suffrage_petition
Surname: 
Edgar
Given names: 
Mrs J.
Given address: 
Queenstown
Sheet No: 107
Town/Suburb: 
Queenstown
City/Region: 
Otago
Notes: 

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Fanny Smith was born in 1854 in Wiltshire, England – the daughter of John Smith, a horse trainer, and Martha Drew.

She arrived in Bluff with her family in 1863 on the Sir George Pollock and she married John Edgar, a miner, in 1873.

They appear to have had 11 children, three who seem to have died in infancy.

When Fanny signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Queenstown where John served a Mayor for several years.

Fanny died at the Wakatipu District Hospital on 3 July 1910 and John died in 1914, they are buried together in the Queenstown Cemetery.

Fanny’s obituary said 'of a very quiet disposition she was known but to a small circle of friends by whom she was much respected.'

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk

NZ Yesteryears http://www.yesteryears.co.nz

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

Queenstown Lakes District Council http://cemeteries.qldc.govt.nz/

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

2 comments have been posted about Mrs J. Edgar

What do you know?

Michael Coyne

Posted: 21 Sep 2018

Mrs John EDGAR (nee Fanny SMITH) wife of John Edgar who later became mayor of Queenstown. Fanny was the daughter of MARTHA and JOHN SMITH of Otautau and had emigrated to Bluff, NZ with her family on the Sir George Pollock. A sister, ELLEN HILL (Otautau) also signed the petition. Their mother, MARTHA SMITH did not ! Fanny, along with two (maybe three) of her sisters married goldminers-Edgar, Finney, Sainsbury.

Michael Coyne

Posted: 10 Apr 2018

Mrs John Edgar. Daughter of John and Martha Smith of Bromham,England.Emigrated on the 'Sir George Pollock' Bluff 1862.Married to John Edgar,a Scot; initially a gold miner,later a businessman and mayor of Queenstown. Fanny Edgar (her given name) had several children.Her sister,Ellen Hill,also signed the Petition.