Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret (Maggie) Stewart was born on 7 May 1872 in Glasgow, Scotland, the daughter of Robert Stewart, a packing box maker, and Catherine Cook.
Maggie emigrated to Otago with her parents and two sisters on the Invercargill in 1874. Her mother died on the voyage due to 'hysterical mania, the effect of a premature confinement'.
Her father re-married in 1875 to Jane (also known as Jeanie) Black and a further four daughters were born.
When Maggie signed the suffrage petition she was living with her family at Argyle St, South Dunedin, and working as a boot machinist.
Maggie disappears after this time as there are several Margaret and Maggie Stewarts in the records.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
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