suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Mercer
Given names: 
Mrs F.
Given address: 
Marton
Sheet No: 512
Town/Suburb: 
Marton
City/Region: 
Whanganui region
Notes: 

Biography and image submitted by Jenni Gibson (Mrs Mercer is her father-in-law's grandmother) 

Miss Matilda Lewin was born 8 Sept 1862 in Clipstone, Northamptonshire, England. She came to NZ aged 12 on the Adamant ship which departed Plymouth, England 7 May 1874 and arrived in Nelson 8 August 1874. 

She met her future husband Frederick Mercer on the ship. She had nine children. There is more about her in the book They Came in the Floodtide, the Story of the Mercer Family by Paul and Sherryle Lane, 1991.

Her son George was in the NZ Army and discharged in 1919 after 341 days in service, and son Frederick 3/3782 was in WW1, a hairdresser on the hospital ship Maheno. Her husband Fred was injured in the 1931 Napier earthquake. Matilda died 11 July 1949 and is buried in Hastings.

Mrs Mercer and grandaughter

Matilda Mercer (left) with her youngest daughter, Ivy.

Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.

Community contributions

1 comment has been posted about Mrs F. Mercer

What do you know?

Sheryl Woodcock.

Posted: 25 Jun 2022

Matilda Mercer was my great grandmother. Her daughter Violet was my grandmother. My mother Rita was Matilda's grand daughter. I remember listening to my mothers many stories about, what a lovely lady Matilda was.