Ellen Greenwood

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Ellen Greenwood
c. 1861-1868
Born
Ellen Sarah Greenwood

(1837-02-19)February 19, 1837
Mitcham, Surrey
DiedNovember 29, 1917(1917-11-29) (aged 80)
Resting placeKarori Cemetery
Occupation(s)Teacher and Social Worker
Parents
Relatives

Ellen Sarah Greenwood (19 February 1837 – 29 November 1917) was a New Zealand teacher and social worker.

Biography[edit]

She was born in Mitcham, Surrey, England, on 19 February 1837.[1] She was the second daughter of John Danforth Greenwood and Sarah Greenwood (née Field).[1][2]

From 1861 to 1868, she was the governess for Governor Thomas Gore Browne and his wife, Harriet Louisa Browne's children in Auckland and Tasmania.[2] On her return in 1868, she, and her mother, set up a school Woodlands House in Nelson.[2] In 1871, she joined her elder sister Mary in Wellington, on the Terrace, that had also set up a school.[2] In Wellington, she opened her own day school in Taranaki Place.[2]

In 1878, she was a founder member of the Wellington Ladies' Christian Association.[1][2] In 1879, she established Alexandra Home for Friendless Women, Newtown.[2] Women came from across New Zealand to learn domestic and parenting skills.[2]

In 1883, Greenwood had closed her school in Taranaki Place and rejoined her sisters on the Terrace.[2] The three Greenwood sisters, Ellen, Mary and Annie, retired in 1886, and they were presented with a bag of sovereigns by pupils and ex-pupils.[2]

In 1896, she was a key part in the founding of the Levin Memorial Home for Girls, Berhampore.[1][2] She was secretary of the Wellington Ladies' Christian Association from 1879 to 1899 and president from 1899 to 1916.[2] She was president of both the Alexandra and Levin homes for several years until shortly before her death.

She died in 29 November 1917 and was buried in Karori Cemetery.[3] There is also a memorial plaque for her at Old St Paul's Church in Wellington.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Notes for Women". New Zealand Times. Vol. XLIII, no. 9949. 19 April 1918. p. 9. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Stace, Hilary. "Ellen Sarah Greenwood". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  3. ^ "ELLEN SARAH GREENWOOD". Wellington City Council.
  4. ^ "The Greenwood Brass". Old St Paul's Wellington New Zealand. 1 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.