Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Janet (Jessie) Risk was born on September 18th 1863 in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, the daughter of Robert Risk, a nailmaker, and Margaret McFarlane.
She emigrated to Otago in 1883 on the Forfarshire and she married William McGrath, a farmer, in 1889.
They had three children and lived in Waikouaiti where Jessie signed the suffrage petition.
William died in Dunedin Hospital in 1901 after which Jessie moved to nearby Seacliff where her 15 year old son died in 1905.
She married Morris Jones, a master mariner and widower, in 1923.
They kept a boarding house and Jessie appears to have fallen out with her remaining two children.
In her will she said that they “do not benefit under this my Will... I consider they have each during my lifetime had their full share of my worldly goods obtained by their respectively bringing legal proceedings against either myself or my husband and that for the last ten years neither of my said children have contributed to my maintenance or upkeep in my advancing years and have not at any time during such period communicated with me directly or indirectly”.
In 1931 Jessie and Morris were charged with selling and manufacturing wine without a licence. Morris was fined and the charge against Jessie was withdrawn.
Jessie died at her home on February 19th 1940 and Morris died the following year. They are buried with William McGrath in the Waikouaiti Cemetery.
Sources
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