Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Henrietta Elizabeth Francis was born on 9 October 1863 in South Australia – the daughter of Henry Francis and Grace Harvey Bowden.
She came to New Zealand with her parents around 1873 and she married John Banks, a blacksmith, in 1882.
They had 10 children, two who died in infancy and one in early childhood.
When Henrietta signed the suffrage petition they were living in Reefton.
John died at their home in 1915 and Henrietta died on 27 January 1946 – they are buried together in the Reefton Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
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