Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Caroline Sayer was born in New Zealand in 1865 – the daughter of Mark Sayer, a mariner, and Margaret.
She married William Belcher, a seaman, on 3 May 1884 in Dunedin.
They had three children and when Caroline signed the suffrage petition they were living in Frederick St.
William was very involved with the labour movement. More can be found about him here : https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2b15/belcher-william
Caroline’s home life seems to have had its problems, in 1915 William was before the courts charged with assaulting Caroline.
He had chased her around the house armed with an, unloaded, revolver. Caroline had tried to get William 'prohibited' due to his excessive drinking.
He was convicted and bound over to keep the peace.
They appear to have parted ways after this, William died in Wellington in 1926 and Caroline died on 28 June 1939 at Tuapeka West. She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
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