Maker: Jill Bowman

Panel number: 170

Petition sheet number: 206 and 213

Person honouring: Elizabeth Peryman

Relationship to maker: None

Elizabeth Saunders was born on 17 May 1825, at Lavington, Wiltshire, England. She married Henry William Peryman on 1 September 1853, in Adelaide, South Australia. The couple came to New Zealand in 1858, first settling in Nelson where they were engaged in the milling business for six years. 

In 1864, the couple purchased land at Tai Tapu, Canterbury, and began farming at Lavington Farm. By 1871, Elizabeth had given birth to seven children, two of whom died in infancy. Another child, William Saunders Peryman, was 24 when he died in July 1883. 

Elizabeth ran many charity luncheons and events, and provided bouquets to the Christchurch Hospital. The Perymans were deeply involved in their local community, with Henry serving on the Canterbury Board of Education, the Selwyn County Council, the hospital board, the Lyttelton Harbour Board, the South Waimakariri River Board, as director of the New Zealand Farmers Co-operative Association of Canterbury, and as director of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Insurance Company.

The family were also connected with the Wesleyan Church; their son Rev Samuel Huxtable Peryman was a Wesleyan minister. 

Elizabeth seems to have signed the 1893 suffrage petition twice (sheets 206 and 213); her daughter Ellen and daughter-in-law Catherine also signed – on sheet 206.

Elizabeth died on 7 May 1906, aged 81 years; Henry died in 1910, also aged 81.

Panel materials: Embroidered cloth from Vinnies.