Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Helena Stokes was born in Lambeth, Surrey in 1870 — the daughter of William Stokes, a carpenter, and Matilda Wood.
She emigrated to Otago in 1873 with her family on the Zealandia.
The family moved to Christchurch in the 1880s although when Helena signed the suffrage petition she was living in Lambeth Rd, Dunedin. Also signing at Lambeth Rd is Helena’s sister Alice (See 61 Alice M Woodard).
Helena married William Henderson Young, a butcher, in 1893 and they had one son.
Helena’s husband worked as a butcher and publican as well as being well known in trotting circles.
He died suddenly in 1926. Helena died on 18 September 1949, she is buried with William in the Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Free BDM https://www.freebmd.org.uk
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Christchurch City Council http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com