Lizzie Mann

Lizzie (Charlotte Eliza) Mann was born in Burton Dassett, Warwickshire in England in 1867. She was baptised at Burton Dassett Church on 10 July 1867. Her parents were Eliza Anne (nee Bawcutt) and Thomas Mann, farmer and grazier at Owlington Farm. This was an isolated farm that was recolonised as an army camp in WWII. In the 1871 census Thomas is described as a farmer of 292 acres employing 4 men and 2 boys. His wife and 7 children, including Charlotte are also shown. Also there was a governess, a general domestic servant and a nurse.

From Burton Dassett, Thomas and Eliza, together with their 7 surviving children came to New Zealand. Two children had died prior to their departure from UK. The family travelled from UK on board the “Queen Bee” sailing from London on 5 August 1875 and arriving in Lyttleton on 6 Dec 1875. The family lived in Christchurch for a time and then moved to Opunake, where it is reported in the Hawera and Normanby Star of 24 December 1880, Thomas bought a section in Opunake for ₤6. By this time Charlotte was 13.

Charlotte married Ernest Philip Edmunds in Hawera at the home of her sister and Brother-in-law, Louisa and Lewis Williams on 18 September 1895.

It is not known what Charlotte was doing from the time she came to New Zealand until she married Ernest. She does appear in the 1893 Electoral Roll as a Housekeeper in Opunake. It appears Ernest may have been born in New Zealand in 1860 to Frances and Robert Edmunds.

Ernest and Lizzie had the following children:
Lucy Miriam Edmunds 07 August 1896
Constance Phyllis Edmunds 01 January 1898
Albert Charles Edmunds 31 March 1900
Philip Stanley Frederick Edmunds 1904

Lizzie (Charlotte Eliza) Mann signed the 1893 Suffrage Petition in Opunake as did her sister Louisa Jane Mann.

Lizzie died in Auckland on 20 September 1925. She is buried in the Hillsborough Cemetery in Auckland.