Robert was born in Mullabuoy, Londonderry, Northern Ireland to William Cairns & Lizzie Quigley. Margaret Colhoun was born in Gilky Hill,Upper Cumber, Londonderry, Northern Ireland to Thomas Colhoun & Eliza Anne Whiteside,
Robert & Margaret arrived in NZ on the 'Gothic' 31 Dec 1906 with her nephew John Samuel Colhoun (1922-1942). Their children were: Winifred Margaret Cairns (+ Blatchford 1912-), May Bertha Cairns (1916-1921), Robert Samuel Cairns (1918-) & John Payne Cairns (1920-)