Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Margaret Robertson was born on 19 March 1853 in Moulin, Perthshire, Scotland — the daughter of Duncan Robertson and Ann McDonald.
She emigrated to Otago in 1859 with her family on the Alpine.
Her father worked, at first, as a shepherd in the Shag Valley north of Dunedin before moving to Central Otago where he built the Balmoral Hotel and General Store at Manuherikia Crossing near Alexandra.
Margaret married Allan Cameron, a butcher, from Alexandra on 9 August 1877.
'The inhabitants of Clyde were taken by surprise yesterday by the appearance in their midst of a bridal party, consisting of some 30 or 40 people, the majority of whom were riding in buggies and the remainder on horseback. The sight was a imposing one, what with the smiling faces and gay attire of the ladies, and the smart and manly appearance of the gentlemen.'
Allan sold his butchery business in 1878 and bought the Butchers Gully Hotel and Store. Their first child was born in Alexandra the same year.
A further two children were born while the family were living in Butchers Gully before the hotel was sold in 1883 and the family moved to Dunedin.
They ran the Upper Junction until it was burnt to the ground in 1885, Allan was away at the races and Margaret was at home with the children.
Their next home was in Maia, Rothesay where their next five children were born and Allan worked at McLeods Soap Factory.
Margaret died on 28 July 1897, aged 44, one month after the birth of her last child who only lived for two days.
Allan died in 1912, they are buried together in the Northern 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