Maker: Tania Englebretsen

Panel number: 375

Petition sheet number: 450

Person honouring: Ellen Engebretsen (Ella)

Relationship to maker: Cultural

Ellen and her family travelled to New Zealand from Norway on the Høvding one year after my ancestors made the same journey. We share the same last name although throughout the years my family’s name has been anglicised.

Ellen Engebretsen [born Pedersdattar] was among the first group of Norwegians to settle in Norsewood. 

Ellen was born in Hedmark, Norway in December 1839. She married Engebret Sander in December 1862. Their first child Paul was born in 1863 but died before he was two years old. They had four more children in Norway: Peter Emil (May 1864), Anna Caroline (November 1866), Alfred Carelius (August 1869) and Otta Edvard (1871). 

The family emigrated to New Zealand on the Høvding, arriving in Napier in September 1872. They settled in Norsewood where three more children were born: Carl (about 1872), Clara (1873), and Gustave Bert (1874). Ellen gave her address on the petition as Shakespeare Road, Napier. 

She died on 17 March 1915 and is buried in Norsewood Cemetery.

Panel materials: Most of the fabrics were gifted to me. I used these fabrics to honour my chosen person as there were so many hands that had already told a story through these fabrics – it was a way of honouring these ladies also.