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Elizabeth Painter
Description
TitleElizabeth Painter
Alternative NameElizabeth Teague
SummaryA woman of Selwyn who signed the 1893 Suffrage Petition
Description1892 Suffrage Petition - page 449/255
1893 Suffrage petition - page 185
1893 Electoral Roll - no 2709
First NameElizabeth
Last NamePainter
OccupationMine girl
Date of Birthabt 12 November 1854
Place of BirthKenwyn, Cornwall, England
Date of Death12 August 1914
Place of DeathAnnat, Selwyn, Canterbury, New Zealand
Age at Deathaged 59 years
Parents or Next of KinWilliam Painter
Phillipa Thomas
James Teague
Other Biographical InformationElizabeth Painter was born in Newlyn, Cornwall, daughter of William and Phillipa, nee Thomas and baptised on 12 November 1854. Her father William, was a tin mine labourer and the whole family appear to be involved in the work. In the 1871 census Elizabeth, aged 17, is designated as a "mine girl", as are several other young women on the same sheet. The term describes young women working on the dressing floor where the tin ore was broken down and sorted. It was hard and messy work, cf note below. Elizabeth married James Teague on November 8 1873 in Brotton, Yorkshire. James may have moved there to work in the ironstone mines and Elizabeth joined him when he had work. The parish register record gives his residence at Brotton but Elizabeth's as Churchwater, Cornwell. Their first two children William and James were born there. In 1873 they were assisted emigrants to Canterbury on board the "Rangitiki" which sailed from London 12 July 1879, arriving in Lyttelton 24 October 1879. James was recorded on the passenger list as being aged 24, an agricultural labourer and miner, Elizabeth also age 24, and their sons William Henry aged 4 and James T aged 9 months. As a miner James would have been in demand in the local collieries but there may have been an another reason. Jane, nee Teague, wife of John Yelland was also from Cornwall and had also come to New Zealand on board the Rangitiki. Six further children were born after settling in New Zealand. The family were Methodist and became invoved with the Annat Band of Hope, especially the elder children who took part in the entertainments. Elizabeth signed the 1892 Suffrage Petition on page 449/255 and then the 1893 Suffrage Petition on page 185. She was enrolled to vote in the 1893 Election as no 2709. Elizabeth died 12 August 1914 aged 59, after a long illness, and was buried in Waddington Cemetery.
https://www.ancestry.com.au/discoveryui-content/view/148770111:9841?ssrc=pt&tid=105202467&pid=172426132024
England, Yorkshire, Parish Registers, 1538-2016", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66GC-HSSH: 11 August 2022)
Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16629, 14 August 1914, Page 1
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSYZ-S5S
Note Before about 1720, mining operations in Cornwall were very simple. Where mining was a family concern, the men and older boys would be involved in the heavier work. The women, girls and younger boys may have been involved in washing, panning, sorting ore from waste, or grinding or breaking down rock-bearing ore. From about 1720 onwards, with more reliable water pumps, ore could be raised from deeper levels. Mines began to employ in much larger numbers, including the workers needed to dress the copper and tin ores being raised. It was mainly women and children who were taken on for these tasks. Girls generally started work between the ages of 10 and 15 years, but some were only 6 or 7. They would usually continue at the mine until they were married. Older single women and widows were also employed. In the 1840s and 1850s, depending on age, they would be earning between 4d and 8d per day. By about 1880 this had increased to 8d to 12d. As ore stuff was brought to the surface at the tin mines, it was initially broken by male labourers, and then ‘spalled’ (broken) by older women or girls, using a long handled hammer. This was then stamped and the resulting finest material sent for separation at the buddles (usually attended by boys). It then went for further separation at the trunks and kieves, until the finest slimes of all were separated at the tin frames. Girls or boys attended the first of these two operations. Framing was a highly delicate task, and was allocated to younger women and girls. The jigging (sieving) of the heavier particles was a task done by stronger boys or women (when done by hand), or by boys or girls when using the semi-mechanised jigging boxes.
source http://www.balmaiden.co.uk/Balmaidens%20at%20Work.htm




1893 Suffrage petition - page 185
1893 Electoral Roll - no 2709









Phillipa Thomas
James Teague

https://www.ancestry.com.au/discoveryui-content/view/148770111:9841?ssrc=pt&tid=105202467&pid=172426132024
England, Yorkshire, Parish Registers, 1538-2016", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66GC-HSSH: 11 August 2022)
Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16629, 14 August 1914, Page 1
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSYZ-S5S
Note Before about 1720, mining operations in Cornwall were very simple. Where mining was a family concern, the men and older boys would be involved in the heavier work. The women, girls and younger boys may have been involved in washing, panning, sorting ore from waste, or grinding or breaking down rock-bearing ore. From about 1720 onwards, with more reliable water pumps, ore could be raised from deeper levels. Mines began to employ in much larger numbers, including the workers needed to dress the copper and tin ores being raised. It was mainly women and children who were taken on for these tasks. Girls generally started work between the ages of 10 and 15 years, but some were only 6 or 7. They would usually continue at the mine until they were married. Older single women and widows were also employed. In the 1840s and 1850s, depending on age, they would be earning between 4d and 8d per day. By about 1880 this had increased to 8d to 12d. As ore stuff was brought to the surface at the tin mines, it was initially broken by male labourers, and then ‘spalled’ (broken) by older women or girls, using a long handled hammer. This was then stamped and the resulting finest material sent for separation at the buddles (usually attended by boys). It then went for further separation at the trunks and kieves, until the finest slimes of all were separated at the tin frames. Girls or boys attended the first of these two operations. Framing was a highly delicate task, and was allocated to younger women and girls. The jigging (sieving) of the heavier particles was a task done by stronger boys or women (when done by hand), or by boys or girls when using the semi-mechanised jigging boxes.
source http://www.balmaiden.co.uk/Balmaidens%20at%20Work.htm

Connections
Subject (Keywords)Suffrage Annat
PlaceAnnat


Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryWaddington Cemetery

Attribution
Elizabeth Painter. Selwyn Stories, accessed 17/02/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5655