This is the first sheet of the giant suffrage petition signed by ‘Mary J. Carpenter and 25,519 Others’ that was submitted to Parliament on 28 July 1893. Suffrage leader Kate Sheppard’s signature appears about halfway down the left column. You can now search a database of the signatures here.
This huge roll of names – which stretches more than 270 m – is preserved at Archives New Zealand, alongside the Treaty of Waitangi. The international significance of both documents has been recognised by their inclusion on the UNESCO Memory of the World register of documentary heritage.
Hi K Carpenter - we'd definitely be interested in a photo of Mary Carpenter, thank you! Please email [email protected]
You can see (and print) a hi-res copy of the first sheet here: /files/documents/suffrage-pdfs/001.pdf And add more information about Mary Carpenter here: /suffragist/mary-j-carpenter
Regards Jamie Mackay
Thank You, I hope one day I can see the role in person. I think I have a photo of Mary J. Would that be of interest?
Hi K Carpenter - I think it is almost certainly the same woman, unless others in the family had the same forenames - see her page on the suffrage petition database: /suffragist/mary-j-carpenter
My (three times) Great Grandmother was called Mary Jane Carpenter, (nee Griffith), and was the second wife to Yaldhurst farmer, George Frederick Carpenter. I don't suppose there's any way to confirm the Mary J atop the list is my relation?
Community contributions