Edith Winstone Blackwell
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Edith Mary Winstone Blackwell (née Winstone, 28 July 1877 – 15 September 1956) was a New Zealand philanthropist. Her philanthropic activities were concentrated in
Auckland, New Zealand Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
during the first half of the 20th century.


Early life and family

Born Edith Mary Winstone on 28 July 1877, Blackwell was the only daughter of George and Mary Elizabeth Winstone. She attended the Beresford Street Public School before becoming one of the first girls to attend
Auckland Grammar School Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
in Symonds Street. In 1932, she married Joseph Henry Blackwell. Following a time in
Kaiapoi Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It is cons ...
they returned to Auckland, building "Marewa", a fine home on the north-eastern slopes of
Mount Eden Mount Eden is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand whose name honours George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland. It is south of the Central Business District (CBD). Mt Eden Road winds its way around the side of Mount Eden Domain and continues to weave b ...
with gardens spreading down the hillside.


Philanthropy and legacy

In 1950, Edith Blackwell established a charitable trust—the Edith Winstone Blackwell Foundation–that was incorporated in 1956. A Trust Board appointed to run the trust included a representative of the descendants of each of her brothers. Blackwell donated a Zeiss telescope to the Stardome Observatory. The primary fixed telescope at Stardome Observatory is named after her. In the 1954 Queen's Birthday Honours, Blackwell was appointed a
Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
, for social welfare and philanthropic services; her investiture was performed at
Government House, Auckland Government House, Auckland is the secondary official residence of the governor-general of New Zealand located in Auckland, New Zealand. The property is situated in the Auckland suburb of Mount Eden on Mountain Road. The building was erected in th ...
on 25 February 1955 by the governor-general, Sir Willoughby Norrie. She died on 15 September 1956. The Edith Winstone Blackwell Case Room in the Owen G Glenn Building at the
University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
is named after her. In 2008, the
University of Auckland , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
launched a fundraising campaign to redevelop the
Leigh Marine Laboratory The Leigh Marine Laboratory is the marine research facility for the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The laboratory is situated in north eastern New Zealand, north of Auckland city. The facility is perched on the cliffs overlooking the Ca ...
at Goat Island as the base for the South Pacific Centre for Marine Science - with a $4.5 million donation from the Edith Winstone Blackwell Foundation. In 2011, the Edith Winstone Blackwell Interpretive Centre opened.


See also

* Stardome Observatory


References


1966 Encyclopaedia of New ZealandUniversity of Auckland News 4 July 2008
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackwell, Edith Winstone 1877 births 1956 deaths New Zealand philanthropists People from Auckland New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire