Mrs Congalton

Signed family name

Congalton

Signed given name

Mrs

Given address

Melbourne Street

Sheet number

Town/Suburb

South Dunedin

City/Region

Dunedin

Notes

Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley

Jane Horn was born about 1851 in Old Monkland, Lanarkshire – the daughter of James Horn, a waggoner, and Eliza Neill.

She married pastry cook Alexander Congalton on 12 January 1870 in Glasgow and they had three sons before the family emigrated to Otago in 1874 on the Parsee.

They settled in Dunedin where they had four daughters.

Alexander was declared bankrupt in 1879 and again in 1884 and when Jane signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Melbourne St, South Dunedin.

In 1895 their house caught fire but was only partially burned due to the arrival of the fire brigade.

Sometime after this Jane and Alexander separated and Alexander moved to Christchurch.

Jane married James McBryde in 1899, he was a miner and widower who also lived in Melbourne Street. James died in 1903 – he is buried with his first wife in the Southern Cemetery.

She married again in 1905 to Francis McManus.

Alexander died in Christchurch in 1907 – he is buried in the Linwood Cemetery.

Jane applied for a summary separation order from Francis in 1909 'on the grounds of persistent cruelty'. After the evidence was given showing violence from both parties the Judge said 'the best thing the couple could do was to part', the order was granted and Jane was given 10s per week towards her support.

Jane died in Dunedin on 8 August 1919 – she is buried in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.