Elizabeth Best Taylor (née Ellison; 21 September 1868 – 27 April 1941) was a New Zealand temperance worker, community leader and social reformer. She was president of the

Women's Christian Temperance Union New Zealand Women's Christian Temperance Union of New Zealand (WCTU NZ) is a non-partisan, non-denominational, and non-profit organization that is the oldest continuously active national organisation of women in New Zealand. The national organization began ...

(WCTU NZ) from 1926 to 1935; and was one of New Zealand's first justices of the peace. Elizabeth Best Ellison was born in Lyttelton, New Zealand, in 1868. She briefly taught at the

Christchurch Normal School Cranmer Court, the former Christchurch Normal School, was one of the most significant heritage buildings in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its demolition, due to some damage in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, was controversial. History The Canter ...

. She married

Thomas Edward Taylor Thomas Edward Taylor (17 March 1811 – 3 February 1883), was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1868 and between 1874 and 1880 under Benjamin Disraeli. Background and education Taylor ...

in 1892 and they had six children. Taylor was a founding member of the

National Council of Women of New Zealand , logo = National Council of Women of New Zealand logo.png , logo_size = 100px , logo_alt = , logo_caption = , image = , image_size = , alt = , capt ...

in 1896; and, she represented the WCTU NZ at the Pan-Pacific Conference in Honolulu in 1928, later becoming president of the Dominion Pan-Pacific Women's Association. In the 1937 Coronation Honours, Taylor was appointed an

Officer 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 services. Taylor died in Dunedin on 27 April 1941, and she is buried near her husband in the Addington Cemetery in Christchurch.

References

1868 births 1941 deaths New Zealand temperance activists People from Lyttelton, New Zealand New Zealand social reformers New Zealand justices of the peace New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Burials at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch {{NewZealand-bio-stub