Jean (Jane) Craig Semple was born in Westquarter, Glassford in Lanarkshire, Scotland on 6 August 1854. She was the eldest child of eight born to Alexander Semple, a stonemason and Ann Marchbank Craig. Jane emigrated with her parents and two brothers onboard the Silistria which arrived in Port Chalmers on 11 January 1862. Her brother Alexander was born onboard the ship the following day.
On arriving in Dunedin, the Semple family initially lived in a stable before securing a wooden dwelling. After a few years, she moved with her parents to Waitati where her father had obtained a farm.
Jane married William Strang, a carpenter, on her 20th birthday at her parents’ house in Waitati. They moved to Esk Street in Invercargill which is where Jane lived for her entire married life. They had ten children – James (b. 14 January 1875), Ann (b. 14 January 1875; d. 25 February 1875), Ann (b. 10 October 1876), Alexander (b. 28 July 1878), William (b. 8 August 1880), Isabella Jane (b. 6 April 1883), Jean (b. 11 December 1885), Archibald (b. 25 October 1887), May (b. 6 August 1890) and Ivy Frew (b. 17 September 1892).
Jane was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Invercargill and took a prominent part in the life of the church. She was connected with the Ladies Guild and was involved in charity work. Her obituary stated that “no one was possessed of greater charity than she, but her charity was cloaked by her innate modesty”.
William Strang died unexpectedly whilst holidaying with Jane in Nelson on 10 March 1908. Jane died from a “senile heart” on 23 January 1929 at 157 Esk Street, Invercargill, aged 74 years.
Biography contributed by Sarah Semple (great-great niece)
Sources
- Birth certificate – Old Parochial Register – Glassford, Lanarkshire, Scotland
- Marriage certificate - NZ Department of Internal Affairs
- Death certificate - NZ Department of Internal Affairs
- 1929 obituary – Southland Times
Image
William and Jane Strang (courtesy Susan Smith)