Maker: Wendy Anscombe

Panel number: 196

Petition Sheet Number: 237

Person honouring: Eliza Stephens (nee Payne)

Relationship to makers: Great-great-grandmother.

Eliza came to New Zealand from Kent, England when she was 10 years old, aboard the Helen Denny. Her family settled in Taranaki, where she had her first child at 16 years old, after being raped by the local constable. She successfully took him to court to have him pay maintenance for the child, and then took him to court a second time for failing to pay! 

She moved to Australia and married William Stephens in 1884, and they had a further nine children. They moved back to Blenheim via Wellington sometime between 1892-94. There is a long history of Stephens’ living and settling in Blenheim with records showing that a large parcel of land was purchased, and then divided between a number of the children. Eliza lived to the age of 93 years old, after outliving her husband and several of her children.

Panel materials: Panel woven from merino yarn using a rigid heddle loom. The embroidery was done with cotton embroidery floss that I was gifted, and the butterflies are made of lace. The satin backing of my panel was a remnant from an upcycled garment.