Maker: Fiona Crawford

Panel number: 87

Petition Sheet Number: 89

Person honouring: Marie Randall

Relationship to makers: None

Marie was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales. She married Howard Randle on 30 January 1877 in Essex. They moved to New Zealand in about 1883 with their children Blanche (1878), Eva, (1880) Minnie (1881) and Alan (1883) They had two further children in New Zealand: Tui (1891) and Ada (1897).

Marie was very creative, with a love of music, playing the piano, singing and composing. She found great success as a published poet with her book titled ‘Lilts and Lyrics of New Zealand’ which she wrote under the pen name ‘Wych Elm’. This book carries a photograph of Marie. Her love of the bush and the beach was reflected in her poem 'A Seaside Home’. 

At the end of 1888, Howard resigned his position as a school principal and the family returned to England on an ambitious business venture to establish a chain of shops selling frozen New Zealand meat. This was not a success and they returned to New Zealand the following year. By 1892 the family was living at Shag Point, Otago. It was here in 1893 that Marie signed the third women’s suffrage petition as ‘M.R. Randle, Housewife’. She is on the 1893, 1896 and 1900 Waihemo electoral rolls. 

Early in 1899 Marie made a trip ‘Home’ with the younger children, returning in June of that year. A few months later, Howard shot himself after resigning from his teaching position. By 3 November 1899, Marie had left for England with the children. The 1901 census records her living in Pembrokeshire, and the 1911 Census shows her in London, described as being of ‘Private Means’. Three of her children predeceased her, Eva in 1909, Minnie in 1918, and Ada in 1937. Marie died at her London home on 5 February 1947.

Panel materials: Fabric from  Vinnies Re-Sew and purchased fabric paint to paint on the images.  Cotton for the stitches.