May Louisa Uren

• Birth Name: Louisa May Chapman
• Born: 3 March 1872 at Lyttleton, Christchurch, New Zealand[1]
• Father: Captain William Nixon Chapman (16 April 1837[2] -11 April1876[3]). Born in London; arrived in New Zealand in 1862. William married Louisa Theresa Moore on 12 October1863[4] at St John’s Church, Okains Bay, New Zealand.
• Mother: Louisa Theresa Moore (15 February 1845[5] -20 January 1875[6]). Born in Guernsey, Channel Islands and arrived in Lyttleton, New Zealand on the Sir George Pollock on 10 November 1851[7] with her parents and siblings.

May Louisa was orphaned at four years old. With her brothers and sisters: William, Letitia, George, Rose, and Henry they moved to Okains Bay and were raised by their maternal grandparents; William and Elizabeth Moore. She attended the Okains Bay School.

She married Joseph Albert James Uren on the 26 October 1892[8] in St John’s Church, Okains bay, Christchurch. It was a double wedding celebrated with her sister Rose who married Arthur Mason of Okains Bay[9].

May Louisa and Joseph moved to Belfast, Christchurch where Joseph had a shoe making and repairing business. In 1893 May Louisa signed the petition for Women’s Franchise. Jane Uren (mother-in-law) also signed the petition, sheet 532[10]. In 1894 Alton Stanley was born, Louisa in 1897, Leslie Albert Ellis in 1902 and Tesla Leone in 1904.

Joseph Albert Uren (1869[11]-19 May 1934[12]) was a boot-maker, with a shop in Belfast, Christchurch in 1894. In 1895 he bought a second shop and attached house at 8 North Rd, Papanui. For many years Joseph ran this second business during the day and in the evenings worked for the Belfast shop (tended by May Louisa).

May Louisa passed away on the 27 July 1954[13] and is buried in Bromley Cemetary, Christchurch[14].

Biography compiled by Nancy Carr a descendent of May Louisa Chapman and Leslie Albert Ellis Uren.

Images:

May Louisa Wren, c. 1920 (Private collection)

May Louisa Wren, 1953 (Private collection)

Notes

[1] NZ BDM 1872/31929

[2] 31280_198791-00041 Church of England Births and Baptisms,1813-1906

[3] From Papers Past: West Coast Times, 19/4/1876

[4] NZ BDM 1863/5982

[5] "Channel Islands Births and Baptisms, 1820-1907," database, FamilySearch, William Moore in entry for Louisa-Theresa Moore, 15 Feb 1845; citing Guernsey, Channel Islands, reference 30, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 473,983.

[6] Louisa Theresa Chapman, 1875; Burial, Lyttelton, Christchurch City, Canterbury, New Zealand, Lyttelton Anglican Cemetery; citing record ID 141302184

[7] Canterbury Association Shipping Office (London, England) Lyttelton Shipping List Published: Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical society of Salt Lake City, 1973.

[8] NZBDM:1892/3483

[9] Papers Past: Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Vol XXII, Issue 1701, 1/11/1892

[10] 'Jane Uren', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/suffragist/jane-uren, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 8-Sep-2011

[11] Australian BDM in Victoria: 13115

[12] NZ BDM 1934/6317

[13] NZ BDM 1954/32975

[14] www.familytreecircles.com/u-ren-buried-christchurch-cemeteris-45257.html