Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Mary Ann Tandy was born about 1836 at Otago Heads, the daughter of Thomas Tandy, a carpenter at the Weller brothers’ whaling station, and an unnamed Maori woman.
When Mary was about three years old the family moved to Karitane.
Mary’s father married Maria Manaha in 1843. The following year Mary was baptised at Waikouaiti by Rev James Watkin.
Her father remarried in 1845. In 1852 he disappeared while travelling to Dunedin and was never seen again.
Mary married Andrew Thompson in 1859 and they had at least three children, one who died in infancy.
She signed the suffrage petition in Waikouaiti, where Andrew died in 1894.
Mary died at her home on September 17th 1929, aged 93. She is buried with Andrew in St John’s Anglican Cemetery, Waikouaiti.
Her obituary said she “was ever ready to assist those in distress, and many a Waikouaiti home has reason to be grateful for her kindly help”.