Jane Orr

Biographical information provided by Fiona Oliver for the He Tohu exhibition

Update provided by Elizabeth Cox, 3 July 2018

Jane Orr (nee Clement), also known as Matilda Jane in New Zealand, was born in Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland on 3 April 1839. She emigrated (steerage class) to Nelson in March 1864 with her 17 year old cousin Louisa Elliott. They sailed out of Kent, England aboard The Violet.

Her home town of Killaloe had been ravaged by death due to the Great Famine which was probably the main reason for her departure. In addition, according to family history, Jane’s mother (Elizabeth Winder, alias Clement, nee Elliott), had remarried after the death of Jane’s father and emigration was a way to avoid having to continue caring for the further four children that had resulted from that marriage.

Jane had responded to an advertisement in a Co. Clare newspaper by the Nelson Provincial Government looking for teachers. The New Zealand Government paid her fare, a part of which was expected to be made in the year after arrival.

After teaching in Nelson, Jane moved to Wellington where she married a widower, Thomas Orr (from Armagh City in Ireland) on 28 June 1866. Thomas’s first wife had died only six months before, leaving him with an infant son. Jane and Thomas were the first couple to marry at new St Paul’s Cathedral (now known as Old St Paul’s). They were married for over 50 years.

Jane and Thomas had six children: Elizabeth Susan (Lizzie), Anna Louisa (who also signed this Sheet of the Petition), Thomas Henry, Sarah Jane, Mary Rebecca and John Clement. Thomas Henry moved to Johannesburg and had a family there whilst John, who served in France as a signaller during the First World War, was wounded, gassed and returned to New Zealand in 1919.

Jane and Thomas lived at 18 Featherston Terrace (now known as Newman Tce), Wellington. Thomas died in 1917 and Jane died on 30 May 1918, aged 79.