DENNISTON, THOMAS (1821-97) was born at Greenock, Scotland, and educated at Greenock Academy and Glasgow University. He spent some time travelling in Europe and then became a partner with a sugar merchant. He was much influenced by the religious movement in 1843 and gave his full support to the Free Church. He married early and his wife died in 1855.

In 1862 Denniston came to New Zealand in the Nelson and took up a run at Hillend, to which he walked with his sons. It did not pay, and he exchanged it for a smaller run in the Oteramika district, Southland. A man of deep culture, with a graceful literary style, he drifted naturally away from country life towards journalism. For many years he was literary editor of the Southland Times, of which he was editor (1879-85) and a director. He contested the Oteramika seat in the Provincial Council against F. D. Bell (1871), but made no later advance towards political life. He was for many years a justice of the peace both in Renfrewshire and in New Zealand, and was a member of the Southland land board, the Otago school commissioners and the Southland education board. He founded the paper mill at Mataura. A conservative Christian, he was an elder-elect of the Free Church of Scotland (of Dr Buchanan's congregation) but declined ordination. He was, however, a deacon of First Church, Invercargill. Denniston lived for a short time at Duvauchelles, Banks Peninsula, returning to Southland, where he died on 14 Sep 1897. (See J. E. Denniston, R. F. CUTHBERTSON).

Ross; Southland Times, 15 Sep 1897, 12 Nov 1912; Weekly Press, 22 Sep 1897.

Reference: Volume 1, page 117

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