bˈɔːɹn ɪn ˌæbɚdˈiːn, hiː wʌzðə sˈʌn ʌv dʒˈɑːn blˈeɪki wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti sˈɪks wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɪks, ɐ plˈʌmɪŋ mˈɜːtʃənt ænd hɪz wˈaɪf hˈɛlən ɹˈɪtʃɚdsən wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈaɪv wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi fˈoːɹ.
Born in Aberdeen, he was the son of John Blaikie (1756–1826), a plumbing merchant and his wife Helen Richardson (1765–1844).