Biography contributed by Nancy Carr
Birth Name: Harriett Emma Craven
Baptised: 17 November 1839 Ingestre, Staffordshire, England in the parish of St Mary the Virgin.
Parents: Robert (Scotland 1809-1897 Staffordshire, England) and Elizabeth Craven (Hampton, Wick, Middlesex 1809 -?).
Harriett, was the second of seven children and grew up in a fairly wealthy farming family.
From 1871-1881 Harriet is governess for three children of Henry Arthur and Elizabeth Cave at The Green, Bishop Wearmouth in Durham.
In 1884 Harriet resides in Otaki, New Zealand with her sister Kate. The two women were active in the local Anglican Church.
1893 signs the Women’s suffrage Petition.
1899 the sisters reside in Iti Street, Otaki.
From 20 August 1889-March 1891 Harriet was the Matron of a small private orphanage in Whanganui. She had the care of six children increasing to eight over that time.
1911-1919 Harriet lived at 48 Seddon St., Whanganui.
On 24of August 1927, at 1 Glagow St., Whanganui, aged 87 Harriett passed away. She is buried in Aramoho Cemetry Whanganui.
Sources
'England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944', database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL3L-WB4N: 14 December 2017), Harriett Emma Craven, 1839
England and Wales Census, 1871 and 1881
Otaki Historical Journal vol 1 page 60 and 61
'H E Craven', URL: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/suffragist/h-e-craven, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 8-Sep-2011
Alexander Turnbull Library
Wanganui Children’s Home minutes 21/08/1889 and 12/03/1891 held at Whanganui Heritage Library 2018
NZBDM:1927/7299
NZSG Cemetry fische K01.10 Vol 2 UO36
Images
Kate and Harriet Craven (right) outside their house in Iti Street, Otaki. (Otaki Historical Journal)
Joint grave of Kate and Harriet Craven, Aramoho Cemetery, Whanganui (Nancy Carr)