written for DrewMc who wrote on 2019-05-25 ..
Pearl Challis was my great Aunt and lived in Lumsden, NZ. Her father William Aitken, we think remarried after his first wife, (nee Elizabeth Towers) died, in 1910. Her maiden name was Aitken, she was often called Pearlie. Her Father, was William Aitken, born about 1871. William Aitken, married Elizabeth Towers, about 1894 in Dunedin. Elizabeth was born about 1873, in England and died on the 31st Mar, 1910 in Dunedin. We don't yet have conclusive proof, that Elizabeth was her actual mother, as the registration of a birth, had to be done within 6 weeks, of a child being born. However as Elizabeth had just died, this small formality may have been overlooked, after her death. William Aitken may also have married again.

The family of WILLIAM AITKEN
..His parents & siblings:
Alexander Aitken was born 24 April 1841 in Scotland to Thomas Aitken & Margaret Cowie.
Margaret Craig was born 28 Sep 1849 in Lanarkshire, Scotland to William Craig & Margaret Allen.

Alexander & Margaret married in Lanark, Scotland 22 Oct 1867. They sailed from Greenock, Scotland, 14 Dec 1867, on the 'Viola', with 125+ other immigrants, arriving in Port Chalmers 12 March 1868
OF NOTE Margaret's brother, James Craig (1840-1924) had emigrated from Lancashire to NZ earlier and was probably their sponsor. James married Williamina McDonald (1844-1896 also from Scotland), 2 months before William, 15 Aug 1867, in West Taieri, Otago. They also had 14 children
the children of Alexander & Margaret
.. 1 1869 - 1912 Thomas 'Tom' Aitken
.. * born 12 Jan 1869 in Otago
* Thomas was an Accountant in Perth, WA
Thomas died 17 Jan 1912 in Belmont, Perth aged 43. He is buried grave 60, section DA at Karrakatta
Sunday Times, 18 Feb 1912 Probates and Administration: Thomas Aitken, late of Belmont, near Perth, accountant, to Andrew Cowie Aitken, £412 2s 10d

.. 2 1870 - 1947 William 'Willie' Aitken
.. * born 29 Aug 1870 in Maungatua, Otago
* William married Elizabeth Towers (1873-1910, see below)

.. 3 1872 - Alexander Aitken
.. * born 1872 in Dunedin, nothing else at this time

.. 4 1874 - 1966 Margaret Allen 'Maggie' Aitken
.. * born 20 March 1874 in Dunedin
* Allen was her maternal grandmother's name
* Margaret married William Reuben Boyles (1875-1951) in 1903, brother of sister Agnes's husband, & had 6 children (4 sons)

.. 5 1876 - 1951 Agnes Barry Aitken
.. * born 20 Jan 1876 in Dunedin. Agnes was a teacher
* Agnes married George 'Bert' Boyles (1870-1945) in 1900, brother of sister Margaret's husband, & had 5 children (3 sons)

.. 6 1877 - 1963 John Craig Aitken
.. * born 28 April 1877 in Dunedin
* Craig was his mother's name
* John married Rosina Denton (1878-1967) in 1903 & had 7 children (6 sons)
John died 24 Aug 1963 aged 86. His last address was Sandymount, Dunedin. He is buried Plot 36, Block 270 at Andersons Bay with wife Rosina and others

.. 7 1879 - 1966 Andrew Cowie Aitken
.. * born 29 May 1879 in Dunedin
* Cowie was his paternal grandmother's name
* Andrew married Lillian Lydia Osborne (1879-1947) in Perth, WA in 1903. The names of some of their children were Margaret Alice 'Judy' Aitken, Jeanie Frances 'Jean' Aitken, Pearl Aitken,
Sunday Times, 18 Feb 1912 Probates and Administration: Thomas Aitken, late of Belmont, near Perth, accountant, to Andrew Cowie Aitken, £412 2s 10d
* Lydia died 17 Dec 1947 aged 68. Andrew died 31 July 1966 aged 87. Their ashes are scattered at Karrakatta, Perth

.. 8 1881 - 1966 Jeanie Stuart Aitken
.. * born 20 June 1881 in Dunedin
* Jeanie married George Mitchell Morris (1876-1932) from Scotland in 1904

.. 9 1882 - 1959 Edward Young Aitken
.. * born 19 Nov 1882 in Dunedin
* Young was his paternal great grandmother's name
* Edward married Ellen Eason Dick (1884-1949) in 1907 & had 6 children (3 sons)

. 10 1884 - 1946 Annie Wilson Aitken
.. * born 24 Nov 1884 in Dunedin
* Annie married Alfred Henry Hall in 1911 & had at least 3 children

. 11 1887 - 1929 Mary Louisa Heron Aitken
.. * born 21 Jan 1887 in Dunedin
* Heron was her maternal great aunt's name
* Mary married William Morton (1886-1952) in 1918

. 12 1888 - 1968 David Henry 'Harry' Aitken
.. * born 24 Oct 1888 in Palmerston South
* David married Sarah Alice Cain (1901-1930) in Temuka in 1920

. 13 1890 - 1909 Frances Willer 'Fanny' Aitken
.. * born 4 Jan 1890
* Evening Star, 7 Sep 1909 - On September 6, at her parents' residence, Seal Point road, Sandymount, Frances Willer (Fanny), dearly beloved youngest daughter of Alexander and Margaret Aitken; aged 19 years.

. 14 1892 - 1894 Ida May Aitken
.. * born 27 Jan 1892 in Dunedin
* Otago Witness, 1 Nov 1894 AITKEN - On the 28th October, at her parents' residence, Sandymount, Ida May, beloved daughter of Alexander and Margaret Aitken; aged two years and nine months.
NOTE The last 2 girls are buried together in Plot 4, Block 8 at Anderson's Bay, next to their parents and brother William. Also buried with them is William's wife Elizabeth (nee Towers) who died 31 March 1910. If it wasn't for this fact then I would say that the Elizabeth who died in 1910 probably wasn't William's wife because 2 further children were born after her death - see William & Elizabeth below.

Alexander Aitken died 11 Feb 1919 aged 77
Margaret Aitken died 23 Sep 1929 aged 76
son William (below) died 16 Jan 1947 aged 76
* William's ashes are buried with his parents in Plot 2, Block 8 at Andersons Bay cemetery, Dunedin

The family of WILLIAM AITKEN
..His wife & children:
1870 - 1947 William Aitken married Elizabeth Towers 23 March 1894
* Elizabeth was a daughter of William Arbuckle Towers (1850-1889), a Blacksmith from Scotland & Ann Elizabeth Ashwell (1855-1938). Elizabeth's father was admitted to Dunedin Hospital on 9 Oct 1889 and died there on the 14th Oct aged 38. He is buried in Southern cemetery. Her mother Ann remarried in 1891 to George Henry Sismey (1855-1932) and had a daughter Emily Sismey (1893-1958). They later moved to Auckland and are buried in Hillsborough

children of William & Elizabeth
✴ indicates that they were born in Dunedin to a William & Elizabeth Aitken but need more research to verify their parents
.. 1 1895 - 1967 Alexander Craig 'Alec' Aitken
* born 1 April 1895 in Dunedin
* He became Professor Alec Aitken.
* Another biography of Professor Aitken says he was 1 of 7 children.
* Alec had an impressive war record.
* He kept his war mates entertained playing a violin
.. 2 1896 - 1988 Elizabeth Margaret Aitken
.. 3 1899 - 1955 Winifred Stuart Aitken
.. 4 1901 - 1988 William Towers Aitken
✴ . 5 1902 - 1985 George Ruben Aitken
* born 5 Feb 1902. Registered as George Thomas Mark Ruben Aitken. Used only George Ruben Aitken. Married Fanny Robina Clara/Claire Stevenson in 1925 & his buried with her & her mother Ann in their family grave at Waitati, Dunedin
.. 6 1903 - 1971 Leslie Milner Aitken
* Leslie was a journalist and the chief sub-editor of the Christchurch 'Press'
.. 7 1905 - Harry Arthur Ashwell Aitken
.. 8 1906 - 1956 Bertrand Rowland Aitken
.. 9 1908 - 1908 Alice Mary Jane Aitken (twin)
. 10 1908 - 1971 Alan Arbuckle Aitken (twin)
NOTE Elizabeth died 31 March 1910 aged 37
Evening Star, 1 April 1910 AITKEN On March 31 1910, at her residence 107 St David street, Dunedin, Elizabeth, the beloved wife of William Aitken; aged 37 years. Deeply regretted. Private interment
* She is buried with 2 of William's young sisters (see above). Then another 2 children of William & Elizabeth Aitken were registered on the dates given on BDM, because Pearl for one, knew her mother was nee Towers and yet she was born (supposedly) 3 years later. Were these dates later taken as birth dates officially?
✴ . 11 1911 - Elizabeth May Aitken
* born (or registered) 14 May 1911
✴ . 12 1913 - 1989 Pearl Jessie Gaines 'Pearlie' Aitken
* born (or registered) 19 Oct 1913 as Pearlie Jessie
Pearl married Alfred Challis (1911-1989) in 1932. They died within 3 months of each other

* can you help with this family

PHOTO
Family Plot 2, Block 8 at Andersons Bay Cemetery
William Aitken & his parents