Lee, Mary Isabella (1871–1939)
Lee, Mary Isabella (1871–1939)
New Zealand dressmaker and coal miner. Name variations: Mary Isabella Taylor. Born June 18, 1871, in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland; died Aug 7, 1939, in Wellington, New Zealand; dau. of Alexander Taylor (railway porter) and Alison/Alice (McDonald) Taylor; children: 5.
Immigrated with parents to Dunedin, New Zealand (1877); due to mother's alcoholism, moved frequently with family; suffered impaired hearing and eyesight from mother's abusive attacks; lived with Alfred (Alfredo) Lee, an indolent laborer (c. late 1880s), but had to work small leased coal mine to support family; forced to return to live with mother; worked as a dressmaker throughout life, but had to depend upon government assistance to raise her children.
See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 2).