Mary Abrim

Surname:

Abrim

Given names:

Mary

Given address:

Harbor Terrace

Sheet No: 83

Town/Suburb:

North Dunedin

City/Region:

Dunedin

Notes:

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.

Mary Dale was born about 1842 in Londonderry, Ireland.

She emigrated to Victoria, Australia in the mid 1850’s with her uncle and cousins where she married Samuel John Abrim in 1861.

They had three children in Victoria before sailing for Otago about 1865.

They settled in Wetherstons where their next five children were born.

Samuel worked as a miner and, in 1884 Mary’s tender to clean the local school was accepted.

The following year Samuel took over Mrs Wootton’s refreshment rooms in Lawrence. In August of that year the family home was completely destroyed by fire, the family escaped but nothing was saved.

They then moved to Dunedin where Samuel died in January 1886 – he is buried in the Northern Cemetery.

When Mary signed the suffrage petition she was living with her son in Harbour Terrace, Dunedin.

On 7 June 1903 Mary re-married – her new husband was widower, John Scott, an old acquaintance from Waitahuna.

Mary died on 25 July 1912 at Waitahuna and John died at his son’s home in Nelson in 1924 – they are buried with John’s first wife in the Waitahuna Cemetery.

Mary’s obituary said she “was a woman of independent mind and a strong Christian character. She was the possessor of a living faith in her Redeemer, and recognised she was a partner with Him in the work of the church. Her presence at prayer meeting was always an inspiration”.