Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Emma Phillips was born about 1836 in London – the daughter of James Phillips, a fruit salesman, and Jane.
She emigrated to New Zealand where she married Charles Balme, an engineer on 18 March 1858 in Nelson.
They were living in Dunedin by 1883 when Charles died at Fish’s Cottages, Union Street.
When Emma signed the suffrage petiton she was living in Harbour Terrace – she died there on 18 June 1904 and is she is buried with Charles in the Northern Cemetery.
Sources:
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
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