Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Marion Hamilton was born about 1865 in New Zealand – the daughter of Robert Hamilton, a farmer, and Marion Stewart.
She grew up in Southland and she married 38 year old farmer Frank William Ibbotson on 30 April 1884 in the Riversdale Presbyterian Church.
They had a daughter in 1888 and when Marion signed the suffrage petition they were living in St Clair, Dunedin.
In 1893 Marion was “thrown from her horse” “in front of the City Hotel.” She “escaped with some bruises and a severe shaking”.
She was active in the St Clair Presbyterian Church and a member of the Ladies’ Guild.
Frank died in 1908 and, in 1915, Marion’s home was offered for sale. It was described as one of the finest properties in St Clair.
She then moved to Forbury Road and she died on 11 August 1952 in Mosgiel – she is buried with Frank 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
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/