See also Caversham research databases
Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley.
Laura Chatten was born in 1850 in Woodbridge, Suffolk – the daughter of William Henry Chatten, a master mariner, and Mary Goodwin.
She married, bricklayer, George Allen at Woodbridge on November 8th 1872. They had four children before the family boarded the Canterbury in November 1879 bound for Otago.
They arrived in late January 1880 and settled in Peter St, Caversham where they had a further six children, one who died in infancy and where Laura signed the suffrage petition.
In 1901 Laura made a six-month visit to the ‘old country’ to visit her remaining family.
Ten years later George, who was by this time working as an insurance agent, was kicked in the back by a horse which caused him much pain.
He died in 1913 from exposure after being found lying near the beach under the influence of alcohol.
Laura died at her home on June 16th 1938 – she is buried with George in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.
Her obituary said she ‘was well known and highly respected in Caversham, of which she was probably the oldest resident.‘