suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Meikleham
Given names: 
Annie
Given address: 
Albemarle Street
Sheet No: 327
Town/Suburb: 
Sydenham
City/Region: 
Christchurch
Notes: 

Biographical information provided by Stefanie Lash, Archives New Zealand, for the He Tohu exhibition:

Annie Johnstone was born in Tasmania in 1844 to Scottish parents James Johnstone and Janet Hislop. Her father was the carpenter for the Canterbury Association, and the family came with other carpenters on the ‘Rebecca’ in 1850.

In 1864 Annie married Captain William Henderson Meikleham, a seaman who later became an advertising agent, and they had seven children, six daughters and one son. One daughter, Elsie, died as a baby. The family was active in their Sydenham community in sports clubs, music and school boards.

Captain Meikleham died in 1914, and Annie four years later.

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

2 comments have been posted about Annie Meikleham

What do you know?

Anonymous

Posted: 03 Jan 2022

Was born in Scotland Came to Tasmania with the family on the Calcutta in 1846

Jenni Gibson (husband is Annie's gr-gr-grandson)

Posted: 09 Sep 2018

The family arrived in Lyttleton 10 months before the Associations official first four ships arrived in December - early settlers known as "Pre-Adamites" according to the book "Johnstone Clan in NZ 1850-1975". With no timber in Lyttleton or Christchurch, trees were felled and floated from bush at Governors Bay" to build barracks. 1861 Gabriels Gulley goldrush began so her brother James Jnr took 300 head of cattle there to feed the miners. Book "Sydenham" has "Captain Meikleham ... retired... always appeared at church ... carrying his top hat. The Captain and his wife (Annie) and family, in their Sunday best made an impressive sight walking their aisle to their private pew up in the front".