going and so he transferred him hydropathic services next to Rotorua and then to Te Aroha where he was hydropathic specialist to the Domain Board.

Mr. Muir came back to the Empire City in time to meet the Duke and Duchess of York, and follow them round on a Government pass while he collected photos for a London magazine, "The Navy and Army Illustrated." Another feat was to cover sixteen pages in "The King and His Army and Navy" with his travels in the North Island. Mr. Muir continued to take on people from time to time for the water cure, one of his patients being the late King Dick, but he gradually got deeper and deeper into the photographic business, and finally anchored there. Two and a-half years ago he went to live at Karaka Bay, and the fact that he has now beaten so strong a local man as Mr Robert Hall (chairman both of the School Committee and the Ratepayers' Association) shows that Miramar has awoke to the fact that there is hustling to be done, and that James Muir is a perfect terror for getting his own way.

New Zealand Free Lance, Volume X, Issue 476, 14 August 1909

Mr. and Mrs. James Muir (late Hataitai) were at Llandrindod Wells, in Wales, for the international bowling tournament; and now they are at Southport on their way to Scotland.

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 51, 28 August 1929

Obituary

Mr. James Muir

The death took place at his residence, 26 The Terrace, this morning of Mr. James Muir, photographic specialist, at the age of 65 years. Mr. Muir, who was born in Scotland, was engaged in the photographic profession in Wellington for many years, and specialised in the taking of groups. He was also a prominent bowler, being at one time a keen member of the Wellington Bowling Club. He paid a visit to Scotland some years ago, and on his return lived in retirement. He is survived by his widow.

Evening Post, Issue 26, 30 July 1935