Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Rebecca Gard was born on 7 July 1853 in Sorrell, Tasmania – the daughter of Joseph Gard, a mariner, and Rebecca Pickett.
Her mother died in 1858 and her father re-married later that year - he died in 1866.
Rebecca came to New Zealand where she married, ploughman, James Marshall on 3 May 1882 in Duntroon, North Otago.
They had five children and when Rebecca signed the suffrage petition they were living in Gore and James was running a livery stables.
In 1900 they moved to Balfour to run the Longridge Hotel where they stayed until 1906 when they took over the Hampden Hotel in North Otago.
George died in 1907 and Rebecca took over the hotel licence until 1909 when Rebecca sold the contents of the hotel.
She died at her daughter’s home on 11 March 1950 and is buried with George in the Hampden Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/
Libraries Tasmania https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au
