Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Harriet Jeffs was born about 1852 in Canterbury, New Zealand – the daughter of Benjamin Jeffs and Elizabeth Cato.
She married James Washer, a plasterer, on 12 August 1878 at her parent’s home in Dunedin.
They had no children and when Harriet signed the suffrage petition were living in Leven St, Roslyn.
James was very active in the Roslyn Fire Brigade and, in 1904 while he was Captain, a new fire engine was christened.
Harriet had the job of turning on the steam which caused the engine throw 'a jet of water about 60ft high through a length of hose of 300ft'.
James died at his home in 1927 and Harriet died on 23 May 1930. They are buried together 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