Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Eliza Ann Duffield was born about 1830 in Kent, England – the daughter of James Duffield, a turner, and Maria Allardyce.
She married compositer, William Francis Apted in Greenwich in 1857. William emigrated to Melbourne later that year on the Thames and Eliza arrived in 1858 on the Parsee.
They had five children in Victoria, one who died in infancy, before Eliza and the children sailed for Hokitika in 1868 on the Otago, presumably William had sailed earlier.
They first lived in Westport, where William was editor of the Westport Times, until about 1870 when they moved to Greymouth.
They had a further two children after their arrival and when Eliza signed the suffrage petition the family were still living in Greymouth.
Eliza died at her home on 16 May 1905.
Her obituary said she 'was well known among her circle of friends and acquaintances, as a kindly, genial woman, who attended to her own domestic duties'. She 'was a kindly soul, ever ready to bestow happiness in the paths of others.'
William died in 1909 at the Greymouth Hospital – they are buried together in the Karoro Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au