Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Annie Gunn was born about 1848 in Sutherlandshire, Scotland – the daughter of William Gunn.
She sailed for Australia around 1864 “for health reasons”, “accompanying relatives who came to live on the Elderslie Estate” in Victoria.
In 1868 she came to Bluff on the Omeo as the companion to a recently married lady.
On 21 January 1874 Annie married solicitor William Henderson at her brother’s house in Dunedin.
They had, at least, six children, two who died in infancy and the family lived in Balclutha then in Gore where Annie signed the suffrage petition.
Annie died at her home on 15 February 1917 – she is buried in the Gore Cemetery.
Her obituary said she “had an excellent memory and her vivacious manner of presenting the humorous side of life in the early days made her reminiscences a delight to those privileged to hear them.” ”She was well known throughout Gore and district for her unfailing kindness of heart, her charitable disposition and bright, cheery manner. The deceased lady was an enthusiastic member of the Gore Highland Society and loved nothing better than a chat in her native tongue, and those in a position to judge say she spoke Gaelic with great fluency and purity of diction”.
William moved to Auckland after Annie’s death, he died there in 1922 and is buried in the Birkenhead-Glenfield Cemetery.
Sources:
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.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