Maria Jane Cunningham (abt. 1853 - 1899)

Born about 1853 in County Louth, Ireland [uncertain]

Wife of William Grubb Drummond — married 1 Jan 1869 (to before 1893) in St. Michaels Church, Christchurch, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 19 Aug 1899 at about age 46 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Maria Jane Cunningham was born about 1853 in Louth to Robert Cunningham (born 1813 - 1878) and Margaret Green^[1]

She was a Dairymaid when she arrived at Lyttleton on February 10, 1867 on the ship Himalaya^[2].

She married William Grubb Drummond on January 1, 1869^[3] at St. Michaels Church, Christchurch. A witness to the marriage was James Cunningham (Possible family member)^[4]. She had four children with William,

Frederick William Drummond

Thomas Henry Drummond

Maria Jane Drummond

Archibald Grubb Drummond

There is a reference to a Christchurch Lunatics Act file in 1885-1886 for Maria Drummond^[5] which I haven't looked at yet.

She signed the 1893 Women Suffrage Petition Roll ^[6] confirming she was living in Sydenham. They divorced in 1893 with a James Reynolds being listed ^[7]

She died on August 19, 1899 in Christchurch, New Zealand under her maiden name ^[8] and was buried in Sydenham Christchurch^[9][10].

Note

Note: BIOGRAPHY: Arrived 10 Feb 1867 on the Himalaya Lyttleton

Cunningham Maria, 22 Louth, Dairymaid

BIOGRAPHY: Extracts from a book by Professor Bob Doran[a descendant of Maria's elder sister Maryanne]

"The last Cunningham we know came to NZ was Maria Jane, who arrived at Lyttleton 10th Feb 1867 on the Himalaya, aged 22. She married William Grubb Drummond in 1869, the witness being Alexander and Jane Doran, and James Cunningham. William Grubb Drummond was a Draper. He worked in Christchurch and Timaru and eventually had a shop in Dunedin. he was born in Nelson - his mother was the first European woman to set foot in Nelson, arriving on the first ship, the Fifeshire in 1842. Maria died in 1899 but at the time was divorced from William who married again in 1893. She was survived by 3 sons who all eventually moved north with their families to Hamilton and Auckland."

"On the 1 Jan 1869 when Maria Jane was 25, she married William Grubb DRUMMOND, son of David Drummond (1814 - 1890) and Jean Grubb (1816 - 1906), in St Michaels, Christchurch. Born on 19 Sep 1846 in Riwaka, William died in St Kilda Dunedin in 1930, he was 83. Occupation: Draper. Educated in Nelson. Lived in Christchurch and Timaru. Divorced from Maria and went to Dunedin about 1890. Had business premises in George St., near Drapery Supply Association. Later worked with Mutual Stores, DSA, and Arthur Barnett Ltd. until near 1927. They had the following children: Frederick William (~1869 - 1947) Thomas Henry (1872 - 1937) Maria Jane (1873 -) Archibald Grubb (~1879 - 1935)"

Sources

1. ↑ https://familysearch.org/tree/person/LKCX-C4L/details
2. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourstuff/Himalaya67.htm
3. ↑ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dmarriages 1869/7629
4. ↑ see note section
5. ↑ Archives New Zealand: R24018444
6. ↑ https://www.wikitree.com/photo/pdf/Cunningham-3997
7. ↑ Archives New Zealand: R20367863
8. ↑ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths Deaths 1899/5015
9. ↑ http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?surname=cunningham&firstname=maria&year1=&year2=
10. ↑ Maria Jane Cunningham (Unknown-1899) on Find A Grave: Memorial #161881956 Retrieved 21 January 2018