Sarah McMurray

Sarah Ann McMurray (née Silcock, 26 August 1848 – 14 September 1943)^[1] was a New Zealand woodcarver and craftswoman.^[2]

Sarah McMurray
McMurray, c. 1908
Born	Sarah Ann Silcock 26 August 1848 Nelson, New Zealand
Died	14 September 1943(1943-09-14) (aged 95) Palmerston North, New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand
Other names	Sarah Ann McMurray
Known for	Wood carving
Spouse	Robert McMurray ​ ​ (m. 1872; died 1927)​
Children	6
Parent(s)	Simon Bonnet Silcock and Susannah Flower
Relatives	Alfred Saunders (uncle) Sarah Page (cousin) Samuel Saunders (cousin)
Signature

Biography

McMurray was born in Nelson, New Zealand, on 26 August 1848, the daughter of Susannah Silcock (née Flower) and Captain Simon Bonnet Silcock.^[3] Her mother arrived in New Zealand on the Sir Charles Forbes in 1842, having immigrated from England with her parents and sister.^[4][5] McMurray was the third of 14 children.^[6] McMurray's maternal aunt, Rhoda Flower, was married to Alfred Saunders, a prominent politician and advocate for women's suffrage.^[5][7]

On September 12, 1871, she married Robert McMurray.^[8] Born in Northern Ireland, he had emigrated to Australia and subsequently to the Otago goldfields.^[9] Following their marriage, they resided at his farm, "Thorneycroft," in Brightwater.^[10] They had six children.^[11] Later they lived for some time in dense forest in the Inangahua Valley on the West Coast of the South Island. In the 1880s they moved to a farm in Awahuri in the North Island.^[3] She was among the signatories to New Zealand's 1893 women's suffrage petition.^[11] Later moving to Wanganui.^[3]

McMurray with some of her woodcarvings.

She began wood carving as a hobby and later, at 50, she enrolled in a local technical college to develop her wood carving skills.^[10][3] She was prolific and elaborately carved most of the furnishings in her house.^[12][3]

In 1914 her and husband Robert McMurray moved to Palmerston North. She continued her woodcarving in Palmerston North working in the garden shed. She worked mainly in kauri.^[3] She also handmade toys for her children and grandchildren one of which is in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.^[13]

Death

McMurray died at her home on Ada Street in Palmerston North on 14 September 1943, aged 95.^[14][15] She is buried at Terrace End Cemetery next to her husband, who died in 1927.^[11][16][17]