Rose Anne Dryden was born in 1828 near Hull, Yorkshire. Her father was a solicitor in Hull. Rose’s mother died when she was twelve and once old enough Rose took over the running of the household. Her sister, Agnes Emma, b 1826, married George Hall and immigrated to New Zealand in 1853. Some years later, in 1861, Rose married John Hall who had immigrated to New Zealand in 1852. Rose was a woman of her times, being mostly involved with household and family responsibilities, supporting her husband, nourishing and admonishing her children. She spent considerable time doing needlework – making and mending garments. She was a shy woman, not one for being the centre of attention.

Rose and John had six children, four surviving to adulthood. She and daughter Mildred collected signatures for the women’s suffrage petition. During this campaign of the late nineteenth century, Rose declined Kate Sheppard’s invitation to have her name at the head of the petition. In 1895 Rose founded the Mothers’ Union in Hororata.

Rose was a tireless correspondent to her family in England but few of her letters are known to have survived. When she died, she was remembered for her acts of kindness, her work with the Sunday school, and with affection by people in the district.