The Kate Sheppard Memorial, Oxford Terrace
The Kate Sheppard Memorial was unveiled on 19 September 1993, by the Governor General, Dame Catherine Tizard, to commemorate 100 years since New Zealand women won the right to vote.
The women on the memorial
The women on the memorial are from left to right:
Meri Te Tai Mangakahia of Taitokerau who requested the vote for women from the Kotahitanga Maori Parliament.
Amey Daldy, a foundation member of the Auckland WCTU and president of the Auckland Franchise League.
Ada Wells of Christchurch who campaigned vigorously for equal educational opportunities for girls and women.
Harriet Morison of Dunedin, vice president of the Tailoresses’ Union and a powerful advocate for working women.
Helen Nicol who pioneered the women’s franchise campaign in Dunedin.
About the Memorial
You can view our collection of photos of the Kate Sheppard Memorial on Flickr.
The Memorial, the work of sculptor Margriet Windhausen, comprises a 3.3m by 2.1m bronze bas-relief supported by a 5m pebbled wall.
The Memorial stands in a landscaped area beside the Avon River on Oxford Terrace known as the Kate Sheppard National Memorial Reserve. It is the only National Memorial in Christchurch and is the only New Zealand monument depicting the fight for women's suffrage.
The central panel depicts life size figures of Kate Sheppard and other leaders of the suffrage movement. Smaller panels depict women of the time in typical everyday settings. Bronze panels record a written history of Kate Sheppard and the suffrage movement. A time capsule enclosed in the wall contains a record of the donors and material relevant to women's lives in 1993.
More information
Related pages
- Kate Sheppard and Votes for Women!
- Fact sheet on Kate Sheppard from Christchurch City Libraries.
Sources
This was originally derived from the Christchurch City Council handbook of 1998. Additional material came from christchurch.org.nz
