Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Davina Venables Marchbanks was born in 1869 in New Zealand, the daughter of David Marchbanks, inspector for the Public Works Department, and Mary Venables.
She trained as a teacher, and when she signed the suffrage petition she was teaching at Waikouaiti School.
In 1895 she moved to St Clair School in Dunedin, and in 1906 she moved to Kilbirnie School in Wellington.
On her departure St Clair School presented her with a travelling case and “a letter from the committee embodying a resolution of thanks and appreciation as recorded in the minutes”.
She remained at Kilbirnie School until she retired on superannuation in 1917.
Davina died on June 1st 1955. She was cremated and her ashes are interred in the family plot in the Northern Cemetery, Dunedin.