Makers: Faye and Johanna Lloyd

Panel number: 179

Petition Sheet Number: 217

Person honouring: Mary Russell

Relationship to makers: 3rd and 4th great-grandmother

Mary Russell (nee Walker) was born on 5 July 1818 in Middleton, Warwickshire. Mary was working as a servant in 1841 in Wishaw, Warwickshire, but by the time of the 1851 census she was listed as unmarried, had three children and was living with her parents in Middleton. 

In 1854 at the age of 35 she married Richard Russell, a labourer. Mary, Richard and her two younger children, Elizabeth and Alfred, arrived on the ‘Isabella Hercus’ in Lyttelton, New Zealand on 4 January, 1856 Mary left her eldest son Charles Walker, born about 1839, with her parents in Warwickshire. The Russell family settled and farmed in Brookside, Canterbury. 

Mary and Richard later had twin daughters. Mary died on 7 April 1904. Her husband died just two months later: he was found drowned on his son’s property at Brookside. They are buried at Brookside Anglican cemetery .It was a challenge to confirm that the signature on the petition was Mary’s and not that of her daughter-in-laws, my 2 x great-grandmother, Mary Ann Russell (nee Talbot), also of Brookside. We consulted with an older relative involved in the family history and had to look back at signatures on marriage certificates and an inquest to confirm the correct ancestor!

Panel materials: Old embroidered pillowcase, lace and crochet flowers from an Aunt’s sewing box, a lace rose from my mother’s wedding dress. An old cut work embroidered napkin, scraps of Aida cloth, backing fabric was once curtaining in my Grandparents home (around 50 years old) and embroidery cottons left over from other projects (nothing bought!)