Mrs Grey

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Annie Colvin was born on 2 April 1855 in Wallacetown, Ayrshire, Scotland – the daughter of Benjamin Colvin, a labourer, and Marion McAlister.

In the 1860s the family moved to Partick in Lanarkshire where Annie’s mother died in 1868. Her older brother and sister had sailed for Otago in the 1860s and Annie followed in 1874 on the Mairi Bhan accompanied by her brother and sister. Their father and youngest brother completed the family emigration the following year.

Annie married William Guy, a carpenter, at St Mark’s Church, Balclutha on 20 September 1875.

William had married in Victoria in 1873 – in March 1875 he was charged with deserting his wife and child.

Annie and William had five children, one who died in infancy, and lived in Timaru and Wellington before settling in Dunedin about 1881.

In 1883 William was, again, charged with deserting his wife and children – he pleaded not guilty.

Annie said that nine weeks ago William 'got a job up-country. He used to come home every Saturday night, and go away on Monday, but had not all the time given her any money. He used to spend his wages in drink and in bad houses.' The judge refused to find William guilty of desertion but required evidence that he was maintaining his family.

William said Annie 'would not cook a meal or do anything for him; and she was once away for a fortnight. He was keeping the children himself, because she hated them. He was willing to keep all the family, but his wife would not keep a home for him'.

The case was dismissed and Annie said 'she would never live with her husband again'.

The following day William placed a notice in the paper that 'I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by Annie Colvin in my name'.

One month later the children were admitted to the Caversham Industrial School as neglected children – the father 'had left Dunedin after quarrelling with his wife, and his whereabouts was unknown. The mother was unable to maintain the children'. A warrant was issued for William’s arrest and what happened to him is a mystery.

Around this time Annie’s name changed from Guy to Gray/Grey.

She appears to have regained custody of her youngest child in 1884 and she gave birth to a son in 1885.

When Annie signed the suffrage petition she was living in Great King St, Dunedin. In the 1905 electoral roll Annie gave her marital status as widow.

She died on 27 July 1923 at her home in South Dunedin and is buried in the Andersons Bay Cemetery as Annie Gray.

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

BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au