By Roselyn Fauth
Every year on 8 March the world marks International Women’s Day, a moment to celebrate women’s achievements and reflect on the long path toward equality.
When I started the WuHoo Timaru blog, I was not trying to write women’s history.
In fact, the blog began for a very practical reason. I was worried I might lose a decade of WuHoo history hunting that was scattered across Facebook posts, so I started turning them into blogs. At first it was simply a way to store the stories somewhere safe so they would not disappear and so I could find them again myself.
By the time I had written about one hundred posts, I realised something that surprised me. Hardly any of the stories included women. It was not intentional. It was simply what had happened. Women’s stories were often harder to find. They appeared briefly in records, sometimes mentioned only as “Mrs”, and then disappeared again.
I never set out to write hundreds of blogs. I do this work voluntarily, with no budget and no research team. One grave led to another. A building led to a forgotten story. A newspaper clipping opened a side path I had never expected to follow. But something else unexpected happened along the way...
People began reaching out to help. Local genealogists, family historians, museum staff, council staff, descendants of the people I was writing about, and others who simply enjoy a good history hunt began sending information, photographs, newspaper clippings and family stories. Sometimes it was a missing date. Sometimes it was an entire new chapter of someone’s life.
I should also say that I do not come from an academic or institutional background. I am not a trained historian or archivist. Everything I have learned has come from curiosity, reading, asking questions and slowly following the clues. I do my best to research carefully and share what I find, but like anyone exploring history, I am always learning as I go.
Meanwhile, the interest in these stories began to grow. In January 2026 my Facebook statistics showed that WuHoo Timaru had reached half a million views in just 27 days. Clearly others were just as curious about these stories as I was.
And as I kept following the clues, something else kept appearing. Women.
They were everywhere in the story of this region. Settlers, nurses, teachers, artists, mothers, pioneers and survivors. Yet often they appeared only briefly in the records. Slowly, those fragments began to form a much bigger picture.
This is a collection of some of the women whose stories have appeared through WuHoo Timaru...
The Women of WuHoo Timaru Blogs from 2025
A chronological collection of 32 women who I have learned about so far... whose stories have emerged through local history hunting. For a grassroots project as a volunteer I am really proud to share with you my history hunting that spans 170 years of local history, from early settlement in the 1850s to the 1900s. I didn't learn about these women because they were the most or best or first... I just followed my side quests... Thank you to everyone who has been on the journey and helped to pull these stories from the margins to the pages, from teaching me how to do it, offering information, to guest writing... and publishing these stories in the local newspaper so they are back in black and white and now on record. Its been quite the history hunt in 2025!
With the help of many people, we submitted three of these women for Timaru's hall of Fame, although the council has not worked through the nomination process yet.
If you have a great story, or piece of research, I would happily share your writing as a guest wuhoo writer. Please contact me: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ann Williams (1823–1860)
One of the earliest European women living in Timaru. Born in Cork, Ireland, she later lived in Australia before settling here with Samuel “Yankie Sam” Williams. She raised her family near the shoreline and was the mother of William “Flash Billy” Williams, recorded as the first European child born in Timaru in 1856. Her sudden death in 1860 left one of Timaru’s most poignant mysteries: the search for her unmarked grave.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/775-where-is-ann-williams-nee-mahoney-1823-1860
Mary Ann Gardner
Mary Ann Gardner emigrated from Surrey aboard the Indiana in 1858 and worked as a governess before later marrying Samuel Williams. Her life reflects the journeys of many colonial women who travelled across the world to build families in developing settlements.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/937-who-was-sam-s-governess-later-wife-a-journey-from-surrey-to-timaru-in-1860s
Margaret Hornbrook (1828–1907)
Margaret Hornbrook settled near the Opihi River in the early years of pastoral settlement and is recognised as one of the first European women living permanently south of the Rangitata River.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1055-history-hunt-margaret-hornbrook-south-canterbury-s-first-woman-pioneer
Ann Grigson
Ann Grigson travelled with her family to Lyttelton in 1860 before settling in Waimate, where she married Richard Champion and raised her family.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/960-the-story-of-carmens-great-great-great-grandmother-ann-grigson
Catherine MacKay Burnett (1837–1914)
Catherine Burnett arrived in New Zealand in 1861 with her husband Andrew Burnett and helped establish Mount Cook Station in the Mackenzie Country.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/896-a-plaque-beneath-the-oak-remembering-catherine-burnett
Emily Harper
Emily Harper became the first recorded woman to visit the glaciers near Mount Cook in 1873, offering a rare female perspective of early alpine exploration.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/896-a-plaque-beneath-the-oak-remembering-catherine-burnett
Mary Neal
Mary Neal experienced the harsh realities of early farming life in South Canterbury, including living in a covered dray while establishing the family farm.
Read more: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/976-what-the-stories-of-past-women-has-taught-me-so-far
Emma Neal
Daughter of Mary Neal, Emma grew up during the early years of rural settlement and later raised a large family of her own.
Read more: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/976-what-the-stories-of-past-women-has-taught-me-so-far
Jessie Mackay (1864–1938)
Born in rural South Canterbury, Jessie Mackay became New Zealand’s first native-born poet and an advocate for women’s rights.
Read more: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/976-what-the-stories-of-past-women-has-taught-me-so-far
Christina Cruickshank (1873–1951)
Christina Cruickshank taught science at Timaru Girls’ High School before becoming principal of Wanganui Girls’ College.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/909-knowledge-is-power-the-women-who-broke-the-glass-ceilings-in-education
Dr Margaret Cruickshank (1873–1918)
New Zealand’s first registered female doctor who died while caring for influenza patients during the 1918 pandemic.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/909-knowledge-is-power-the-women-who-broke-the-glass-ceilings-in-education
Laura Woollcombe
One of the earliest New Zealand nurses trained under Florence Nightingale’s nursing standards.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/850-who-were-the-first-european-babies-born-in-timaru-discovering-the-woollcombes-of-early-timaru
Evelyn Culverwell
Chief librarian of the Timaru Public Library from 1913 who modernised the library system and introduced the Dewey Decimal classification.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1054-evelyn-culverwell-the-librarian-who-led-the-way
Bella McCallum
The first woman in New Zealand to earn a Doctor of Science degree in botany before her life was tragically cut short.
Read more: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/976-what-the-stories-of-past-women-has-taught-me-so-far
Catherine Emily “Kitty” Hall
Survived an attempt by her husband Thomas Hall to poison her in one of New Zealand’s most notorious criminal trials.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/948-the-booklet-that-gripped-timaru-and-the-survivor-catherine-kate-hall
Jane Cain
Lived through the early years of Timaru settlement alongside her husband Captain Henry Cain.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1012-jane-cain
Lavinia Morrison
Managed the complicated legal affairs surrounding the estate of Strongwork Morrison after his death in 1897.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/973-strongwork-morrison-and-the-deal-boatmen
Sister Susan McArthur
Opened Timaru’s first private hospital in 1912 providing maternity and general care.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1042-sister-susan-mcarthur-a-history-hunt-into-timaru-s-first-private-hospital
Catherine Agnes “Kit” McGuire (1896–1971)
A dedicated Timaru nurse who cared for vulnerable members of the community.
Read more: https://www.wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/882-lived-a-stones-throw-from-the-hospital-a-health-and-caring-legacy-remembering-nurse-catherine-mcguire
Violet Monica Salmond (1892–1930)
First diocesan principal of Craighead School whose life ended tragically following a medical error during surgery.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1214-craighead-s-first-diocesan-principal-the-life-and-loss-of-violet-salmond
Helen Grant
Lived at Aigantighe, the house built in 1905 that later became Timaru’s public art gallery.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/918-from-drawing-room-to-drawing-together-at-the-aigantighe-art-galley
Jessie Wigley
Daughter of Helen Grant and part of the family who gifted Aigantighe to the city.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/918-from-drawing-room-to-drawing-together-at-the-aigantighe-art-galley
Lorna Grant
Helped preserve the Grant family’s artistic legacy, including paintings now held in the Aigantighe collection.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/893-lorna-grant-a-legacy-of-art-care-and-culture
Esther Hope (1898–1989)
A celebrated painter of the Southern Alps and Mackenzie landscapes.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/970-from-sheep-runs-to-snow-peaks-the-legacy-behind-esther-hope-s-brush
Muriel Hilton (1899–1999)
New Zealand’s first female city mayor, serving as Mayor of Timaru from 1959 to 1962.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/972-muriel-hilton
Edna Mabel Grant
South Canterbury’s first licensed woman pilot in 1939.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/977-edna-mable-grant-south-canterbury-s-first-woman-pilot
Cloake, Clarke and Stocker Family Women - my ancestors
Ellen Gardner
Early matriarch of the Clarke family line that later connects to the Stocker and Cloake families in South Canterbury.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/968-the-day-i-found-out-my-family-was-part-of-aviation-history
Ella Jane Clarke (1882– )
Daughter of Ellen Gardner and part of the Clarke family who settled in South Canterbury. She later became the mother of Doreen Helen Stocker.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/968-the-day-i-found-out-my-family-was-part-of-aviation-history
Louie Johnson
The first woman teacher at Seadown School and later the first postmistress at Waitohi.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/968-the-day-i-found-out-my-family-was-part-of-aviation-history
Doreen Helen Stocker (1918–1993)
Part of the Clarke–Johnson family line in Timaru and a link between the earlier settler families and later generations.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/968-the-day-i-found-out-my-family-was-part-of-aviation-history
Sarah Cloake
Travelled from Devon to New Zealand in 1913 with her baby daughter Mary aboard the Corinthic.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1021-mary-cloake-a-baby-on-the-corinthic-and-how-is-her-devon-story-is-part-of-mine
Mary Cloake
Remembered for her journey to New Zealand as a baby aboard the Corinthic.
Read more: https://wuhootimaru.co.nz/blog/1021-mary-cloake-a-baby-on-the-corinthic-and-how-is-her-devon-story-is-part-of-mine