Maker: Alix Hooper

Panel number: 273

Petition sheet number: 327

Person honouring: Annie Meikleham

Relationship to maker: None

Annie Meikleham was one of the early settlers of Christchurch.

Annie Johnstone was born in Tasmania in 1844 to Scottish parents, Janet Hislop and James Johnstone. Her father was the carpenter for the Canterbury Association, and the family came to Lyttelton with other carpenters on the Rebecca in 1850.

In 1864 Annie married Captain William Henderson Meikleham, a seaman who later became an advertising agent. They had at least seven children – six daughters and one son. One daughter, Elsie, died as a baby.

However, a notice about Annie’s death stated she had a family of 13 (10 daughters and three sons), seven of whom outlived her.

The family was active in their Sydenham community – in sports clubs, music, and school boards. Captain Meikleham died in 1914, and Annie died four years later in 1918. Both were buried in Sydenham cemetery. Annie was a widow and living with her daughter in Leithfield when she died.

Panel materials: Those I had already. Doilies; white flower motif and green edging, which I cut the flowers from – from my late mother-in-law, as was the white backing. Used very old cotton to hand sew on to the material, and embroidery thread to do name and page number. No new materials used.