Mrs T. Christie

Signed family name

Christie

Signed given name

Mrs T.

Given address

East Gore

Sheet number

103

Town/Suburb

Gore

City/Region

Southland

Notes

Originally transcribed as Mrs S. Christie

Also signed as 109 T. Christie

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Mary McCorkindale was born on 6 June 1851 in Killean in Argyle, Scotland –the daughter of Archibald McCorkindale and Margaret McMillan.

Her mother died in 1860 and her father re-married soon after. In 1868 the family emigrated to New Zealand on the Vicksburg.

Mary married Thomas Christie, a carter, on 17 May 1870. They lived, at first, in Waitahuna before moving to Gore about 1880.

They had nine children and were living in East Gore when Mary signed the suffrage petition.

Mary died during the influenza epidemic on 4 February 1919.

Her obituary said she 'was one of those capable women whose services were much in request in times of sickness, more especially when doctors were only obtainable with great difficulty, and she never spared herself when assistance was required. Like most women settled in the backblocks at that period, she was a good horsewoman, and being of strong physique often rode distances that would be considered long journeys even in these days of motors...Her pleasant manner made her popular in a wide circle of friends. Setting store on the value of old friendships she retained these throughout her life and will be widely mourned.'

Thomas died in Gore in 1936 – they are buried together in the Gore Cemetery.