M. Clark

Signed family name

Clark

Signed given name

Given address

Mataura

Sheet number

132

Town/Suburb

Mataura

City/Region

Southland

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Margaret Cumming Campbell Grant was born about 1840 in Scotland.

She came to New Zealand around 1865 where she married tailor Peter Grant on 27 November 1868 in Dunedin.

They lived in Balclutha and had four children, one who died in infancy.

In 1875 Peter sold his business and the following year they sold their home to prepare for a trip 'home' to Scotland.

In July a farewell dinner was held – Peter was presented with 'a colonial gold mounted greenstone pendant' and Margaret was given 'a pair of handsome colonial gold mounted green stone earrings'. Margaret gave birth to a son in Scotland before they returned home arriving in January 1880 on the Marlborough. Their young son died shortly after their arrival, on Quarantine Island in the Otago Harbour – he is buried in the Quarantine Island Cemetery.

The family settled in Mataura after their return where they had one more child and where Margaret signed the suffrage petition.

She died on 29 April 1913 and is buried in the Mataura Cemetery.

Margaret’s obituary said she 'was a lady of very strong character and fine business ability, and ably assisted her husband in his business. She was very hospitable, and was ever ready to give a helping hand in cases of sickness or distress of any kind. She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church, and took an active interest in every movement in the town for the social welfare of the people'. Peter died at their daughter’s home in Auckland in 1919 – he is buried in the O’Neills Point Cemetery.