Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Elizabeth Anne/Bessie Cook was born about 1860 in Ireland – the daughter of William Brown Cook of Dublin.
She emigrated to New Zealand where she married James Shiel, a seed merchant, on 13 November 1889 in Port Chalmers.
They had one adopted daughter and when Elizabeth signed the suffrage petition they were living in Eglington Rd, Dunedin.
In 1908 the family left New Zealand to live in Ireland.
Before their departure a 'pleasant gathering, arranged for the purpose of enabling a number of personal friends' to farewell Elizabeth and James was held at the Art Gallery. The 'evening was devoted to progressive euchre, followed by a programme of music and dancing.'
James died in 1918 in Ireland and Elizabeth died on 18 May 1943 at the Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver.
Sources
BDM online NZ https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Family Search https://www.familysearch.org
Otago Nominal Index http://marvin.otago.ac.nz
Papers Past https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz