Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Janet/Jessie Ross was born about 1837 in Glasgow.
She married William Aitken in 1861 and soon after their marriage they emigrated to Australia.
Their first child was born in 1862 in Victoria before the family sailed for Otago where their next eight children were born.
In 1869 their eldest child died and, in January 1883, William died when he fell from the 'new High School' building while he was working as a mason’s labourer.
A subscription was started to aid the family and, in February, a musical evening was held at the Garrison Hall – at total of £400 was raised.
Jessie re-married in 1891 to Henry Carl Hansen, a cook.
This marriage did not appear to last as when Jessie signed the suffrage petition she did so as Jessie Aitken.
Jessie died at her daughter’s home in Dunedin on 6 June 1904 – she is buried with William in the Southern Cemetery.