In June 1937 a small collection of samplers and needleworking gear was presented to the Old Colonists Museum by Mr L.F. Rudd, Barrister and Solicitor, on behalf of Mr S. Gifford. The record stated that they were " brought to New Zealand in 1884 by Mrs Gifford nee Emma Jane Weston" and included five pieces of embroidery "executed by her".

Currently the only information we have on Emma Jane Gifford is derived from the Museum accession record and from her needlework. What we do know reads like a set of clues.

It is obvious that Emma Jane Weston was an excellent needleworker. We also know that she was born about 1863 and at 13 years of age she lived at Woodhouse in England. Then in 1884, aged 21, she came to New Zealand and at some stage married Mr. S Gifford. It is probable that the Giffords lived in or near Auckland. Emma's husband, S Gifford probably died about 1937, when this collection was presented to the Old Colonist's Museum and it is quite likely that Emma Jane died some time before him.

Emma Jane Gifford's name is not recorded in either the Births, Marriages, Deaths index held by Auckland Museum or the Public Library shipping index for 1884. However, this lack of information is not unusual as official records often referred to women simply as wife of, daughter of, or family of. In Emma's case we have one or two yet unexplored avenues to investigate and hope to learn more about Emma Jane Gifford (nee Weston) in future."

Display caption for "Reflections" - an Auckland Museum exhibition commemorating Womens Suffrage anniversary in 1993