Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Phillis Milburn was born in 1856 in Weardale, Durham, England – the daughter of Thomas Milburn, a lead miner, and Hannah.
She emigrated to Otago in 1879 on the Margaret Galbriath and settled in Dunedin.
Phillis had two daughters shortly after her arrival in the country, the oldest Ada was born six months after her arrival.
In 1881 Phillis 'a respectable – looking young woman' appeared before the court when Ada was charged with being a neglected child.
Phillis asked for her two daughters to be committed to the Industrial School as she could only earn 10s a week and could not support both children.
Ada was admitted to the Industrial School in 1882 and she stayed there until 1888.
When Phillis signed the suffrage petition she was living in Harvey Rd, Napier working as a housekeeper.
She married Robert Godfrey Henty, a labourer, in 1894 and they had four children.
Robert died in January 1942 and Phillis died on 16 December the same year, they are buried together in the Hastings Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Hastings District Council http://cemeterybase.hdc.govt.nz/