Annie Kepple

Clare Smith Posted: 22 Mar 2018

Annie Elizabeth Kepple (nee Mills)
Annie was born on the 8th of July 1857 in Spreydon Christchurch, 6 months after her parents , John Mills and Ann Mills (nee Cherry) arrived in New Zealand on the ship ‘Rose of Sharon’.

Annie had 3 younger brothers, John, George and William. Annie was 7 years old when her mother died and she went to live with the family of Colonel De Renzy James Brett. She was brought up with the Brett family in Kirwee about 14 miles from Christchurch but also appears to have spent time with her own family.
Her father, John Mills, built a hotel called the Forresters Arms in Oxford St near The Bricks and the family lived in the hotel. He then commissioned a small paddle steamer for use as a pleasure boat on the Avon and Heathcote rivers. It was named ‘The Maid of the Avon’ and Annie (aged 8) launched it on 13th March 1866, by smashing a bottle of wine over the bows. In September 1866 the boat began taking excursions but was unable to pass under the Stanmore Street Bridge. After 4 days, John Mills gained some notoriety by chopping down part of the bridge to allow the boat through.
While staying at Kirwee with the Brett family she met William Kepple, an immigrant from Ireland. They married on Jul 15th 1880. William worked for the post office and was head of the mail room. They had 3 sons and 2 daughters and lived in Strickland st, Spreydon

In 1915 at the marriage of her daughter Margaret, Annie was listed as Tailoress.
She signed the Womens Suffrage petition when she was 36 and the signature below hers is her sister-in-law Fanny Elizabeth (Lizzie) Mills.
Annie died on the 30th of September 1942 in Christchurch and is buried in Sydenham cemetery.

Lamb, Robert.C 1981. From the Banks of the Avon: The Story of a River. A.H. and A.W.Reed Ltd. Wellington, 184 pp.

Christchurch City Library Church Register Index cards.
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~ashleigh/Library.BMDs/SANDFORD.Christchurc…

Family letters and notes from Annie's daughter Margaret.

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