Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Ann Cronin was born about 1842 in England.
She emigrated to Otago in 1876 on the “Waitara” and she married shoemaker George Walker on 14 June 1876 at St Joseph’s Church in Dunedin.
George appears to have had a drinking problem – Ann applied for a prohibition order against George in 1891 and he responded by putting a notice in the paper that “I will Not be Responsible for and Debts contracted by my Wife”.
When Ann signed the suffrage petition they were living in Maple Hill, North East Valley.
In 1893 their home was destroyed by fire and another prohibition notice was issued in 1896.
In 1897 George’s property was sold to pay his debts, they appear to have separated around this time.
Ann died on 12 June 1903 – she left her property to the Saint Vincent de Paul Orphanage.
George contested the will as he was “left without maintenance and support”.
George died in 1921 – he is buried with Ann in the Southern Cemetery.
Sources:
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
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