Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Rachel Lawson Stewart was born about 1840 in Scotland.
She married Rev John Christie on June 9th 1862 in Carluke, Lanarkshire. Soon after they sailed for New Zealand. They had nine children.
In 1863 John was appointed as pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Waikouaiti. He held this position until 1901.
When Rachel signed the suffrage petition they were living in Mount Street.
After John’s retirement they went to live in Dunedin, where John died in 1913, and Rachel died on August 25th 1930. They are buried together in the Hawksbury Cemetery, Waikouaiti.
Rachel’s obituary said she “was an able helpmate to her husband, and many were the privations and struggles endured during the early days of Empire-making. She was almost the last of that noble army of pioneer ministers’ wives whose memories will ever be held dear in the various districts which were blessed by their ministrations and companionship.”
Her “hospitality and kindness were well known, and tired travellers in those early days were always sure of a comfortable meal and warm bed when at last they reached the manse.”