Now retired, Dr Dorothy Page studied and taught History at the University of Otago throughout her teaching life. One of her particular interests has been women’s history in Britain and New Zealand, as well as local history. She is also a former President of the Settlers Association, the friends organisation for ToitÅ« Otago Settlers Museum. One of her research interests has been the story of suffrage in Dunedin, which in her words, “was much more lively and controversial than anywhere else.” Pre-Suffrage in Dunedin Before 1893, there were a number of developments in New Zealand that laid the ground for suffrage to take place. Among these was the New Zealand culture of drinking and domestic violence, which was exacerbated throughout the 1880s due to the Long Depression. This acted as a “motivation for women to want to change society… because a lot of people took refuge in alcohol and alcohol-fuelled violence was a terrible thing at that stage.” Addi...
The Story of the Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association Hall – An Interview with Rachael Francis, Historian in Residence The hall today The hall as it appeared in 1925 Suffrage in this country was undoubtedly a major achievement, with New Zealand being the first nation in the world to achieve this step towards gender parity. However, progress in terms of gender equality after 1893 was halting in many respects – the suffrage movement dissipated and not much changed in terms of legislation or cultural attitudes towards women. In fact, 50 years after suffrage in New Zealand women still couldn’t sign off on renting a public hall in Dunedin but had to have their husband do this for them. Thus began the story of the Otago Pioneer Women’s Memorial Association hall. - In 1936 preparations had begun for New Zealand’s centennial in 1940, which would include various memorials to New Zealand’s early settlers and pioneers. The Otago Women’s Centennial Counci...
On the 18th of September 2018, curators Kari & Lydie Schmidt discussed the 'Intersectional Feminism in Dunedin' exhibition with Andrew Rudolph on Otago Access Radio's Dunedin Multi Ethnic Council on Air. You can listen to the full radio show here .
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