Agnes Eyers

Also appears to have signed as 111 Agnes Eyers - the streets shown are adjacent to each other

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Agnes Souness was born in New Zealand in 1869 – the daughter of John Souness, a hotelkeeper, and Agnes Robertson.

Agnes’ father died in 1877 and her mother re-married in 1883 to William Sargison.

Agnes appears to have taken her step-father’s name - she gave birth to a son in 1885 and a daughter in 1886.

When she was four weeks old her daughter’s body was found buried in her garden and she was charged with murder.

Agnes claimed that the child had choked and she had concealed the death, claiming that she had given the child to a woman in East Taieri.

The trial was held in 1887 and Agnes was acquitted.

She married Jacob Eyers, a labourer, on 13 February 1890 at Knox Church, Dunedin, they had two sons, one who died in infancy.

When Agnes signed the suffrage petition the family were living in North Dunedin.

Jacob died in 1895 at his home in Forth St, he is buried in the Northern Cemetery with Agnes’ step-father William Sargison who had died earlier that year.

In September 1897 Agnes applied to have her 12 year old son George committed to the Industrial School. '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.' The case was adjourned as she had 'sent the boy to the country'. In June 1898 Agnes again applied to have George sent to the Industrial School and her case was accepted.

The last sign of Agnes was the 1911 electoral roll when she was living in Grange St, Dunedin.

Sources

BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/

DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search

Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz

Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz