After some head scratching, we realised we have a case of an incorrectly placed memorial.
The book-like memorial is for Rosina Stirling ‘sister of the above’.
M W Dally ‘Mother’ is the only recorded interment in this plot *Public 2/M/268. Rosina Stirling is recorded in plot *Public 2/M/261 which is just two plots along. It’s hard to know how the error occurred or if someone moved the memorial later.
Margaret Ward Dally died in October 1921, aged 77. Margaret was a widow who may have been visiting her daughter Elizabeth (wife of William Bray) who resided at Clifton Terrace, while on a holiday from her home in Ballarat, Victoria. She was born Margaret Ward Symons and married James Lory Dally in Cornwall in 1864. Her daughter Elizabeth moved back to Australia in the mid 1920s and so it is likely there are no descendants in New Zealand
The nearby Stirling plot is for three unmarried sisters – daughters of William Stirling and his wife Elizabeth Clark of Kilbirnie. Jane (Jeanie) was the first interment in 1921, aged 52 ‘after years of illness’. Like her siblings, she was born in London.
Second was Rosina in 1937, aged 73. In 1891 she was part of a tailoresses dispute between the Tailoresses Union and employers. She was a first-class coat hand at the DIC and received 30s a week. She thought 35s would be a fair wage.
And thirdly Ellen in 1953 aged 88.
Their parents are in Plot: *Public 2/L/98 and youngest sister Julia in Plot: *Public 2/L/510 which is almost directly behind her sisters but unmarked.
This plot was cleared by Sarah, one of our Tuesday working bee volunteers.
