Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Christina McKay was born about 1849 in Farr, Sutherlandshire, Scotland – the daughter of Redpath McKay, a carrier, and Barbara McKay.
She married George Gillespie, a shepherd, on 13 June 1872 in Farr and a couple of months later they were on board the Hydaspes bound for Otago.
Around 1880 they 'took up' land in the Owaka district 'when there was nothing but a sheep track for miles on each side of' their home 'which was the last house on the way out from the Owaka Valley and the first on the way in, hundreds of people all over the country experienced' the hospitality of the family.
'Before a church or a school was built in that district' their home 'was the scene of many happy gatherings – church services being held in it for many years'.
Christina & George had 11 children, the youngest born in 1892 at their home 'Glengoia', near Purekireki where Christina signed the suffrage petition.
Christina died suddenly on 25 May 1899 while milking the cows. Her funeral was 'attended by the largest assemblage ever witnessed here. There were ten double buggies fully loaded, sixty-nine horsemen, and over a hundred on foot...Her cheerful smile of welcome will long be remembered by many'.
George died in 1925, he is buried with Christina in the Owaka Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
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