Biographical information provided by Jenny Robertson for the He Tohu exhibition:
Born 21 February 1828 in Limerick, Ireland, Sarah Matilda Clarke married James Albert Hanan in Melbourne in 1860, and in 1862-3 came to Invercargill on the ship Glencoe with their baby son James Albert Hanan. Two further children were born here, Blessing and Josiah Alfred.
Josiah became a solicitor, local government politician and mayor of Invercargill before representing the area as a Liberal Member of the House of Representatives from 1899. His brother, James Albert went into the drapery business in Invercargill and is the father of the prominent reforming National politician, Ralph Hanan.
Sarah’s husband was a Darwinist owning a copy of the 6thedition (1872) of Origin of the Species. He also described himself as an artist and opened a Temple of Science in Invercargill. There he built an orrery (clockwork model of the solar system), rebuilding the Temple after a major fire in 1882.
Sarah spent over 36 years in Invercargill, parenting her children, extending their education and working in family businesses. Described in her obituary as having a ‘cheery and obliging disposition’ she became frail with age and used a wheeled chair to get about.
