Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Isabella Arnot was born on November 7th 1835 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the daughter of James Arnot, a jeweller, and Harriet Brown.
She married Reverend Andrew Bett on January 4th 1859, and soon after they emigrated to New Zealand on the Airedale.
They had eight children, and they appear to have lived in Dunedin for a few years before offering his services to the Synod to preach in 1866. ”He had, for various reasons, for a time retired from the work, but a few months ago he had been called upon unexpectedly to preach, and if now acceptable to the Synod, he offered regularly to resume the work of preaching”.
It is not clear if his offer was taken up; in 1872 the family moved to Tapanui where they stayed for about 15 years and Andrew served as a Minister.
In 1886 the family left Tapanui. A “complimentary soiree was given” to the family prior to their departure. Andrew was given 80 sovereigns and Isabella was presented with a writing case by the Sunday School.
They moved to Dunedin where Isabella was active in the Mornington Ladies’ Association and the Ladies’ Mission Aid Association.
When she signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Tumai Rd, Mornington.
Andrew died in 1902 in Dunedin, Isabella died at her son’s home in Palmerston North on October 16th 1913. They are buried together in the Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.
Sources
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions