Kate Jackson

Signed family name

Jackson

Signed given name

Kate

Given address

Church Street

Sheet number

114

Town/Suburb

Roslyn

City/Region

Dunedin

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Catherine/Kate McDonald was born about 1833 in Inverness, Scotland.

She emigrated to Australia and she married James Jackson in 1857 in Victoria.

They had three children before they sailed for Otago about 1863 and a further five children after their arrival.

The family settled in Anderston, Kaikorai, Dunedin where, in July 1876, their four and eight-year-old sons died - the following year their infant son also died.

In 1880 Catherine appeared before the court on the charge of assaulting and threatening James. 'Both parties expressed to the Bench a devout wish to live separate in future, and the charge was consequently adjourned till Saturday to allow of a settlement of conditions with this object being arrived at.' The charge was dismissed as 'the parties had effected a separation'.

In 1889 Catherine was again before the court for using indecent language during a disagreement with her sister in law Mary McDonald. 'The accused was also speaking in Gaelic, but' she was also heard to 'make use of the indecent words in English.' This case was dismissed but a charge of assaulting he sister in law during the same incident was upheld. Catherine was bound over to keep the peace for six months.

James died at his home in 1891 and when Catherine signed the suffrage petition she was living in Church St, Anderston, Roslyn.

She died on 1 June 1911 and is buried with James in the family grave in the Northern Cemetery.