Walking with Kate: Retracing My Great-Great-Aunt's Journey
About this Event
How better to mark the 133rd anniversary of women’s suffrage than by spending time with a member of Kate Sheppard’s own family?
Join us at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House for a very special and intimate conversation with Margaret McBean, who is travelling from her home in Melbourne to Ōtautahi Christchurch to follow in the footsteps of her famous great-great-aunt, Kate Sheppard.
Margaret is the great-great-granddaughter of Marie Beath, Kate Sheppard’s elder sister, who lived close to Kate for much of her life.
In this personal and richly illustrated talk, Margaret will share her journey tracing her family roots through Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand, visiting houses, churches, cemeteries, landscapes and other places connected to Kate Sheppard and the family she came from.
Through photographs from her travels, Margaret will share the places she has visited, the discoveries she has made and the personal moments that have brought her closer to Kate and to the family history they share. There will also be plenty of time for questions and conversation.
Helen Osborne will join Margaret in conversation, exploring what she discovered, what surprised her and what it feels like to walk in the footsteps of a remarkable family member. What is it like to stand in the places where Kate’s story began? What did Margaret discover about her family along the way? And did seeing these places change the way she thinks about the remarkable woman her great-great-aunt became?
Come and settle in for an intimate afternoon of family, place, history and stories — here at the home where Kate Sheppard herself once lived.
Presenter
Margaret McBean is the Australian great-great-granddaughter of Marie Beath, Kate Sheppard’s elder sister and the wife of George Beath, founder of the well-known Christchurch department store Beaths.
Margaret's childhood was based on a rural property in Victoria, Australia, before spending her working life as a teacher in Melbourne.
Her postgraduate study is in Cultural Heritage, reflecting her interests in travel, art, music, museums, the environment, architecture, design and gardens.
Margaret enjoys investigating family history, particularly the personal stories, places and objects that bring the past to life. She has travelled extensively in New Zealand, Ireland, England and Scotland, exploring places and connections associated with Kate Sheppard and her family.
Agenda
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Arrive at 2pm for a silver service tea with iced Madeira Cake (prepurchase)
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Talk in Camellia Room
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
NZD 5.88 to NZD 16.54
