Biography contributed by Wendy Cockburn (great-granddaughter-in-law) and Robyn Cockburn (great-great-granddaughter)
Margaret Cockburn was born Margaret DUDGEON [1] around 1849 in Greenlaw, Duns, [2] in County Berwickshire, Scotland. Her father was a farm servant and they were living in Cattleshiel, the Parish of Longformacus. By the time she was 12 (1861) they were living in the Parish of Coldingham, Houndwood. [3] Margaret was the oldest child, with two siblings – Francis (brother) and Janet (sister).
Margaret (aged 20) married James COCKBURN (24) on 30 April 1869 at The Tower, Cockburnspath. [4] By 1881 they are living at Stockbridge [5] with their five children:
- Robert (aged 11)
- Thomas (aged 9)
- Ann (aged 6)
- James (aged 4)
- George W (aged 9 months).
Stockbridge was a religious community of the United Associated Synod of the Succession Church of Scotland, and from 1865 the United Presbyterian Church, with an initial membership of 500, comprised mainly of working people.
On Sundays the three cart roads to Stockbridge from Edmond’s Dean, Glenfin and Bowshiel were thronged with folk arriving in carts, on horseback and walking. Women wore scarlet cloaks and carried a Bible of Psalm book wrapped in a white handkerchief. Between the pages of their books was a sprig or two of southern-wood (woodruff), spearmint, or other fragrant herbs from their cottage gardens. The service lasted about three hours. [7]
The family came as steerage passengers on the Westland [8] departing from London 12 October 1882 under Captain Moffitt. They arrived in Port Chalmers on 1 January 1883. [9]
The family settled in Clinton, Otago where Margaret went on to have three more children in New Zealand:
- Frank (Born 25 May 1884, Clinton – died 1 July 1951 Dunedin)
- Maggie (Margaret) Born 2 February 1888, Clinton – died 23 November 1965. Married Arthur Clark)
- John (Born 8 November 1892 – died 4 June 1955).
Margaret was involved with the Clinton and Kuriwau Branch of the Red Cross providing food parcels and clothing. [10] She also belonged to the Clinton Patriotic Association, which was involved in arranging gift parcels to local soldiers who were at the front. [11]
Margaret was acknowledged for a gift of money to be applied to the Wounded Soldiers and Dependents’ Fund. [12]
Margaret died on 26 March 1925 and is buried at the Clinton Cemetery.
Sources
[1] Sourced from Marriage Certificate.
[2] 1871 Census record, Scotland.
[3] 1861 Census record, Scotland.
[4] Copy of Marriage Certificate.
[5] Information about Stockbridge is included in the Cockburnspath History, (Smith, 1999) The new church, square and thatched roofed, was built in 1793 at Stockbridge. 1.3 km SW of Cockburnspath. This is now called Neuk Farm. Scottish Border, UK 55.917483, -2.36992. The Beadle’s Cottage still remains.
[6] Smith, Sally (1999) Cockburnspath, a history of people and a place. Dunglass Milll Press, Cockburnspath, Scotland. Pg 18.
[7] Steerage Passengers’ Contract Ticket on file.
[8] White Wings book. accessed from http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Bre01Whit-t1-body-d6.html on 15 July 2018.
[9] Otago Daily Times, Papers Past.
[10] Otago Daily Times, 4 July 1917, Papers Past.
[11] Otago Daily Times, 29 October 1917, Papers Past.
[12] Family records.
Image
Cockburn family (Stockbridge?) L-R : Robert, James, Thomas, Anne, George, Margaret (mother)