Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert
Elizabeth Melville was born Auckland in 1869, one of ten children of Robert and Janet nee Lochead. Her father Robert was born in Glasgow, son of Alexander and Mary nee Lochead, who came to New Zealand from Scotland in the steamer Lord Ashley in 1858. Her mother’s family, James and Elizabeth also came from Scotland.
Robert had an extensive ship-building business in Mechanics Bay and the family lived at Cook Street in Auckland city.
Of the ten children, five did not live long lives. The eldest, Alexander Robert died in 1887 aged 19, James aged two in 1876. William died in 1895 aged 17.
And Elizabeth died 6 June 1894 aged 25, at her parents’ residence. She was buried in a family plot at Symonds Street Cemetery, where later her parents would be buried also.
Sources
PAPERS PAST Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 134, 6 June 1894, Page 8
Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com)