Florence Roberts

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Florence Maud Brown was born on 1 September 1859 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia – the daughter of Thomas Lawrence Brown, a lemonade manufacturer, and Emily Coote.

She came to New Zealand with her family in the mid 1860s and they settled in Dunedin.

In May 1875 Florence was involved in an 'alleged abduction' involving her future husband William Roberts, a horse dealer.

They were married later that year on 4 August at St Paul’s Church and were to have 11 children, two who died in infancy.

William was declared bankrupt in 1882 and again in 1884 when his liabilities were given as £131 8s 6d and assets, nil.

When Florence signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Cargill Rd, South Dunedin.

In 1897 William was charged with horse stealing – he was sentenced to 12 months in prison - before he was released he was again charged with the same offence and a further six months was added to his sentence.

William died in 1908 and Florence died on 5 February 1945, they are buried together in the Southern Cemetery.

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Libraries Tasmania https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au