Maker: Dallas Cunningham

Panel number: 497

Petition sheet number: Unknown

Person honouring: Jessie Binnie McRobie

Relationship to maker: Great-grandmother

Jessie Binnie McRobie was the inspiration for the ‘Children in the Bush’ series of books written by her descendant, well-known New Zealand author, Ruth Dallas.

Jessie was born in Selkirk, Scotland in September 1854. She and a friend sailed from Glasgow to Port Chalmers in 1873 on the James Nichol Fleming.

She made her way to Bluff and in 1878 Jessie married a Swedish seaman, John Johansen. They had five children and began living on Stewart Island where John had shares in a fishing boat called the Dolly Varden. Later they sold the boat and shifted to Long Bush, a milling area in Southland. The early death of her husband in 1884 left Jessie with five small children.

In 1885, Jessie married timber-miller John Dallas, a Scotsman. They had just four short years together before he passed away. Jessie had been twice widowed at an early age.

Meanwhile, Jessie had become a nurse and midwife to provide for her family. She often travelled into the bush to care for her neighbours and deliver their babies. When her children were in their teenage years, they all shifted into Invercargill. Through the generations many family members have remembered Jessie by keeping the name Dallas alive. Jessie was adventurous, courageous, strong and fearless.

She died in 1932 aged 77 years.

Panel materials: I used fabrics I had at home and vintage buttons from my collection.