GAY, WILLIAM (1865-97) was born at Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, Scotland, his father being an engraver on copper plate for printing wall papers and calico cloths. Gay was educated in the board school at Alexandria, near Dumbarton, where he became a monitor at 14.

With an Orr Ewing scholarship he went to Glasgow University, where he found the study beyond his strength and his strict Calvinist upbringing shaken by doubts. This prevented him from fulfilling his father's ambition by entering the ministry. After being brought back from London he obtained a clerkship in Glasgow at 12s a week. Again he went to London and was starving when G. R. Sims sent him a pound and A. Moore found him some work. He suffered severe hardships. After trying to get employment at sea he sailed for New Zealand in the Dunedin, arriving in Otago in 1885. While purser's clerk in the Tarawera during a cruise to Milford he met Professor Morris, who employed him to write chapters for Picturesque Australasia (1886). After two years in the service of the Union Steamship Co. he went to Hawkes Bay, where he seems to have thrived until 1888, when he went to Victoria. He was appointed to the staff of Scotch College. The work was beyond his strength, but his meeting with the Rev Dr Strong had a vital influence upon his life and thought.

Gay wrote a good deal of verse, the first appearing in print in 1881. He was a profound student of metaphysics and Hegelianism. He was fascinated by pure poetry as he found it in isolated passages in Keats, Shelley, Shakespeare and Wordsworth. He projected a pronouncing dictionary of geographical names and a pamphlet on consumption (from which he suffered), and he wrote for the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science an essay on Walt Whitman in his relation to science and philosophy. Gay published Sonnets in 1896, The Commonwealth and the Empire and Christ on Olympus. His poetry was universal, not local, and dealt mainly with feelings and sympathies common to humanity. Gay was tutor at several homes in the Riverina and Melbourne, and in 1896 settled at Bendigo, where he died on 22 Dec 1897.

Complete Poetical Works (with biog. introd. by J Glen Oliphant), 1911; Bendigo Advertiser, 23 Dec 1897; The Press, 8 Jun 1907.

GEBBIE, JOHN (1822-50) was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand in the Aurora (1840). After spending three years at Wellington, he accepted the position of farm manager to John Deans (Riccarton), with whom he remained for some years. In 1845 he leased land at the head of Port Cooper and eventually settled at Gebbie's valley, establishing a dairy herd and supplying the Wellington market. He died in 1850.

His son, JOHN GEBBIE (1840-88) was born at Wellington. Besides improving his property he took a part in local government, being a member of the Akaroa county council, chairman of the Little River road board and school committee and a member of the licensing committee. He married a daughter of Moses Crier (Lyttelton). His death occurred on 19 Sep 1888.

Cant. O.N.; Deans; Cycl. N.Z., iii; Lyttelton Times, 21 Sep 1888.

Reference: Volume 1, page 162

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