Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Catherine Amelia Tilson was born in 1869 in New Zealand – the daughter of Henry Tilson, a farmer, and Catherine Fyfe. (See 128 Catherine Tilson)
When she signed the suffrage petition Catherine was living at Romahapa in South Otago.
She married Richard Campbell, a farmer, on 9 June 1897 at her parents’ home in Port Molyneux.
The ceremony was followed by a 'substantial wedding breakfast.' In the evening a dance was held in the Port Molyneux Hall, 'dancing was commenced a little before nine o’clock, and was kept up with great spirit until near midnight, when and abundant supply of refreshments was handed round; afterwards dancing was recommenced, interspersed with songs, and continued until 5am.'
They had six children, two who died in infancy, and lived near Balclutha.
Catherine died at Balclutha on 30 July 1910 and Richard died in 1935, they are buried in the Balclutha Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/