Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Helen/Nellie Sinclair was born about 1839, she married James Hussey Churley/Churly, a butcher, in Victoria, Australia in 1863.
They had five daughters before they emigrated to Westport in 1875 on the Alma. A further three children were born in New Zealand, one who died in early childhood.
In 1879 James filed for bankruptcy – the family were allowed to keep their harmonium, sewing machine and spring chickens.
They moved to Dunedin soon after and when Nellie signed the suffrage petition they were living on the corner of Castle and Dundas Streets.
Nellie died at her home on 23 September 1900 and James died in 1907, they are buried in the family grave in the Northern Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
BDM Victoria https://online.justice.vic.gov.au
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz