Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Catherine Tinnion was born in 1839 in Harrington, Cumberland, England – the eldest daughter of John Tinnion, a mariner, and Bridget Johnston.
Her mother died in 1851 and sometime after this Catherine sailed for Australia.
She married Louis Cambronne Anseline in 1856 in Victoria – by 1869 they were living in Greymouth running the Ship Hotel.
In the 1870s they had the National Hotel and in 1883 Catherine opened the London Pie House 'a couple of doors from the National Hotel. This will supply a want that must often have been felt by visitors from the country, especially the female portion, who in most cases would prefer a sandwich and cup of coffee in a piehouse to an elaborate dinner at a hotel table. The premises recently opened by Mrs Anseline are well situated and very nicely fitted up for a house of the kind, the ladies’ and gentlemen’s refreshment rooms being separate, and all the appointments exceptional.'
This establishment appears to have turned into a boarding house which Catherine was running when she signed the suffrage petition in Greymouth.
Catherine died at her home on 14 October 1903 – she is buried in the Karoro Cemetery with one of her sisters.
Her obituary said 'she was a cheery old lady but of late years was a great sufferer'.
The following year Louis took a trip to New South Wales for his health. He died in Sydney and is buried in the Gore Hill Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au