Biographical information contributed by Helen Sophia Kennard:
Elizabeth Jean Telfer (nee Kennard) was born at Goodwood in Otago on 16 May 1861. Daughter of William and Elizabeth Kennard and granddaughter of Otago early Pakeha settlers, William and Maria Kennard. Elizabeth's father William (jnr) was nearly 4 years old when he arrived at Waikouaiti with his parents on the Magnet in April 1840. William jnr's brother, Thomas Baker Kennard, was the "The First White Boy Born in Otago" (book by J Herries Beattie, published by AH & AW Reed, 1939)
Elizabeth Jean Kennard married Alexander Telfer (1854-1923) at Waimate in August 1882. They were market gardeners, as was Elizabeth's father who had grown the first raspberries in the district. Elizabeth and Alexander did not have children. Elizabeth died on 28 March 1922.
Elizabeth J Telfer's sisters, Sarah Ann Kennard (later Sarah Prue) and Alice Cousins, also signed the Women's Sufferage Petition at Waimate.
Image
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