A. Leighton

Information supplied by Melva Wood:

Anna Leighton, nee Mason was baptised in Radford, Nottingham, England on 28 December 1828, the daughter of John Mason and his wife Ruth Brittle.

Anna married John Leighton Jnr (Smith/Mechanic) aged 23 and 24 respectively, at the Registrar's Office, Radford on 25 April 1852.   They emigrated to New Zealand on board the 'Kinniard', leaving London on 6 October 1858, arriving in Wellington on 6 February 1859.  Anna's brother John Mason Jnr and his wife and family accompanied them to NZ.  Anna and John had 8 children and they lived in a cottage on Wesleyan Reserve land in Tinakori Rd,Wellington for many years.  John died at home aged 43 on 25 August 1871, leaving Anna to rear the family, the youngest of whom was 4 years old. She is listed in the Wgtn Almanac as Dressmaker/seamstress.   Stories are told of Anna being invited to attend Balls and various functions to make running repairs to womens dresses which had been damaged  on the journey to the event or during dancing.  

From 1877 she lived at 1 Glenbervie Terrace and later at 76 Queens Drive, Lyall Bay with youngest daughter Lucy, a school teacher who did not marry.     She died at home 76 Queens Drive, Lyall Bay on 8 Sept 1916, aged 87 years and is buried with her husband and daughter Katie at Bolton Street Cemetery.

John Leighton wrote a diary of the voyage to New Zealand and gg granddaughter Melva Wood has written a booklet on the lives of John and Anna Leighton, copies of which have been lodged with ATL, National Library, Wgtn.