Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary McKinlay was born about 1843 in Scotland. She came to New Zealand in the late 1850s and she married David Panckhurst in 1860.
They had 15 children, one who died in infancy, and they lived at Rangiora for a short time before moving to South Beach, Greymouth.
Mary signed the suffrage petition at South Beach where David worked as a miner on the beach.
He died in 1905 and Mary died on 13 January 1916 at Reefton – they are buried together in the Karoro Cemetery.
Her obituary said she 'made many friends by her excellent qualities'.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/