Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Martha Hearne was born in 1850 in Berkshire, England – the daughter of Charles Lewis Hearne & Martha Savage.
Her father died in 1851 & in 1861 Martha emigrated to New Zealand with her uncle, Edward Savage, his family & Martha’s sister Matilda on the Derwent Water.
“The vessel encountered terrific storms... and for four days all the hatches were battened down to prevent passengers from being swept overboard by the wild seas. In one of these bad blows a mast was carried away”.
When the family went ashore in Dunedin they had to live in the immigration barracks until Martha’s uncle could have a house built.
Martha married 37 year old William Thomas, a bootmaker, on May 9th 1870 in Dunedin & they had 5 children.
When she signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Great King St, Dunedin.
William died in 1908.
In 1950 Martha celebrated her 100th birthday with a gathering at her home. It was reported that “Mrs Thomas still knits, and this year finished two pairs of socks for her 80-year-old son”. She died on November 20th 1952 & she is buried with William in the Northern Cemetery.