Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Janie/Jane was born about 1840, probably in Scotland.
Her husband James Ross was working, in the 1880s, as verger of All Saint’s Church in Dunedin.
In 1890 a benefit was held for James by the church. He died in 1893 at their home in Duke St where Jane signed the suffrage petition.
Jane ran 'a small shop...selling lollies to children' from her home.
She died on 10 August 1910 at Dunedin Hospital of pneumonia.
The newspaper said 'a pitiful story of pride and poverty is revealed in her death...The shop was worth about 4s a week to her, and she had a pension, 14s in all. After paying the rent of the shop and room she had 8s a week upon which to live. Many neighbours used to send her in little necessaries, but charity had to be very carefully offered, for her pride was equalled only by her distress, and she refused to allow anyone to stay with her.'
When, one morning, no smoke was seen from her chimney a neighbour forced the door and found Jane with 'very little clothing, and her bedding consisted of a counterpane'.
Jane is buried with James in the Northern Cemetery.
Sources
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
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