Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Catherine Charlotte Aylmer was born about 1837 in Donedea, County Kildare, Ireland – the daughter of Rev William Josiah Aylmer and Elizabeth Frances.
She emigrated to New Zealand with her parents in the early 1850s and they settled in Akaroa on Banks Peninsula.
Catherine married James Rattray, a merchant, in 1861 - they settled in Dunedin and had 12 children, two who died in infancy.
When Catherine signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Eglington Rd, Mornington.
Catherine died on 2 October 1904 and James died the following year, they are buried in the family grave in the Southern Cemetery.
Catherine’s obituary said she 'has for many years been an active and enthusiastic worker in church affairs...[she was] also much interested in charity in all its guises and her good works in this direction have been manifold.'
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
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