suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Anderson
Given names: 
Annie C.
Given address: 
High St School
Sheet No: 28
Town/Suburb: 
Mornington
City/Region: 
Dunedin
Notes: 

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Annie Creswick Anderson was born in Creswick, Victoria, Australia in 1859 – the daughter of Thomas Anderson, a carpenter, and Sarah Ann Pretty.

She came to Otago with her family and they settled in Lawrence in Central Otago.

In 1871 Annie was awarded a writing desk by the Mayor of Lawrence for the highest number of marks for girls during the year.

She worked as a pupil teacher at the Lawrence School before becoming mistress at nearby Wetherstones.

In 1878 she was appointed as assistant mistress at South Dunedin School then, shortly after, she joined the staff of William St School which later became High Street School.

Annie was promoted to headmistress in 1883, a position which she retained until her retirement in 1912. This is where she signed the suffrage petition.

She was an enthusiast of everything Japanese and, in 1911, she gave several lectures accompanied by 'Lantern Slides'.

In early 1913, after her retirement, the High Street School committee presented Annie with 'a purse of sovereigns, a fountain pen, a diary, and an engrossed minute, appreciative of her services'. Annie replied saying that she 'felt deeply grateful to all for so kindly remembering her on the eve of her departure to Japan and England'.

In 1920 Annie had returned to Dunedin where, at a meeting of the Victoria League, it was said she had 'given over 200 lectures in camps and hospitals for the league during her stay in England'.

She continued to give lectures on Japan and past civilisations to the public.

Annie died on 6 December 1950, at the age of 95 – she is buried in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.

Sources

DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search

Family Search https://www.familysearch.org

Free BDM https://www.freebmd.org.uk

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au

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

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