Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary Jane Whisker was born about 1842 in Ireland – the daughter of Alexander Whisker, a member of the 58th Rutlandshire Regiment of Foot, and Flora Cook.
Mary’s father was stationed at the Parramatta Barracks in New South Wales in 1845 and his family came with him.
Shortly after the family’s arrival in Australia Alexander’s regiment was sent to New Zealand and his family joined him two years later.
They settled in Auckland where Mary married William Wilkinson, an engineer, in 1864.
They had twelve children and, in 1873, arrived in Dunedin.
When Mary signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Kaikorai Valley Rd, Dunedin.
Mary died at her home on 1 November 1916 and William died in 1930, they are buried in the family grave in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
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
Te Ara https://teara.govt.nz