GILLIES, JOHN (1802-71) was born at Rothesay, in Bute, the son of a small crofter and handloom weaver. He received in his parish such an education as enabled him in 1820 to enter on his articles under Alexander Irvine, town clerk, sheriff and clerk of petty sessions at Rothesay, and comptroller of customs for the town and port.

His articles completed, he entered a merchant's office in Greenock, and in 1827 married Isabella, daughter of John Lillie (Glasgow, a descendant of Huguenot refugees). He soon went back to Rothesay as deputy town clerk and agent for the Greenock Bank. When the first municipal council was elected under the reform act of 1832, he was appointed town clerk of the burgh and clerk to the harbour trustees. He was also admitted (as procurator of the sheriff's court) as a notary public. In 1842 the Greenock Bank was amalgamated with the Western Bank of Scotland and Gillies became local agent for the larger institution. Next year Gillies prepared a bill to provide for the police of the burgh and to supply lighting and water, and he was sent to London to watch its passage through Parliament. A loyal and devout churchman, Gillies in 1830 was ordained as an elder of the Church of Scotland. At public meetings, at synod, at presbytery, and in assembly he threw himself heart and soul into the problem of the civil establishment of religion and education. Through him his native parish received some of the best men available for its schools. Deeply moved by the spectre of disruption in the Church, he stood by his minister and left the Established Church when the crash came. The seceding portion of the congregation, on his advice, roofed over as a church a large open space in the town which had been used as a cooperage. For the best part of 10 years thereafter Gillies represented his parish in the Free Church assemblies.

Then he was taken with the idea of migrating. His son, John Lillie Gillies, had already gone to Australia, and when the idea occurred to the father in 1851 he withheld it from his family, and called upon them to join in prolonged prayer for guidance. The whole day they thus addressed themselves. In the evening they discussed the problem, and, almost without dissent, adopted the momentous decision. With his mind at peace, Gillies set about making arrangements for his departure. At the age of 49, he sailed with his family in the Slains Castle. On arriving in Dunedin Gillies purchased a 10-acre section and house at Halfway Bush (where he lived for many years) and a farm at Tokomairiro, which was carried on by his sons. He went into partnership with John Hyde Harris (the only solicitor then practising in Dunedin) and was forthwith admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court. He was soon fully involved in the public affairs of the province. In 1853 he was elected to the Provincial Council, for which he acted as clerk.

He was speaker in 1854-55. In 1857 Gillies was appointed by the General Government sheriff of Otago and resident magistrate, and from 1861 to 1870 he was registrar of births, deaths and marriages. Education had in him a champion fired with Scots zeal and with ideas far in advance of his time; as, for instance, when he advocated setting aside one-third of the Church estates for a university chair. One of the founders and an elder of Knox Church, he took a great interest also in the foundation of the strong church at Tokomairiro, to which he presented a bell. Gillies made himself chiefly responsible for the creation of the sustentation fund of the church; he was a strong advocate of missions to the Chinese and the Maori, and of the union of the Presbyterian Churches of New Zealand. He was a pillar of strength of the Sunday schools, the Otago Bible Society and the Young Men's Christian Association. He died on 24 Jul 1871.

(See J. L., R. and T. B. GILLIES, I. MCINDOE.) Otago P.C. Proc.; Hocken; Otago Witness; Otago Daily Times, 27 Jul 1871, 28 Feb 1930 (p)

Reference: Volume 1, page 164

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