Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Agnes Peter came from Scotland & first appears in the New Zealand records when she opened for business as a milliner in 1880 in Kelvin St, Invercargill.
She moved her business to Riverton in 1884 & the following year she was declared bankrupt.
In 1889 she was working for W Lewis & Co. in Invercargill when she contributed 2 specimens to the New Zealand Exhibition. A hat and bonnet made entirely of native moss, fern and flax – instead of wire light twigs were used for the frame. She received a second class award for her entry.
When Agnes signed the suffrage petition she was living in Eye Street in Invercargill. At that time she was providing classes as an “Art Milliner” until her departure for Dunedin in 1896.
As well as classes in Dunedin she also travelled to Milton and Balclutha.
She moved to Wellington in 1898 and, in 1905, she was advertising her classes at her rooms at 60 Ingestre Street.
After this Agnes disappears from the records & what became of her is unclear.