Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Lydia Jane Thompson was born in 1868 in Kent, England – the daughter of William Thompson and Elizabeth Donaldson. (See 167 Elizabeth Thompson)
She emigrated to Otago with her mother and two siblings in 1878 on the “Rokeby Hall” and they settled in Dunedin.
Lydia was a member of the St Paul’s Cathedral choir and took part in amateur opera.
When she signed the suffrage petition Lydia was living with her mother in York Place working as a clerk.
She married Alfred James Charles Talbot in 1895 - they had five children and lived in Christchurch.
Lydia died in Christchurch on 19 October 1928 – she is buried in the Talbot family grave in the Northern Cemetery, Dunedin.
Alfred died in Christchurch in 1957 – he is buried with Lydia.
Sources:
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.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