Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Annie Ivess was born about 1849 in Ireland – the daughter of John Pope Ivess and Anne Santwell.
In 1852 the family sailed for Victoria where her father died in 1865.
Annie moved to Greymouth where her brother Joseph was living and where she married George Contessa on 16 January 1878.
They had five children and ran a store in Greymouth where Annie signed the suffrage petition.
George died in Greymouth in 1924 – he is buried in the Karoro Cemetery.
After George’s death Annie moved to Wellington where she died on 6 July 1942 – she is buried in the Karori Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz
Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/