Catherine Tilson

Signed family name

Tilson

Signed given name

Catherine

Given address

Purple Hill Port Molyneux

Sheet number

128

Town/Suburb

Kaka Point

City/Region

Otago

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Catherine Fyfe was born on 13 October 1837 in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland – the daughter of Alexander Fyfe, a coal miner, and Elizabeth Hunter.

She emigrated to Otago in 1858 on the Strathfieldsaye and she married Henry Tilson in 1860.

They had six children and lived most of their married life at Port Molyneux.

When they first settled in the area 'they lived in a Maori whare until they got their house built on their selection at Purple Hill. The house was built by wattle and daub with thatched roof.' Henry died at their home in 1900 and, in 1907, Catherine held a clearing sale at their property.

She attended the Early Settlers’ Picnic in 1909 – 'now, though well up in years, Mrs Tilson is a nimble as many a woman not half her age, and at the opening of the Early Setter’ Hall in Dunedin last year, she sang and danced just as lightly as she did on the Strathfieldsaye fifty years before. Recently she has had a trip round the Australian colonies “on her own”, and thoroughly enjoyed her travels.'

Catherine died at her daughter’s home at Kaka Point on 24 March 1920, she is buried with Henry in the family grave in the Romahapa Cemetery.

Her obituary said she 'was of a cheery nature, and took an interest in things around her up to the last.'