276:, under the Native Land Amendment Act of 1912. They were two of the first four Māori to be Europeanised in this way. The status of European holders of native land would have allowed the Grace sisters to sell the land they had inherited individually rather than having to be bound by collective title. Grace had already planned to travel to Europe, and may have considered it would be easier to travel overseas as a New Zealand European.
379:. The Wene Grace Cup is awarded annually after the inter-Anglican girls' school speech competition. Wilding remembered her friend as "immensely popular, a splendid hockey captain, tennis champion, above all set an example of absolute integrity and a keen sense of honour – her word once given was never broken".
287:, and met up with Grace's brother Richard, who was studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh. At some point prior to the trip or during it, Grace became engaged to Anthony Wilding, but told her siblings that she called it off. She returned to New Zealand alone in 1914.
199:. Grace was the eldest of twelve children. Although Grace's father had established a Native School in Pukawa in 1895, of which his own brother was headmaster, he wanted his own children to be educated in a New Zealand European school. Grace and her siblings were brought up in
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with first-class honours in modern languages. She was awarded the
Berlitz Diploma for studies in French, German and Spanish. On 7 September 1928, Grace was professed at Kilburn, under the name Sister Eudora, meaning Excellent Gift.
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Grace arrived at
Kilburn in September 1922, and was received as a novice on 2 July 1924. The order encouraged Grace to finished her undergraduate degree, and she completed her Bachelor of Arts at distance through the
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from 1915 to teach the fourth form, tennis and singing. By 1921, having seen colleagues leave St Hilda's to teach in schools in Burma, Australia, and London, Grace decided she would travel to the mother house of the
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207:, and attended Blenheim Borough Primary School. She won the Marlborough Education Board Scholarship in 1898, enabling her to attend secondary school without fees. Between 1899 and 1903, Grace was a boarder at
215:, New Zealand's first female university graduate. Grace was probably the first Māori student at the college. It was at college that Bessie met and became life-long friends with artist and physiotherapist
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Grace was headmistress of St Hilda's
Collegiate School in Paddington from 1928 until it closed in 1936. For three years, Grace took a break from teaching, and was at St Mary's Convalescent Home in
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in mixed doubles. In 1909, Grace was elected vice president of the
Canterbury Students’ Association Executive, and was joined by her brother, Lawrence William Te Heuheu Grace, the following year.
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in 1926, having studied French, German and education, and also attained a blue for lawn tennis. This made her the first Māori woman to earn a university degree. In 1926, Grace enrolled at
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assisted by several lay teachers. During her time there, Grace also taught swimming, diving, golf, and was president of the
Literary Club. In 1912, Grace's pupils debated the neighbouring
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352:. She was remembered by her former pupils as "so approachable, so human but not one of us ever doubted her strength or control of a situation". Grace remained as headmistress of
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with a motion set by Grace, "that the execution of Mary Queen of Scots was justifiable". St
Margaret's lost the debate, but won the prize for best speech, which was given by
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241:, where she was to remain for seven years. She represented the University College in tennis and hockey in local matches, and partnered future world champion
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for her retirement. However shortly after her return to
Melbourne, she was diagnosed with cancer. She died on 20 June 1944 and was interred at
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Mana Wahine: Boundaries and
Connections in the Career of a Māori Educational Leader: Bessie (Wene) Te Wenerau Grace (Sister Eudora CSC)
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Grace travelled with her cousin Monica to
England in May 1913, where they visited Cora Wilding, who was studying art at
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In
November 1943, Grace returned to New Zealand to visit family, and arranged for them to purchase a house in
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in Christchurch in 1912. The school is a private Anglican school, at that time run by three members of the
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Grace had trained as a teacher, and was appointed as House Mistress and to teach English at
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Grace remained at Nelson College after matriculating. The teachers, including Kate Edger,
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Cora Wilding commissioned a carved wooden cup to be made by a Māori carver at the
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In 1912, Grace and her married sister Agnes both applied for legal status as
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211:, about 70 miles (110 km) outside of Blenheim. The college was run by
155:, was a New Zealand teacher and education leader. In 1926, while living in
183:. Her mother, Te Kahui Te Heuheu (1860–1929), was the eldest daughter of
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in Hertfordshire, stayed with their uncle, the Reverend George Grace in
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389:, celebrating the contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.
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Despite not having finished university, Grace attained a position at
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328:, in the University of London, where she graduated in 1927 with an
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Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu.
539:"Māori and Pacific Island women in science | Te Pūnaha Matatini"
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In 1939 the order requested that she lead the order's school in
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147:(28 October 1889 – 20 June 1944), also known as
16:First Māori woman university graduate; educator
572:"Bessie Te Wenerau Grace, educational leader"
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159:, she completed a bachelor of arts from the
706:People educated at Nelson College for Girls
430:. No. 25572. 27 June 1944. p. 3.
701:Alumni of St Mary's University, Twickenham
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382:In 2017, Grace was selected as one of the
237:In 1905, Grace enrolled in the college in
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98:St Mary's College, University of London
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175:Grace was born on 28 October 1889 at
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167:woman to graduate from university.
726:New Zealand expatriates in England
232:University College in Christchurch
163:by distance, making her the first
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191:paramount chief. Her father was
696:University of Canterbury alumni
258:Christchurch Girls' High School
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322:Canterbury University College
89:Wene Grace, Sister Eudora CSC
716:Burials at Box Hill Cemetery
250:St Margaret's Girls' College
681:New Zealand women educators
384:Royal Society Te Apārangi's
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721:New Zealand schoolteachers
543:www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz
613:Royal Society Te Apārangi
609:"Bessie Te Wenerau Grace"
209:Nelson College for Girls
205:Archdeacon and Mrs Grace
171:Early life and education
161:University of Canterbury
711:Ngāti Tūwharetoa people
515:10.1057/9781137303523_5
203:by her uncle and aunt,
145:Bessie Te Wenerau Grace
25:Bessie Te Wenerau Grace
387:150 women in 150 words
312:, London, to become a
676:New Zealand educators
640:"Education and sport"
306:Sisters of the Church
297:St Hilda's Collegiate
274:New Zealand Europeans
503:Jonathan Mane-Wheoki
499:Kay Morris Matthews
354:St Michael's School
179:, on the shores of
131:Te Heuheu Tūkino IV
576:www.theprow.org.nz
509:, pp. 79–95,
185:Horonuku Te Heuheu
427:Otago Daily Times
365:Box Hill Cemetery
326:St Mary's College
285:Stanstead Abbotts
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243:Anthony Wilding
228:Beatrice Gibson
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157:Kilburn, London
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94:Alma mater
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41:28 October 1889
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193:Lawrence Grace
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60:(aged 54)
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652:. Retrieved
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436:. Retrieved
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239:Christchurch
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217:Cora Wilding
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126:Thomas Grace
58:(1944-06-20)
56:20 June 1944
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691:1944 deaths
686:1889 births
338:Broadstairs
262:Ngaio Marsh
70:, Australia
670:Categories
654:14 January
623:14 January
586:14 January
553:14 January
523:Q104767358
438:14 January
422:"Obituary"
393:References
213:Kate Edger
181:Lake Taupō
136:Hāmi Grace
37:1889-10-28
361:Devonport
350:Melbourne
344:Australia
138:(brother)
122:Relatives
64:Melbourne
648:Archived
617:Archived
580:Archived
547:Archived
519:Wikidata
505:(2014),
432:Archived
201:Blenheim
197:Tauranga
68:Victoria
310:Kilburn
301:Dunedin
521:
371:Legacy
281:Bushey
268:Europe
177:Pukawa
112:Father
45:Pukawa
165:Māori
656:2021
625:2021
588:2021
555:2021
440:2021
226:and
187:, a
151:and
149:Wene
53:Died
31:Born
511:doi
308:in
299:in
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35:(
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