James Balfour Wemyss (28 October 1828 – 13 July 1909) was a 19th-century member of Parliament for Nelson, New Zealand.
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Early life
Wemyss was born on 28 October 1828 at Wemyss Hall near Cupar in Fife, Scotland. He was the eldest son of Major James Balfour Wemyss (1799–1871) and Susan (née Gillespie). He attended Edinburgh Academy and matriculated in 1847. He was admitted to St John's College, Cambridge on 17 April 1847 and migrated to Jesus College on 16 October 1847. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1851.
Life in New Zealand
Wemyss came to New Zealand in 1852 on the Agra and took up large sheep runs. Broadlands Station was a sheep station in Canterbury, located north of the Selwyn River / Waikirikiri. It was made up of four individual runs: 40, 74, 85, and 95. After his arrival, Wemyss bought run 40, the western part Broadlands, from John Studholme. On 5 November 1853, Wemyss bought run 95 from Studholme. Wemyss sold those two runs to John Cracroft Wilson on 8 August 1854.