Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Ellen Humphrey was born in Brentford, London in 1856 – the daughter of George Humphrey, a licenced victualler, and Harriet Wild.
Her mother died in 1858 and her father re-married the following year.
In 1863 the family sailed for New Zealand on the Prince of Wales. They settled in Waipori where George ran the Prince of Wales hotel.
After George died in 1871 his wife continued to sell the hotel.
Ellen married Peter McKenzie, a surveyor, on 23 May 1878 in Dunedin. They had eight children, one who died in infancy, and when Ellen signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Henry St, Maori Hill.
Peter died in 1911 – he is buried in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Two of their sons died in WW1.
Ellen died at her daughter’s home in Palmerston North on 27 August 1937 – she is buried in the Kelvin Grove Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Free BDM https://www.freebmd.org.uk
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/