Elizabeth Pratt

Biography contributed by Clare Cramond

Elizabeth Pratt, then Eliza Pellatt arrived in Wellington on the SS Tongariro in 1885. She was with a group of young assisted immigrants. She was a 23-year-old cook from Kent. The ship travelled to various ports and Eliza was in the group destined for Wellington.

Two years later, Elizabeth Margaretta Pellatt married Justin Percival Pratt, a 20-year-old Wellington carpenter.  At 16 years of age, Justin had appeared before the Resident Magistrate’s Court. The New Zealand Times gives a colourful account of a dispute resulting in a scuffle. Justin was awarded one shilling in damages.

Elizabeth Margaret and Justin had seven children; Percival Justin (1888), Beatrice Jennie (1890), Charles Daniel (1892), Alfred Joseph (1894), Rhoda Mary (1896), Myrtle Lucy (1898) and Leonard Frank (1901). Both Elizabeth and Justin are on the 1893 Electoral Roll, living in Princes Street, Wellington.

Then on Saturday 21 December 1901, there was a tragic buggy accident. The family were travelling from Crofton to Wellington on a new road and as they came down the steep Kaiwarra Gorge the blinkers came off the horse and it bolted. The buggy overturned and all were flung violently to the ground. Three-year-old Myrtle was killed.  Elizabeth suffered concussion and internal injuries and was taken to Wellington Hospital. The others had minor injuries and the baby was miraculously unharmed.

The long-term impact on Justin cannot be imagined, and on 26 October 1915, he was up before the Magistrate’s Court for drunkenness.  He died in 1916 aged 50 years.

Elizabeth Margaret Pratt continued to live in the Wellington area, mostly in Ngaio and appeared regularly on electoral rolls. She died on 16 September 1931 and is buried in Karori Cemetery, with her daughter Myrtle.

Sources

'New Zealand, Archives New Zealand, Passenger Lists, 1839-1973', FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSBL-NMG : Wed Nov 01 10:09:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Eliza Pellatt, 16 Sep 1885.

Births Deaths and Marriages Online https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6741, 24 November 1882, Page 3

NZ Electoral Rolls 1853-2010, 1893 Wellington Page 188

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 151, 23 December 1901, Page 6

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 101, 26 October 1915, Page 8

Wellington Cemeteries https://wellington.discovereverafter.com/profile/28274558