Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Maria Davis was born in 1858 in Victoria, Australia – the daughter of Philip Davis, a carpenter, and Ann Talbot. Her family emigrated to New Zealand about 1861.
Maria married Frederick Latimer, a tanner, on 24 May 1883 at St Paul’s Cathedral, Dunedin. They had eight children.
When Maria signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Neidpath Rd, Mornington, Dunedin. Maria's sisters, Ann and Jane, also signed the suffrage petition. In 1896 the family moved to Christchurch where Maria died on 21 November 1904. Frederick died in 1943.
They are buried together in the Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Christchurch City Council http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com