Anna Dolan

Anna married Thomas John (Tommy) Dolan on 23 July 1878 in Brewarrina, New South Wales and they had a daughter in 1881. Their daughter died within the year. In 1882 their son was born and the family travelled to Borroloola, then on to Anthony's Lagoon by 1886. On 29 September 1888 Anna was arrested at the Hart's Royal Hotel by a Mounted Constable for ?shooting with intent'. She had demanded a grant for divorce because she wanted to join another man who was prepared to pay Tommy handsomely if the divorce came through. After the judge had heard all the evidence, he found there was insufficient evidence to convict Anna and reprimanded Thomas. Thomas and Anna had their third child in 1889. In 1895 when Anna was 29 years and living in Palmerston, she was one of the 82 women who enrolled to vote after the franchise was granted to South Australian and Territory women in 1894. Her occupation was listed as 'married woman'. In 1895 she purchased a block of suburban land and applied for an agricultural lease at Nightcliff. In 1896 a lease was granted for an area of 400 acres. The cyclone in 1897 devastated Palmerston and wrecked the Dolan's cottage at the 2? mile (Parap). Anna was granted a temporary certificate by Palmerston District Council to carry on business at the railway refreshment rooms at Adelaide River, which she managed for two years from 1897. When Thomas gained work as a ganger which kept him away from home for long periods of time, Anna and their two sons moved back to Palmerston to live at Nightcliff. On 15 October 1902, Anna gave birth to a daughter and six months later died of peritonitis.Businesswoma