Maker: Tracey Hurst-Porter

Panel number: 443

Petition Sheet Number: 545

Person honouring: Mrs Worthington

Relationship to makers: None

Mary was the editor of the Christian Science Journal in the States before leaving her husband to run away to New Zealand with a con man and bigamist calling himself Arthur Worthington.  

The couple settled in Christchurch and started a Church called the Temple of Truth.  Arthur cut ties with Mary and expelled her from the church so she started her own group called the NZ School of Mental Science.  I suspect Mary never really got over Arthur.  

In 1901 Mary married a dentist but a few months later she took her own life in the family fountain.  Money certainly did not make Mary happy – she even looks a little sad in the photo. 

Panel materials: I have pictured Mary from a window looking out as I feel this intelligent, creative woman gave up living life to her full potential when Arthur dumped her.  The buttons below are representative of the 43 other signatories to panel 545.