Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Mary Ann Margaret Carville was born on September 17th 1866 in Doune, Perthshire, Scotland, the daughter of John Carville, a master joiner, and Mary McKellar.
She came to New Zealand with her parents sometime after 1881. In 1890 she married John Bett, a coach builder.
They had four children, and when Mary signed the suffrage petition they were living in Broad St, Palmerston North.
Their only son Robert died during the First World War on his 26th birthday.
The following year on September 5th, Mary died at her home – she had apparently “suffered a breakdown in health, following the death of her son”, and her health had never recovered.
Her obituary said she “made herself very popular by reason of her kindly, sympathetic nature, her practical generosity, and womanly tact and charm. The late Mrs. Bett was identified with many good works, and her loss will be keenly felt”. She had “during her residence in Palmerston, been an active worker in St. Andrew’s Church, where she was highly respected for her kindly disposition”.
John died in 1929. They are buried in the Terrace End Cemetery, Palmerston North.
Sources
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions