Edith Statham


Edith Mary Statham was a notable New Zealand singer, nurse, secretary, war graves conservator and community worker.

Early life

Statham was born in Bootle, Lancashire, England, on 13 April 1853. She was a daughter of a solicitor, William Statham, and his wife, Ellen Allen Statham. When she was 10 years old, she moved to New Zealand with her family.

Education

It is unknown how and where Statham got her education. She was trained as a singer and nurse at Dunedin Hospital.

Activities

Statham was a founding member of the "Society for the Protection of Women and Children" in Dunedin. She was a secretary of the "Mimiro Ladies' Cycling Club", which she established around 1895, when she moved to Dunedin. Statham directed a school for many years to teach women how to cycle. She was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.