Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Ellen Heather Worgan was born about 1866 – the adopted daughter of George Worgan, a farmer and music teacher, and Harriet Buckland.
Her father died in 1888 and shortly after Ellen married Abraham St George Ryder, a storekeeper on 28 September at the Holy Trinity Church in Woodville.
Ellen and Abraham had two children, one who died in infancy, and they lived in Woodville, New Plymouth, Whanganui and Palmerston North.
When Ellen signed the suffrage petition she was living in Arthur St, Dunedin.
Around this time Abraham was working in Central Otago and had failed to provide for his family.
In 1895 Ellen had a daughter who she admitted was not Abraham’s child, he applied for a divorce which was granted.
Ellen re-married in July 1898 to John Philp, a widower and plasterer.
They had a daughter the following year who died aged one month. An inquest was held which concluded that 'the child met its death by being accidentally overlaid by the mother'.
Ellen died on 13 September 1906 in Dunedin – she is buried with her daughter in the Northern Cemetery.
John re-married and he died in 1935 – he is buried with his first wife and his brother, also in the Northern Cemetery.