Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret/Maggie Smith Bissland was born in 1868 in New Zealand – the daughter of William Bissland, an express driver, and Sarah Paterson. (See 54 Sarah Hamer)
Her father died when she was five-years-old and her mother re-married five years later.
Maggie married Joseph Abernethy, a printer, on 26 March 1891 at her home in Howe St, Dunedin.
They were still living in Howe St when Maggie signed the suffrage petition.
They had six children – losing a son in WW1.
Joseph later worked as a picture framer and the couple celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1941 with an informal gathering at their home.
The newspaper report said 'Mr and Mrs Abernethy are both zealous church workers'.
Joseph died in 1949 and Maggie died on 11 December 1963 at the age of 95, they are buried in the family grave in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
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