Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret Maria Ellison McLean was born on 25 October 1871 in Manchester, England – the daughter of John McLean, a tailor, and Elizabeth Ann Heaton Ellison. (See 77 Eliz A McLean)
She emigrated to New Zealand about 1879 with her family and they settled in Outram, West Taieri.
This is where Margaret signed the suffrage petition - her occupation was given as dressmaker.
She married William Duncan Hume, a clerk, on 8 April 1901 in Dunedin and they had 7 children.
The family lived in Timaru where Margaret died on 26 March 1949 and William died in 1958.
Margaret’s obituary said she 'joined the Timaru Scottish Society along with her husband soon after they arrived in Timaru from Dunedin, and took a keen interest in its affairs, filling the positions of chieftainess and president of the Ladies’ Committee at various times'.
They are buried together in the Timaru Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Timaru District Council https://www.timaru.govt.nz/