suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Bell
Given names: 
C. H.
Given address: 
Exeter Street
Sheet No: 244
Town/Suburb: 
Lyttelton
City/Region: 
Christchurch
Notes: 

Biography and image supplied by Sally Meiklejohn

Caroline Hannah Jouning was born 20/6/1848 at Larkhill Rise, Clapham Common, England.

She arrived in New Zealand aged 22 in 1870 (according to her death certificate).

Her sister (Agnes) arrived in Auckland 26/9/73. 

On 8/1/1871 Caroline and Thomas Andrew Bell married at St. Pauls, Symonds Street, Auckland. Thomas was an Irishman from Mountjoy, County Antrim (Antrim on Death Certificate, County Armagh according to the family bible.)

Edith Miriam Bell was born 19/10/1871 to Caroline and Thomas at Mount Street, Auckland. Edith married John Edward Fox who died in 1910. They had two children, John Andrew and Edith Rose. Edith Miriam later married a John Richardson

Thomas Bell was a Warder at Lyttleton Gaol at the time of the Suffragette Petition and Caroline and Edith both signed it there.

My mother has told me stories about both Caroline and Edith - my mother was brought up by Edith (her grandmother) and Caroline lived with them in Sandringham, Auckland.

Caroline was a beautiful sewer, she had made some white petticoats which my mother kept, and, when I was a teenager (in the fifties) I starched and wore them all under my dancing dresses.

Caroline was a strong supporter of the Orange Society - as the family got more established, they had a carriage and drove in their carriage as they took part in the celebration march. Edith and the family would try and coax Caroline into the carriage but she refused, preferring instead to march in the procession.

Caroline must have believed in the fairies - ‘Don't let the fairies hear you say that’ my mother would say if me or my brother were bragging about something - a saying from her Great-grandmother, Caroline.

Bell family

Family photograph of (from L-R): Thomas Andrew BELL, John Andrew (Jack) FOX (Son of Edith Miriam FOX (nee BELL), Caroline Hannah BELL (Nee JOURNING), Edith Rose FOX (later STEWART, later MOODY) Edith Miriam FOX (nee BELL).

Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.

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