Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Robina Mackay was born about 1844 in Scotland and she married Joseph Sparrow, a boilermaker, on 28 November 1864 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England.
They had two children before they emigrated to Otago on the William Davie in 1869.
They had 15 more children after their arrival, four children appear to have died in infancy.
When Robina signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Havelock St, Mornington, Dunedin.
In 1929 they celebrated their Pearl Wedding anniversary with an 'at home' in the Somerset Lounge at the Savoy Buildings.
Joseph died the following year & Robina died on 5 November 1943 at the age of 98.
Her obituary said she 'always enjoyed good health until a few years ago. She was always deeply interested in the work of the Methodist Church in Dunedin. Until quite recently she was able to knit scarves for soldiers overseas.'
She is buried with Joseph in the family grave 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
Free BDM https://www.freebmd.org.uk
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz