Maker: Debbie Snelson

Panel number: 251

Petition sheet number: 309

Person honouring: Louisa M. Snelson

Relationship to maker: Same surname

Louisa Buck was born in 1839. She and her parents arrived at Petone in 1841.

Louisa married George Snelson in 1865. She moved to Palmerston North from Wellington in 1871 and was the initiator and organiser of lots of community and welfare projects. She started the first Sunday school, and raised funds for the first school, the first Anglican Church, and the hospital.

She was fluent in te reo Māori and commenced the campaign for the statue of Rangitane chief Te Peeti Te Aweawe, then shared in the unveiling. 

When her husband, who was the first mayor, died in 1901, like many widows she fell on hard times – her two children had died very young. Louisa supported herself by selling her paintings of flowers. She was well respected for all she did for the town and was deemed ‘the mother of Palmerston North’.

Louisa died at Wanganui in 1919 and was buried at Terrace End cemetery, Palmerston North with her husband.

Panel materials: Cottons/linens I already had. The overall look is of a stained glass window with images of letters and flowers. I’ve used an old school name tape for her surname; I also stitched inside the names of all the Snelson women in my family.