Elizabeth Gilmer

Dame Elizabeth Gilmer, DBE, FRHortS (24 March 1880 – 29 February 1960) was a New Zealand social worker, educationist and horticulturist.

Early life

Born as Elizabeth May Seddon at Kumara to the future New Zealand Prime Minister Richard Seddon and Louisa Spotswood Seddon, she attended the Kumara School and Wellington Girls' College.

Career

Gilmer was a member of the Wellington Hospital Board from 1938 to 1953. From 1934 to 1957 she served as the Government nominee on the Wellington Colleges' Board of Governors. In 1942 she was elected to the Wellington City Council, where she served from 1941 to 1953, as chairman of the Libraries and Parks and Reserves Committees. She worked on the passage of the Native Plant Protection Act and the reinstatement of Arbor Day. She stood for Parliament in 1935 and 1938 in the Wellington North electorate but declined to accept nomination for any political party.

Honours

• For her contributions during the First and Second World Wars, she was awarded, firstly, the OBE (1946), and the DBE (1951). Gilmer became the first New Zealand woman to be awarded the DBE (in 1951).

• Gilmer was awarded the Greek Red Cross medal in 1937, and the Coronation Medal in 1953.

Family

On 3 July 1907, at St Paul's Church, Thorndon, Wellington, she married Knox Gilmer (1879–1921); they had two daughters. They lived at Te Marua, Upper Hutt.

Death

Dame Elizabeth Gilmer died at Wellington on 29 February 1960, less than a month before her 80th birthday.

External links

• Photos of the three female candidates in the 1935 election