Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Also signed as 309 M A France
Mary Ann Aveyard was born in 1843 in West Ardsley, Yorkshire – the daughter of David Aveyard, a mill wright, and Ann Bedford.
She married Matthew Blackburn in 1861 but the marriage does not appear to have been a success.
In 1871 Mary was living with her parents and young daughter Ada Blackburn.
In 1872 she had a daughter, Eliza, (See 309 Eliza France) with joiner Allen France before, in 1879, the family emigrated to Wellington on the Arethusa.
They settled at Palmerston North where Allen worked as a building contractor and they also had a dairy farm, Yorkhouse, on the Rangitikei Line where Mary was living when she signed the suffrage petiton.
They later retired to Palmerston North where they married in 1912.
Allen died in 1915 – after his death his will was contested regarding a cheque given by Allen to Eliza’s husband to benefit Mary which had been depositied in Eliza’s bank account.
Mary died on 27 September 1919 – she is buried with Allen in the Terrace End Cemetery.
Mary’s will left her estate to her daughter Ada.
Sources:
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Free BDM https://www.freebmd.org.uk
GRO England https://www.gro.gov.uk
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/