Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Sarah Lisgo was born on July 6th 1808 in Durham, England, the daughter of William Lisgo and Alice Wilson.
She married William Chapman, a doctor, in the 1820s. They had nine children, two who died in infancy or childhood.
In 1851 the family sailed for New Zealand on the Labuan. William was the ship’s surgeon and the family were cabin passengers.
They settled at first in Christchurch until the early 1860s when they moved to Waikouaiti.
William died at their home Alwent Grange in 1867, and Sarah remained in Waikouaiti where she signed the suffrage petition.
She died at her home on November 5th 1896. She is buried with William in the St John’s Anglican Cemetery, Waikouaiti.
Sources
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions