Maker: Kate Patterson

Panel number: 156

Petition Sheet Number: 186

Person honouring: Susanna Isherwood

Relationship to makers: Great-grandmother

Born in Wales in 1846, Susanna and her husband, John, made some bold decisions, emigrating to the United States. They returned to Wales then emigrated to New Zealand in 1867. 

They had nine children, one born and died in USA, two more between USA and Wales and another five in New Zealand. Susanna had had an accident as a child and only had one arm but despite this disability she became a proficient seamstress; gardener, accomplished singer, school teacher, farmer, mother and political activist. 

Susanna was a resilient and foresighted woman, who turned her beliefs and passions into practice. She became a woman of influence, within her family, locally and nationally. She was there at the beginning of the formation of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Canterbury Women’s Institute and the National Council of Women (NCW). She was a loyal and hard worker, speaking, writing and campaigning to make New Zealand a fair and equal place. 

Education was most important to Susanna and John, with their eldest daughter Kate, being one of the first women to graduate with honours from Canterbury University. During Susanna’s involvement with NCW she was known to be active in speaking to, proposing and seconding motions and discussions on equal pay and trade unions for women; gambling; divorce conditions for men and women being equal; police reform, educational funds; abolishment of capital punishment; futility of war; prison reform; the use of cat-o-nine tails on vagrant girls; old age pensions; water treatment and the teaching of hygiene and tobacco smoking. 

Susanna died in 1915, age 68. We can only believe that her determination to create a new and better life had been fulfilled.

Panel materials: Mostly material already held, however piece of antique linen from family collection incorporated.