Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Agnes Weir Lees was born on 26 December 1843 in Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland – the daughter of Andrew Lees, a farmer, and Elizabeth Forbes.
She emigrated to Otago with her family in 1860 on the Pladda and she married Captain Charles Edward Hayward, a Master Mariner, on 8 January 1863 in Dunedin.
They had nine children and lived at the Catlins River where Charles worked as the Harbourmaster.
In December 1887 Charles and their 16-year-old son Frank drowned when the Bessie overturned and threw the passengers into the water.
An appeal was launched 'with a view of relieving the widow and family of the late Captain Hayward.' The appeal raised £74 12s 9d.
Agnes & Charles’ last child, a son, was born in March 1888 in Dunedin, he lived only three weeks.
When Agnes signed the suffrage petition she was living in Garfield St, Roslyn, Dunedin with her family.
She died on 20 August 1907 and is buried in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz