Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Julia Mary Kennedy was born on 20 October 1856 in Tasmaina, Australia – the daughter of James Kennedy, a military pensioner, and Bridget Connell. (See 63 Mrs Kennedy)
She travelled to Ireland with her family before they sailed for Otago in 1874 on the Carnatic.
Julia’s first child was born in 1875 before she married Francis McMeekin Gawn, a carter, on 29 August 1877.
They were to have a further eight children and when Julia signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Stafford St, South Dunedin (Stafford St was later re-named Fawcett St).
Francis died in 1910, he is buried in the Southern Cemetery.
In 1916, during WWI, Julia had four sons 'with the colours' - she died in Auckland on 30 August 1917 and is buried in the Waikaraka Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Libraries Tasmania https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au
Auckland Council https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/cemeteries