Margaret Aitken

Surname:

Aitken

Given names:

Margaret

Given address:

Gore

Sheet No: 76

Town/Suburb:

Gore

City/Region:

Southland

Notes:

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Margaret/Maggie Harkness was born about 1855 in Dumfriesshire, Scotland – the daughter of William Harkness, a shepherd, and Isabella Scott.

Margaret emigrated to Otago in 1880 on the Stirlingshire and “a few days after arrival at Dunedin”, on 20 September she married Andrew Aitken, a butcher from Gore.

Andrew was also from Dumfriesshire so it is possible that there were previously acquainted.

They lived in Gore where Margaret signed the suffrage petiton and they had seven children.

When Andrew retired they moved to “The Glen” at East Gore where Margaret died on 21 September 1917.

Her obituary said she “was known as one of the most hospitable and kindliest women in the district, and those who were her neighbours in the 80’s and early 90’s will have grateful remembrance of her many kindly actions. She can be truly described as a mother of Israel, whose pleasure was to do good. For many years Mrs Aitken conducted a large Bible class for girls in her own home, and only relinquished it when family ties made higher claims on her service.”

Andrew died in 1923 – they are buried together in the Gore Cemetery.