Elsie Andrews

Elsie Euphemia Andrews MBE (23 December 1888 – 26 August 1948) was a New Zealand teacher and community leader.

She was born in Huirangi, Taranaki, New Zealand, on 23 December 1888. Her parents were John Andrews and his wife, Emily Young, who both came from Taranaki pioneering families. Elsie Andrews was the only one of twelve siblings who attended secondary school; she received her education at Huirangi School and with the help of a scholarship, she went on to New Plymouth High School. When she failed entrance examinations to both university and teachers' college, she became a pupil-teacher at Waitara School. After completing her training, she moved around various rural schools before getting a permanent position at New Plymouth's Fitzroy School.[1]

Andrews was a member of the New Zealand Women Teachers' Association and from 1931 had an active role as secretary in establishing and running the Pan-Pacific Women's Association, later the Pan Pacific and Southeast Asia Women's Association.[2][3]

She unsuccessfully contested the New Plymouth electorate in the 1935 election as an Independent;[4] she was one of only three women who stood for election that year.[5]

In the 1938 King's Birthday Honours, Andrews was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire.[6]

Andrews died on 26 August 1948 at New Plymouth, having never married.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Dalziel, Raewyn. "Andrews, Elsie Euphemia". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Pan-Pacific Problems: Dominion Women's Committee Inaugural Meeting Held". Taranaki Daily News. 29 April 1931. p. 11. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023 – via National Library of New Zealand (Papers past).
  3. ^ "Pan-Pacific Conference: Miss E. Andrews Delegate". Taranaki Daily News. 20 February 1934. p. 6. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023 – via National Library of New Zealand (Papers past).
  4. ^ "Election Results". The Evening Post. Vol. CXX, no. 137. 6 December 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Untitled". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXXII, no. 22277. 27 November 1935. p. 5. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  6. ^ "New honours: birthday list". New Zealand Herald. 9 June 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 1 January 2021.

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