Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Eliza Howe was born about 1822 in England. In 1848 she boarded the “Osprey” as an assisted immigrant with her husband Henry Growden, a builder. Her sister Isabella Howe was also aboard.
The family lived for a time in Victoria and had five children there – one dying in infancy.
In May 1861 they arrived in Otago on the “Prince Alfred” from Melbourne. A further two children were born in New Zealand.
In 1869 Eliza made the news when she accused a Mr Sutton of threatening language. He had, while intoxicated, threatened to set fire to her beehives.
Henry was declared bankrupt in 1874 and he died in 1895. Eliza died at the age of 93 on 7 November 1915.
They are buried in the Southern Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
NSW State Records https://www.records.nsw.gov.au
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