Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Matilda Grundy was born about 1834 in Bath, England – the daughter of William Grundy and Frances Ann Higgs.
Matilda married William Watkins, a coachbuilder, at St James, Bristol, Gloucestershire on 4 November 1860. They had five children before they emigrated to New Zealand about 1872 and three more after their arrival. Her daughters Amy and Fany (Fanny) Watkins also signed the petition.
The family lived in Reid Rd, South Dunedin. In March 1887 their 20 year old son William died after eating toadstools while on a shooting expedition at Tomahawk.
William died in 1891 and Matilda died on 26 August 1922 at Reid Road. She is buried in the Southern Cemetery with her family.
Sources
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
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