Elizabeth Heffron

Signed family name

Heffron

Signed given name

Elizabeth

Given address

Auckland

Sheet number

378

Town/Suburb

No suburb given

City/Region

Auckland

Notes

Biography contributed by Bernadette Siebert

Elizabeth Annie Bell was a daughter of Thomas John Bell of County Tyrone, Ireland and Mary Jane nee Graham. She was listed with the single women who arrived in 1876 on board the Broderick Castle.

In 1877, Elizabeth married James Heffron. He was a son of Henry, of Maghera, Ireland and Jane nee Henry. He probably arrived in NZ about 1875. The couple lived in central Auckland, where James was a cook, and had seven children:

Henry John (1877–1944)
Mary Elenor (1879–1949)
Elizabeth Annie (1881–1976)
Catherine Jane (1883–1886)
David James (1885–1886)
Thomas William (1886–1960)
David James (1890–1890)

Unfortunately, they lost three children in infancy. Catherine aged two years and David at three months in 1886. David died in 1890 aged eight weeks. Elizabeth seems to have had an alcohol problem and in 1890, being a second offender, she was fined 10 shillings or in default 48 hours hard labour for being an inebriate.

By 1896, the couple were living apart, James in Lincoln Street, Ponsonby, and Elizabeth in Pratt Street. James took out ads in the newspaper stating he would not be responsible for any debts contracted in his name without his personal authority. He also had a 'prohibition order against his wife some time since, and having heard that she got drink at Buck's Hotel, he went to Mr. Buck on the 15th instance, and warned him against selling liquor to Mrs. Heffron, as she was a prohibited person'.

In 1897 he decided to sell by auction, The City Hall Restaurant and Dining Rooms etc as a going concern, with unexpired term of lease. He moved to the Rutland Hotel in Whanganui, where he worked as a cook. Elizabeth Ann was arrested again in 1899, for being found drunk in a public place for a third time within six months, was fined £1, or default seven days' hard labour. She received 3 months for vagrancy and drunkenness in 1900.

James died in 1913, aged 57 years, and was buried in the Catholic section of the Aramoho Cemetery, Whanganui. Elizabeth remained in Auckland, but no further arrests were recorded in the newspapers after 1900. She died in 1934, and was buried in the Waikumete Cemetery, Roman Catholic Division.