Maria Vero

Women's Suffrage in Batley

BATLEY - MEETING OF WOMEN.- On Wednesday evening a meeting was held at the house of Mr. David Vero, Crossbank, for the purpose of considering the repeal of the Contagious Diseases (Women) Act. Mrs. Vero presided. It was resolved, after a long discussion to forward a petition in favour of the repeal of the obnoxious Act to Serjt. Simon, M.P., for presentation to the House of Commons.

- The (Dewsbury) Reporter, June 19th 1880.

Biography

Born in Batley Carr in 1837, Maria's parents were William Brear (or Brearey), a joiner and later a mechanic, and Charlotte Coates. Together they had at least 9 children: 4 boys and 5 girls.

In 1860, Maria married David Robinson Vero a mechanic from Dewsbury. A year later their daughter Theresa was born.

By 1891 Maria had moved to Blackpool and established herself as a lodging house keeper. She was joined by her daughter. However, we can see from census records that her husband remained in Batley until the 1911 census when he was reunited with the rest of the family in Blackpool. By this time, he was working as Superintendent Member of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers.

Maria died in Blackpool in 1913. It's unknown if she continued to fight for the women's suffrage cause after she left Batley but she certainly established herself as an independent business women with her new life in Blackpool.