Stewart Monteith (1841 - 1921)

Born 19 Apr 1841 in Newtown Stewart, Ardstraw, Gortin, County Tyrone, Ireland

Husband of Elizabeth (Mahony) Monteith — married 13 Jul 1880 in Gilmers Hotel, Mahera Quay, Greymouth, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 10 Jan 1921 at age 79 in Reefton, Buller, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Faye Whitfield [send private message]

Biography

Stewart was the son of William Monteith and Martha Kilpatrick and one of 2 known children. He had a sister Martha (Matilda) Jane.

A William MONTEITH is at Lurgybeg listed on the Tithe Applotments for Ireland in 1833 and 1834.

Stewart Monteith occupied Lot 4, some 44 acres at Largybeg as recorded in the GV for the area published 22 Nov 1858. In 1862 when the GV record was revised Stewart's name was crossed out and replaced by that of the Marquis of Abercorn. ^[1] About 1862 he and most of the plot holders on that townland appear to have been forced off their holdings by the owner, the Marquis of Abercorn who lived at neighbouring Baronscourt townland.

Stewart emigrated leaving from Liverpool bound for Australia on the ship 'Commodore Perry' in 1861. passenger # 8729, Stewart MONTEITH, age 17, Single, Lab, Scotch adult, contracted to land at Melbourne. He arrived at Hobsons Bay, Victoria on December 7. ^[2]

His stay there was brief as after 2 weeks and 2 days he left and boarded the 'Alma' bound for Otago. "Index to Outward Passengers to Interstate, UK, NZ and Foreign Ports 1852-1923

Stewart MONTEITH, age 22, Ship ALMA, departed Dec 1861, destination Otago ^[3] Recorded as Monteith, Stewart, Age 22, Departure Date December 1861, Ship Alma, Destination Otago. ^[4]

Stewart reached Port Chalmers 8 days later.

Otago Daily Times , Issue 173, 5 June 1862, Page 3 POST OFFICE, WETHERSTONE'S, OTAGO, N.Z. LIST of Unclaimed Letters for the month of April, 1862..... .....MONTEITH, Stewart..... ^[5] Weatherston's Gully was near Gabriel's Gully, part of the Tuapeka goldfield where the Otago rush started.

Otago Daily Times, 9 Sep 1865, p.3 Unclaimed Letters. LIST OF UNCLAIMED LETTERS received at the Country Post Offices in Otago during July, and remaining undelivered on the 31st August, 1865..... .....Mount Ida.....MONTEITH, Stuart..... ^[6]

West Coast Times, 5 Feb 1868, p.4 Hokitika Letter List. LIST OF LETTERS received during the month of October, 1867, and remaining unclaimed on the 31st January, 1868 .....Monteith, Stewart..... ^[7]

Grey River Argus, 14 May 1870, p.2 UP-RIVER DIGGINGS. NO TOWN. May 10th.

The population of the district is still increasing, but, as stated in a former report, there is really nothing to justify the large rush which has taken place. The lead at Paddy's Gully is at a standstill, not actually because the gold has run out, but because the quantity of water contained in the ground has become so great that it will not pay to work it.

The lead, as far as has yet been proved, has been formed by a gutter which came down the right-hand branch of the creek, and by another gutter coming down at the left-hand branch, making a junction under the present township. A little lower down the payable ground spread out and became a lead, in some places three claims wide, with bars of reef running through and parallel with the golden ground. The existence of these bars of high reef and duffer ground which separate the payable, run one from the other, has given rise to the supposition that there are two or more distinct leads, but such is not the case as far as I have been able to find out. The fancy line has up to this time been taken along the course of the deep ground, but a shaft which was bottomed by Stewart MONTEITH and party, on Saturday, has proved this deep ground to be valueless. A fresh line of claims has been struck off nearer the terrace, and consequently in shallower ground, and until some of the shafts, which are now being sunk, are bottomed, nothing further will be known about the lead. The last claim that is .proved to be payable is in the possession of John Slattery and party.

The township at Paddy's Gully is outgrowing itself. There are now two stores, two hotels, and five in course of erection, three butchers, two bakers, and two bootmakers, wtth another almost ready to start, a blacksmith, a barber, and a dancing-room, and in what manner the proprietors of all these places of business intend to do a legitimate trade, or to make a honest living out of the labor of 200 men, which is about the number who are actually on gold, it is difficult to understand.^[8]

He settled in Otago and ran an illegal brewing operation. He was put before the courts after complaints were made. The still was seized by police having been hidden in the bush between Blueskin and Port Chalmers Road. Stewart was convicted and fined 3 pounds. He declared he was unable to pay and so spent six weeks in jail.

The year after Stewart's arrival in New Zealand an item was posted in a Victorian newspaper The Argus. His sister Martha (Matilda) was requesting that he get in touch with her. Martha (Matilda) Monteith had also left Ireland and emigrated to Australia settling in Victoria. It's not known whether Stewart or Martha ever met up again.

The Argus, Saturday 22 March 1862, Pg 1 - Missing Friends, Messages, & c. STEWART MONTEITH, from Barronscourt, Ireland - your sister wishes to see you. 1 Cambridge Street, Collingwood.

A period of time was spent by Stewart Monteith gold mining at 'No Town' creek in the Grey Valley in the early 1870's. Along with others, he applied to cut a head race from the head of the left hand branch of 'No Town' creek. Permission was granted on the understanding that the two heads of water would always be allowed to run in the creek and sufficient water able to fill the dams.

In 1875, Stewart made his way to Queensland to work the 'Palmer Gold Field' along with other West Coasters. It's said that he made a substantial amount of money and returned to New Zealand to seriously take on the brewing business.

He settled in Reefton on the West Coast. Stewart was employed by Samuel Fizzey at the Phoenix Brewery. Samuel began brewing at Hokitika with his Phoenix Brewery then expanded to Reefton circa 1873. Also working at the brewery was Charles Hingston Edwards. In 1881 when the brewery was put up for sale Stewart Monteith and Charles Edwards purchased the Phoenix by auction in 1881. ^[9] Charles Hingston Edwards died at Hokitika in 1889 but the business placed ads in the newspaper with "EDWARDS & MONTEITH, Proprietors" until at least 1895. ^[10]

In 1880 he married Elizabeth Mahony who had arrived in New Zealand on the ship 'Fernglen' at Nelson in 1879 with her sisters Annie and Ellen. Stewart and Elizabeth's marriage took place at Gilmer's Hotel on Mahera Quay in Greymouth. Stewart was 38 and Elizabeth aged 23. The officiating Minister was William Heningham Root. ^[11] Marriages in the District of Grey Married 13 July 1880 Gilmers Hotel, Mahera Quay, Greymouth. Stewart MONTEITH, 38, Brewer, Bachelor. Elizabeth MAHONY, 23, Spinster. Officiating Minister: William Heningham ROOT Registered 13 July 1880. This Marriage was solemnized between us Stewart MONTEITH Elizabeth MAHONY Married, after the delivery to me of the Certificate required by the Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand, intituled "The Marriage Act, 1854," by William Heningham ROOT, Officiating Minister In the presence of us Elizabeth Mary FORSYTH, Gilmer's Hotel, Greymouth Hamilton GILMER, Greymouth. I certify that the above is a true copy of the Entry in the Register Book of Marriages kept by me. W. Henigham ROOT.

Stewart and Elizabeth had 6 children, Marion, Charles, Stewart, Martha, Matilda and William.

Stewart and Elizabeth were to have two of their sons predecease them. One died in 1893 aged 7 from Bronchitis and another in 1918 at Hawera as the result of a car accident.

In 1891, Stewart bought 500 shares in the newly formed business, the Stanley Gold Mining Company registered as a limited company in July 1891.

He returned to visit the 'old country' in 1910.

Stewart Monteith died in 1921 ^[12] and after his death, his son William, then head of Phoenix, got together with 4 of the surviving breweries and formed the Westland Brewing Company.

Innagahua Herald January 1921 [Black's Point Museum, Reefton - exact date not recorded] "The death took place on Monday afternoon, of Stewart Monteith, at his residence, Lower Broadway. The deceased was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and was 79 years of age. He came to the colonies when a youth, first arriving in Victoria and later came to New Zealand, where he followed up various gold rushes in Otago and then came to Hokitika in the early sixties, and eventually settled in Reefton and with the late Charles Edwards founded the Phoenix Brewery, which he has carried on until a few years ago, when his eldest son took over the management of the Brewery. The late Mr Monteith leaves a widow, two sons and three daughters and grandchildren to mourn their loss. The funeral takes place today at 2pm leaving his late residence for the Town Cemetery." ^[13]

Innagahua Herald January 1921 [Black's Point Museum, Reefton - exact date not recorded] "The death took place on Monday afternoon, of Stewart Monteith, at his residence, Lower Broadway. The deceased was a native of County Tyrone, Ireland, and was 79 years of age. He came to the colonies when a youth, first arriving in Victoria and later came to New Zealand, where he followed up various gold rushes in Otago and then came to Hokitika in the early sixties, and eventually settled in Reefton and with the late Charles Edwards founded the Phoenix Brewery, which he has carried on until a few years ago, when his eldest son took over the management of the Brewery. The late Mr Monteith leaves a widow, two sons and three daughters and grandchildren to mourn their loss. The funeral takes place today at 2pm leaving his late residence for the Town Cemetery."

Stewart Monteith was buried on January 12 1921 at Reefton Old Cemetery. ^[14]

Elizabeth left New Zealand and her last residence was Vaucluse, a suburb of Sydney in NSW, where she died in 1936.^[15]

No more info is currently available for Stewart Monteith. Can you add to his biography?

The will of a Stewart MONTEETH of Largybeg was probated 1800."

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #166356832
• M Trayes
• P Dillon

• http://sites.rootsweb.com/~peterd50/mahony/pafmahony/pafg02.htm
• https://www.monteiths.co.nz/History
• https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/4807 Westland Breweries & Monteith's History

• http://public.bullerdc.govt.nz/cgi-bin/cemetery/ceep?key=013026

• https://ancestry.com.au

NSW death index-reg 5962/1936

Australia, Unassisted inward passenger list to Vic-1852-1923

• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18620101.2.4 Port Chalmers arrivals
• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Otago Witness 16/1/1863, Otago Daily Times, Grey River Argus, Inangahua Times, Press 14/1/1921
• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18810204.2.8
• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/IT18820414.2.6
• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/IT18820426.2.13.1

Footnotes

The Westland Brewing Co headed by Stewart's son William was bought by DB in 1969 and in 1990 the name of the brewery became 'Monteiths' to reflect its historic origins

1. ↑ https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&Submit.x=54&Submit.y=14&familyname=monteith&firstname=stewart&countyname=TYRONE
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5706732
3. ↑ https://prov.vic.gov.au/explore-collection/explore-topic/passenger-records-and-immigration/outwards-passenger-lists
4. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2P7-Y1Q2
5. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18620605.2.4.4 Unclaimed letters
6. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/otago-daily-times/1865/09/09/3
7. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18680205.2.24.2
8. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700514.2.11
9. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC18810113.2.6.3
10. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18890129.2.6
11. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24V-V8JJ
12. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG6K-VJ4K
13. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19210114.2.87
14. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG52-BJCP
15. ↑ Entered by Faye Whitfield, May 22, 2012