[1] She emigrated to Melbourne, Australia in 1856, at age 17, where she became a general servant and later a domestic nurse and midwife.
Jane then married bigamously Martin Pitersen (Peterson) just before she left for New Zealand.
In about 1868 Jane O'Brien and Alice left Melbourne for Hokitika, New Zealand, and later settled in Reefton.
Preshaw worked as a nurse and midwife, becoming the first matron of Reefton Hospital in 1876.
[2] They ran the hospital together until 1901 after which Preshaw continued to work as a private midwife.