Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Harriet Gilchrist was born in 1846 in Devon, England – the daughter of John Gilchrist, a game keeper, and Charlotte Wilkins.
As a young child the family moved to her father’s native Scotland and they lived in Kirkcudbrightshire then in Peebleshire.
Harriet emigrated to New Zealand in 1883 on the “Dunedin” accompanied by her brother and sister.
She married Archibald Dickson, a carter at the Roslyn Woollen Mills on 1 July 1885 in Dunedin.
When Harriet signed the suffrage petition they were living in Kaikorai Valley.
Harriet died at her home on 3 August 1909 and Archibald died in 1931 – they are buried together in the Northern Cemetery.
Sources:
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
Scotlands People https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk