Biography contributed by Katherine Blakeley
Sarah Ann Dean was born in 1852 in Manchester – the daughter of John Dean, a blacksmith, and Elizabeth Royle.
She married, plumber, Robert Froud in 1874 and they had four daughters before they emigrated to Auckland in 1882 on the Remington.
They had a further seven children in New Zealand and lived in Auckland before moving to Dunedin in 1892.
When Sarah signed the suffrage petition the family were living in Dundas Street.
In 1898 Robert was charged with 'failing to provide his wife with adequate means of support'. They were living in Green Island and Sarah 'had more or less difficulty in getting on with her husband'. Twelve months before Sarah 'sought the protection of the court'. Robert agreed to pay 10s per week but he 'terrified her into remaining with him' and physically abused her. Robert did not pay the maintenance and was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment.
Four of their children were sent to the Industrial School. The following year he again was charged with not paying maintenance leaving Sarah 'penniless and destitute' and was sentenced to four months in prison.
Sarah died at her sister’s home in Abbotsford on 28 July 1900 – she is buried in the Green Island Cemetery.
Robert re-married one month later and had a further seven children. He died in 1937 and is buried with his second wife in the Andersons Bay Cemetery.