Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Watt Lowrie was born on 23 March 1831 in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland – the daughter of John Lowrie, a master builder, and Clementina Phaup.
She came to Otago in 1863 on the City of Dunedin. Elizabeth travelled with a good friend, Elizabeth MackIntosh and her family. She lived with the MackIntosh family in Dunedin until about 1881 when she travelled back to Scotland to live with her sister. Unfortunately her sister died so Elizabeth returned to Dunedin 'before doing so she made an extensive tour of the Holy Land, the East and Australia.'
When she signed the suffrage petition she was living in Duncan St with Elizabeth and her husband James MackIntosh. They both died in 1900 and Elizabeth continued to live with two of the MackIntosh’s daughters.
In 1926 Elizabeth visited the New Zealand South Seas International Exhibition in Dunedin. She was the subject of a newspaper article as the oldest exhibition visitor at the age of 94. 'It was Miss Lowrie’s first visit to the Exhibition, but she assured the Daily Times reporter who called on her yesterday that it was not going to be the last. In her ripe old age, she retains her love of good music and appreciation of the glorious things of life.' When asked what she thought was the best part of the Exhibition 'she had no hesitation in saying “The band”.' For years Elizabeth was a regular attendant at the Dunedin Philharmonic Society and the Burns Club. She reminisced about her visits to the Crystal Palace Exhibition and the 1889 Dunedin Exhibition.
Elizabeth died at her home in Howe St, Dunedin on 16 May 1929, in her 99th year.
She left over £4000 to the three daughters of James and Elizabeth MackIntosh.
She was cremated and her ashes are buried in the MackIntosh family grave in the Southern Cemetery.
Sources
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