Cuddie, Mary (1823–1889)

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Cuddie, Mary (1823–1889)

New Zealand midwife, shopkeeper. Name variations: Mary Parkinson. Born Mary Parkinson, 1823, in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland; died June 9, 1889, in New Zealand; dau. of Richard Parkinson (weaver) and Jane (Girvan) Parkinson; m. Thomas Cuddie (weaver), 1844; children: 11.

Immigrated to New Zealand (1848); served as midwife to community; mortgaged family's 34-acre farm to purchase and operate successful grocery shop (1879).

See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 1).