Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Mary Bruce was born on 25 October 1845 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia – the daughter of Thomas Watson Bruce, a farmer, and Sarah Ralston.
She sailed for Otago with her family in 1867 and her father managed the Waipahi Station, the Deepdale Station near Hyde and the Ormaglade Station near Millers Flat.
Elizabeth married George Freeling Welch, a farm manager, in 1875 and they had three sons, one who died in infancy.
George managed the Lee Flat Station near Outram at West Taieri. He died in 1893 and when Elizabeth signed the suffrage petition she was living at Outram.
Elizabeth died at her sister’s home in Balclutha on 14 October 1909, she is buried with George in the West Taieri Cemetery.
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
Libraries Tasmania https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au