Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Anna Steadman was born in 1867 at Mosgiel Junction – the daughter of William Steadman, a hotelkeeper and stagecoach proprietor, and Jane Frayne.
Anna's father died in an accident in 1869 and her mother continued to run the business until her death in 1889.
Anna married, contractor, Christopher Metcalf on October 14th 1890 in St Joseph’s Cathedral in Dunedin.
They had 6 children, one who died in infancy, and when Anna signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Cumberland Street.
In 1918 Anna appeared in court applying for a ‘maintenance, guardianship, and separation order’. She said that she and Christopher had separated in 1910 and he had ‘made no provision for his family since.’ ‘She alleged that her husband was addicted to drink and treated her cruelly’. The order was granted.
Christopher died the following year – he is buried with their infant son in the Northern Cemetery.
Anna died at her daughter’s home in Dunedin on April 16th 1934 – she is presumed to be buried in the Southern Cemetery.