Amelia Dunlop

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Amelia Galloway Robertson Dunlop was born on 16 October 1867 in Monkton, Ayrshire, Scotland. She was the daughter of William James Dunlop and Mary Wright.

Amelia’s mother was widowed in 1869 and by the time she was thirteen Amelia was working as a domestic servant.

Amelia emigrated to Dunedin and when she signed the suffrage petition she was living in Union St, Dunedin working as a domestic servant.

On 1 September 1894 Amelia gave birth to an illegitimate son and in November of that year the alleged father was tried for failure to provide maintenance. He denied paternity and was reluctant to provide support for the child.

Amelia married John Wallace Duncan in 1897. They had four children and Amelia’s first son took his step-father’s name.

John Duncan worked as a tram driver and, in 1914, was involved in an accident in Dunedin that led to the death of a passenger. Sometime after that the family moved to Wellington where John died in 1942, Amelia died in 1965, they were both cremated at the Karori Cemetery, Wellington.

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