suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Bett
Given names: 
Mary
Given address: 
Wanganui
Sheet No: 467
Town/Suburb: 
Whanganui
City/Region: 
Whanganui
Notes: 

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.

Mary Smith was born on July 11th 1835 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the daughter of William Smith and Jane Thomson.

She emigrated to Victoria, Australia and married John Bett, a builder, on December 12th 1865 in Morang, Victoria.

They sailed for Wellington in January the following year and settled in Wanganui, where they had three daughters.

See 467 Elizabeth Bett

See 467 Jane Bett

When Mary signed the suffrage petition they were living in Campbell Street.

She died at her home on June 13th 1909. She "had been in good health and spirits, and attended service at St. Paul’s Church... On returning home she remarked that she had greatly enjoyed the service. Shortly afterwards she suddenly expired from heart failure in the presence of her husband and daughters".

“The influence of Mrs Bett’s sterling character and kindly disposition will long be felt and pleasantly remembered by the many people who knew her”.

John died two years later. They are buried with two of their daughters in the Heads Road Old Public Cemetery, Wanganui.

Sources

BDM Online NZ

Family Search

Papers Past

Trove

Births Deaths and Marriage Victoria

Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.

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