Sarah Pratt

Biographical information provided by Lynly Yates for the He Tohu exhibition:

Sarah Bell was born 6 December 1836  at Alston, Cumberland in England.  In 1860 she married Thomas and had a daughter Maria Stoddard. In 1866 widow Sarah married Thomas Pratt and they had three daughters: Sarah Elizabeth, Ruth and Hannah.  In 1871 the family resided at 13 Kirkleatham, Normanby,  Yorkshire in England.  They departed England on ship Hudson and arrived in Wellington on 14 March 1879.  In 1880 they resided in Wellington.  In April 1893 Sarah and her husband sang in a concert.  Sarah signed the 1893 Suffrage Petition in Hastwell along with her daughters Ruth Pratt and Mrs Hannah McCaffrey.  Her other married daughter, Maria Rigg (nee Stoddard),  signed sheet 489.  In 1911 Sarah and Thomas (a carpenter) resided in Colombo Street, Sydenham and in 1914 The Manse, Lincoln, where Thomas was a Pastor.  Thomas died 25 November 1918.  Sarah Pratt (nee Bell) died 21 June 1921 Christchurch.  They were buried at Linwood cemetery Canterbury.