suffrage_petition
Surname: 
East
Given names: 
M. A.
Given address: 
Frederick St
Sheet No: 59
Town/Suburb: 
Central Dunedin
City/Region: 
Dunedin
Notes: 

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Mary Ann McMurray was born about 1828 in County Armagh, Ireland, she travelled to Victoria, Australia and, in 1857, she married Richard East.

Richard was a Private in the 40th Regiment of Foot. They had two sons in Victoria, one who died in infancy.

In 1860 the regiment left for New Zealand. Mary sailed to Auckland with her son John Henry on the Merchant Prince in 1862.

Two daughters were born in Auckland in 1864 and 1865 before the regiment returned to England in August 1866.

John Henry died in August 1866 at the Clarence Barracks, Portsmouth and their next son Lawrence James was born in Lancashire, England in 1868.

1871 saw the regiment stationed at Curragh Camp in Ireland - their daughter Agnes Mary Jane was born in Dublin in 1872.

Richard’s enlistment expired in August 1874 after 21 years of service. Agnes appears to have died in Glasgow, Scotland in 1875 and the family returned to New Zealand about 1876.

They settled in Dunedin and their last child Michael Gabriel was born in 1877.

In the 1880’s Richard was working as a night watchman at the hospital and advertising accommodation for patients, invalids and convalescents at their house in Frederick St.

In November 1907 Mary & Richard celebrated their Golden Wedding with friends & family at their Frederick St home with a photo in the newspaper several weeks later.

The couple’s diamond wedding was celebrated in a similar way in 1917 with another photo in the newspaper.

Richard died the following year and Mary died on 19 May 1926, she is buried in the Southern Cemetery.

Mary’s obituary said she 'was distinguished by her loving, kindly nature and her great fondness for children. The passing of one of Dunedin’s oldest residents will be widely regretted by many.'

Sources:

BDM online NZ: https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

BDM Victoria: https://online.justice.vic.gov.au

DCC Cemetery Records: http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search

Family Search: https://www.familysearch.org

GRO England: https://www.gro.gov.uk

Otago Nominal Index: http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

PapersPast: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Scotlands People: https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.

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