suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Palmer
Given names: 
Linda A.
Given address: 
Caversham
Sheet No: 69
Town/Suburb: 
Caversham
City/Region: 
Dunedin
Notes: 

See also Caversham research databases.

Biography contributed by Graeme Siddle

Linda Alberta Palmer was born on the 19th July 1876 and was the seventh child of George and Priscilla Palmer. Her parents migrated from Birmingham to Dunedin on the ship Waimea which arrived at Port Chalmers in September 1875. She was the first child born after her parents settled in Caversham, and was their fourth daughter. Linda had 13 siblings – six brothers and seven sisters.

When Linda Alberta Palmer signed the petition she was 17, and she is not listed in the 1893 Electoral Roll information provided by the Caversham research databases.

She married Walter Samuel Butler on the 25th October 1905 aged 29.  The marriage took place at her parents’ home Marion Street, Caversham and was celebrated by the Rev. D. Dutton – minister at the Caversham Presbyterian church. W.S. Butler was a builder in the firm of Butler & Sons in Christchurch. Linda Alberta Butler was listed as a housewife in the Electoral Roll for Christchurch city 1935. They lived briefly at 114 Chester Street and then at 329 Worcester Street.

Although they had no children, family tradition says that Linda Butler (nee Palmer) was happy to see her nieces and nephews from Dunedin. Maud Palmer (niece) remembers visiting her in Christchurch.

She was a keen gardener like her father and sister Lillian Mary, and a photo of her at her home in Christchurch shows a trellis covered in abundantly flowering roses with a flower border in front. She and her sister Edith were both proficient at playing and instrument called the table harp.

Her husband died on the 8th December 1942.

At the time of her death in Christchurch on 14th October 1944, she owned the property at 329 Worcester Street, Linwood. She was 68.

Her mother Priscilla Palmer also signed the 1893 petition. Priscilla, and Linda Alberta’s  second oldest sister Florence Lilly Palmer signed the earlier 1892 Women’s Suffrage Petition.

Sources

Directories

Stone’s Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough & Westland directories 1904-1914

Wise’s Directories for Christchurch 1904-1935.

Newspapers

Otago Witness, November 1, 1905 p.48. Notice of the marriage of Walter Samuel Butler and Linda Alberta Palmer.

The Press, October 16(?), 1944. Death notice for Linda Alberta Butler.

Official sources

1892 Women’s Suffrage Petition (National Archives excel file.)

City of Christchurch District Electors’ Roll 1935 p.121.

New Zealand Register book. Vol. 488 folio 261. Certificate of title under Land Transfer Act. Shows Linda Alberta Butler’s ownership of land. (Photocopy).

Oral sources

Interview with niece Maud Palmer (Mrs C.R.Edwards), Sawyers Bay 14 August 1979.

Photographs

Linda Palmer and husband

Undated photo of Linda Alberta Butler (nee Palmer) with her husband Walter Samuel Butler outside their home in Linwood, Christchurch. It has been labelled on the back by her niece Ruby Siddle (nee West) as follows: Aunty Linda & Uncle Walter Butler at Linwood Chch. Collection of Graeme Siddle.

Undated photo of Linda Alberta Butler (nee Palmer) in her garden at 329 Worcester Street showing rose trellis and border below. Inscribed on the back in her handwriting: Keep this one if you like. My back lattice with roses. Photo was identified by her niece Ruby Siddle (nee West). Collection of Graeme Siddle.

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

1 comment has been posted about Linda A. Palmer

What do you know?

Graeme Siddle

Posted: 05 Apr 2018

I suggest that there is a transcription error here and that the person listed is in fact my great-aunt Linda Alberta Palmer. The same sheet lists her mother Priscilla Palmer who was also living in Caversham, Dunedin.