Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Catherine/Kate Orr was born about 1853 in County Donegal, Ireland.
She emigrated to Canterbury in 1873 on the Edwin Fox and she married, painter, James Craigie on 28 September 1875 in Timaru.
They had eight children, one who died in infancy, and when Kate signed the suffrage petition they were living in Timaru.
James ran a home decorating shop in Timaru which subsequently became Smith & Craigie and later Smith & Smith.
He served as Mayor of Timaru for 10 years and became a Member of Parliament, serving for four terms.
James died in 1935 and Kate died at her home 'Craigielea', at Kingsdown on 7 December 1944.
They are buried together in the Timaru Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
NZ Intentions to Marry Project https://itm.howison.co.nz/
Timaru District Council https://www.timaru.govt.nz/home