Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Catherine Mackay/Kate Stewart was born in 1867 in New Zealand, a twin daughter of James Stewart, a master mariner, and Mary Ann Hughan.
Kate did not marry. When she signed the suffrage petition Kate was living with her parents in Manor Place, Dunedin working as a dressmaker.
Kate operated a dressmaking service 'latest fashion, low prices, fit guaranteed' from rooms in High St, opposite the DIC from at least 1896. She sold the business in 1902 and moved to Wellington where she ran the Langer School of Dress Cutting, 'Miss Kate Stewart – late teacher of dressmaking Dunedin Technical School and Anglo-Parisian System'.
Kate moved back to Dunedin in 1916 and opened the Langer Dress Cutting School at 123 High St. The school operated until at least 1923.
Kate died on 26 July 1964, at the age of 98. She is buried in the family grave in the Southern 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