Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Margaret Wildman was born in 1860 in Settle, Yorkshire – the daughter of John Wildman, a bookseller, and Margaret Horner.
Her father died in 1862 and, in 1879 Margaret accompanied by her mother and 3 brothers boarded the Superb bound for Melbourne.
Shortly after their arrival they sailed for Taranaki on the Tararua.
Margaret married James Stephenson Hempton, a mariner, on September 15th 1892 in New Plymouth & when Margaret signed the suffrage petition they were living in Roslyn, Dunedin.
James worked as second officer on the Mararoa and they had 3 children.
In 1897, due to ill health, they moved to New Plymouth where James died from consumption.
Margaret died at her home in New Plymouth on November 4th1906 – she is buried with James in the Te Henui Cemetery.