Biography contributed by Wendy Napier-Walker
Mrs Virtue was born Elizabeth Mary Cole on 8 February 1862 to John Cole and his wife Elizabeth Hill, at Coburg, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
On 22 June 1882 Elizabeth married William Kerr Virtue at Colburg, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Elizabeth and William had four sons.
In 1890 the electoral roll records the family living in Hull Street, Oamaru. William was a Bank Accountant. By the time of the birth of the youngest son Leigh in 1892, the family was living in Waimate.
Elizabeth also signed the 1892 Women’s Suffrage Petition Roll.
William Virtue was Manager of the Waimate Branch of the Bank of New Zealand and left there to take up a post at the Bank of New Zealand in Akaroa, arriving on 15 July 1900 on the SS Corinna. He was in Akaroa until April 1930.
By 1922 the family had moved to 40 Fitzgerald street, St Albans, Christchurch. Elizabeth was living here at the time of her death.
Elizabeth died on 30 October 1929, aged 67 years in Christchurch and is buried in the Bromley cemetery, Christchurch, Block 12, Row B, Plot 469.
After the death of his wife, William returned to Australia and died in Sydney on 28 October 1935, aged 80 years.
Sources
Victoria, Australia BDM Marriage Index 1837-1950 – 1541/1882
NZ DIA Birth Index
Oamaru Mail 13 July 1900, pg 4
Akaroa Mail & Banks Peninsula Advertiser 17 July 1900, pg 2
Press 1 November 1929, pg 1 – Death Elizabeth Virtue
NZ DIA Death Index 1929/11443 Elizabeth Mary Virtue
Poverty Bay Herald 7 November 1935, pg 9