Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Ann was born about 1834, she was married to George Clark, a brickmaker.
The family lived in Caversham, Dunedin and had six children when George died in 1871. He was crossing the road when he was struck by two horse drawn cabs travelling beside each other in Princes St, Dunedin. He was taken to hospital and later died.
The following year Ann married William John Cole, a labourer. The family lived in Sydney St, Caversham.
In December 1897 William was charged with assaulting Ann’s son by hitting him over the head with an iron bar.
His lawyer said that he 'was in a very awkward position. He married a woman who had a family some years previously. If he did anything to the children the mother was bound to resent it, and thus ill-feeling arose. Accused had supplied the money to build the house which they occupied. The son threatened to turn him out, and, exasperated beyond endurance, he committed the assault.' William was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
The 1911 electoral roll states that William and Ann were again living together in Sydney St.
William died in 1921 and Ann died on 8 December 1922, they are both buried in the Southern Cemetery but in different graves.
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
Caversham Database https://caversham.otago.ac.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