Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Elizabeth Liddell Henderson was born in 1870 in New Zealand – the daughter of William Henderson, a weighbridge keeper, and Annie Smith.
She married William Joseph James Miles, a bricklayer, at her parent’s home in Duncan St, Dunedin on 4 July 1893.
Elizabeth and William had 2 children and lived in Kaitangata and Dunedin until William left in 1896 to look for work.
He went to Ophir in Central Otago and found work but sent no money to his family. Elizabeth obtained a maintenance order of 5s per week in 1896, William sent £2 then stopped sending money.
Elizabeth petitioned for divorce in 1903, William did not appear and was charged the costs of the case, Elizabeth was granted custody of the children.
She died on 13 August 1952 at the age of 82 and is buried with her parents and sister in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz