Agnes Eyers

Surname:

Eyers

Given names:

Agnes

Given address:

Dundas St

Sheet No: 111

Town/Suburb:

North Dunedin

City/Region:

Dunedin

Notes:

Also appears to have signed as 99 Agnes Eyers - the streets shown are adjacent to each other.

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Agnes Sargison was born in 1864 in Cambridgeshire, England – the daughter of Michael Sargison, an agricultural labourer, and Jane Griffin.

Her brothers William and Henry emigrated to New Zealand in 1875 on the Wellington and Agnes followed in 1884 on the Ruapehu.

She had a son the following year and a daughter in August 1886.

Her daughter died aged about four weeks and Agnes buried her body in the garden. She left for Dunedin shortly after and when questioned about her daughter Agnes said she had been taken to be adopted.

The police made inquiries and could find no substance to Agnes’ story. They then searched the garden of Agnes’ former home and found the baby’s body. She was arrested and charged with murder. Agnes was eventually acquitted after a doctor testified that “the infant was suffering from a wasting disease”.

Agnes married Jacob Eyers, a labourer, on 13 February 1890 in Dunedin. They had two sons, one who died in infancy, and when Agnes signed the suffrage petition she did so in Leith Street. Jacob died in 1895 – he is buried with Agnes’ brother William in the Northern Cemetery.

Two years later Agnes’ eldest son George was “committed to the Industrial School, on the ground that the child was uncontrollable”. “The mother was a widow with two children. She earned her living by washing. The boy in question would not go to school, and whenever he was sent messages he kept the money”.

Agnes married Joseph Love in Victoria, Australia in 1911 – she returned to New Zealand where a separation order was granted in 1922.

Agnes died on 18 May 1944 – she is buried in the Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland.