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Josephine Balls
Description
TitleJosephine Balls
Alternative NameJosephine BloorSummaryA woman of Selwyn who signed the 1893 Suffrage PetitionDescription1892 Suffrage Petition - page 448/254
1893 Suffrage Petition - page 185
1893 Electoral Roll - no 288.First NameJosephineLast NameBallsOccupationNurseDate of Birth1 Jan 1868Place of BirthWestleton, Suffolk, EnglandDate of Death22 Ap 1933Place of DeathTimaru, Canterbury, New ZealandAge at Death65Parents or Next of KinJohn Joseph Balls
Deborah Ann Smith
Joseph Bloor
John WellsOther Biographical InformationJosephine Balls was born January 1st 1868 in Westleton, Suffolk, daughter of John Joseph Balls and Deborah Ann nee Smith. Her father was a farmer of means with 200 acres, employing 2 men and a boy. Three of the girls emigrated to NZ with their parents in 1883 on board the Steamship "Ionic" arriving on 12 June. Alice (30) housemaid, Rosa (27) nurse and Josephine (17) dairymaid appear as single women among the assisted emigrants. Reports of the day laud the ship, which was on her maiden voyage and note that the voyage out was favoured with exceptionally good weather. The family settled at Annat where her father farmed. They were involved with the Annat Band of Hope, a Temperance group aimed at children, as well as the Annat Primitive Methodist Church. In 1886 Josephine married Joseph Bloor, also a member of both groups. He was born in Staffordhire and emigrated to Canterbury in 1878 on board the Opawa. Joseph was on school committee and in 1891 became Chairman. Josephine seems to have worked as a nurse for in 1888 she attended an inquest on the death of a child and testified in her capacity as nurse. Like her mother Josephine signed both petitions and enrolled to vote. She signed the 1892 Petition on page 448/254 and then the 1893 Suffrage Petition on page 185, then was enrolled to vote in 1893 as number 288. Joseph died 14 November 1908 and was described as Miller and Farmer. He was buried in Waddington Cemetery. As was usual at the time Josephine remarried, this time to John Wells on June 2 1915 at the Cambridge Terrace Methodist Church. They lived at View Hill just over the river, near Oxford. After his death in March 1919 she moved to Russells Flat and later Timaru. She died in April 1933 in Timaru, Canterbury, at the age of 65, but was returned to be buried in Waddington, Canterbury.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSB9-VWP Ionic passenger list
Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8572, 28 August 1888, Page 6
Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 8758, 3 April 1889, Page 4
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-GLXJ probate
Alternative NameJosephine BloorSummaryA woman of Selwyn who signed the 1893 Suffrage PetitionDescription1892 Suffrage Petition - page 448/254 1893 Suffrage Petition - page 185
1893 Electoral Roll - no 288.
First NameJosephineLast NameBallsOccupationNurseDate of Birth1 Jan 1868Place of BirthWestleton, Suffolk, EnglandDate of Death22 Ap 1933Place of DeathTimaru, Canterbury, New ZealandAge at Death65Parents or Next of KinJohn Joseph BallsDeborah Ann Smith
Joseph Bloor
John Wells
Other Biographical InformationJosephine Balls was born January 1st 1868 in Westleton, Suffolk, daughter of John Joseph Balls and Deborah Ann nee Smith. Her father was a farmer of means with 200 acres, employing 2 men and a boy. Three of the girls emigrated to NZ with their parents in 1883 on board the Steamship "Ionic" arriving on 12 June. Alice (30) housemaid, Rosa (27) nurse and Josephine (17) dairymaid appear as single women among the assisted emigrants. Reports of the day laud the ship, which was on her maiden voyage and note that the voyage out was favoured with exceptionally good weather. The family settled at Annat where her father farmed. They were involved with the Annat Band of Hope, a Temperance group aimed at children, as well as the Annat Primitive Methodist Church. In 1886 Josephine married Joseph Bloor, also a member of both groups. He was born in Staffordhire and emigrated to Canterbury in 1878 on board the Opawa. Joseph was on school committee and in 1891 became Chairman. Josephine seems to have worked as a nurse for in 1888 she attended an inquest on the death of a child and testified in her capacity as nurse. Like her mother Josephine signed both petitions and enrolled to vote. She signed the 1892 Petition on page 448/254 and then the 1893 Suffrage Petition on page 185, then was enrolled to vote in 1893 as number 288. Joseph died 14 November 1908 and was described as Miller and Farmer. He was buried in Waddington Cemetery. As was usual at the time Josephine remarried, this time to John Wells on June 2 1915 at the Cambridge Terrace Methodist Church. They lived at View Hill just over the river, near Oxford. After his death in March 1919 she moved to Russells Flat and later Timaru. She died in April 1933 in Timaru, Canterbury, at the age of 65, but was returned to be buried in Waddington, Canterbury. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSB9-VWP Ionic passenger list
Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8572, 28 August 1888, Page 6
Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 8758, 3 April 1889, Page 4
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9V-GLXJ probate
Connections
Subject (Keywords)Suffrage AnnatPlaceAnnat
PlaceAnnatMilitary Service
Memorial or CemeteryWaddington Cemetery
Attribution
Josephine Balls. Selwyn Stories, accessed 09/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5631