Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Mary Tylee was born about 1862 – the daughter of Charles Tylee and Agnes.
She had two children with John Denny, a ship’s engineer, and when she signed the suffrage petition they were living in South Dunedin.
In 1895 John went 'home' for a visit to Scotland. Sometime after his return he was admitted to Ashburn Hall in Dunedin, a private psychiatric clinic.
In 1899 Mary went to court under the Destitute Persons Act to have John legally judged to be the father of her children and 'provide for the maintenance of such children out of the estate'.
An order for the payment of 20s a week for each child was made.
John died in Ashburn Hall in 1902 – she is buried in the Southern Cemetery.
Mary died on 1 June 1920 in South Dunedin – she is buried with her mother in the Southern Cemetery.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
DCC Cemetery Records http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries-search
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz