See also Caversham research databases
Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Alice Mary McEneany was born in 1868 in St Bathans, Central Otago– the daughter of John McEneany, a miner, and Eliza.
At the age of 19, on 15 October 1887, she married Alexander Wilson, a 37-year-old baker, at Caversham, Dunedin.
They had six children, one who died in infancy, and when Alice signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Caversham, Dunedin.
Alexander died 'after a short illness' at their home in 1898, shortly after Alice asked the Borough Council for short term financial aid which was granted.
Alice continued to struggle and her children stayed with her family in St Bathans for a time.
Alice appears to have had three children after Alexander’s death.
Her daughter, born in 1901, was committed to the Industrial School and Alice was taken before the courts for failure to maintain her.
Alice died on 22 May 1934 - she is buried with Alexander in the Southern Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Presbyterian Research Centre https://www.presbyterian.org.nz/archives/
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