Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Isabella Wilson Allison was born on 31 May 1857 in Kilrenny, Fife, Scotland – the daughter of James Allison, a farm servant, and Anne Lumsden.
She married William Ness on 3 June 1878 in Grangemuir, Midlothian and shortly after they emigrated to New Zealand.
They settled in Dunedin and had six children.
When Isabella signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Manse St, Kaikorai.
They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1938 and their diamond anniversary in 1938.
William died in December 1938 and Isabella died on 3 September the following year – 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
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Scotlands People https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk