Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Jessie Calder was born in New Zealand in 1871 - the daughter of Peter John Calder, a baker, and Isabella Mylroi/Mylrea.
Jessie’s family lived in the Alexandra district for a few years before they moved to Dunedin in about 1874. Jessie attended William St School and Mornington School.
When she signed the suffrage petition in 1893, Jessie was working as a mantle maker and living in Walker St with her family.
She married George Dryden on 16 December 1896 at the Congregational Church, Dunedin. They had two daughters and, between 1896 & 1911, they moved to Masterton where George worked in the Lime works.
Jessie died at Masterton on 7 July 1937 and George died in 1938. They are buried together in the Archer St Cemetery, Masterton.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Masterton District Council https://mstn.govt.nz
Click on sheet number to see the 1893 petition sheet this signature appeared on. Digital copies of the sheets supplied by Archives New Zealand.
Community contributions