Frances Rutherford (29 April 1912 – 22 November 2006) was a New Zealand artist and occupational therapist.

Early life

A daughter of Alethea Mary Robinson and her husband Charles William Rutherford, a cousin of nuclear physicist

Ernest Rutherford Ernest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson, (30 August 1871 – 19 October 1937) was a New Zealand physicist who came to be known as the father of nuclear physics. ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' considers him to be the greatest ...

, she was born in 1912, in Masterton, New Zealand. Rutherford was disabled by poliomyelitis at the age of ten. Although she left secondary education without qualifications she enrolled in the Canterbury College of Fine Arts (now

Ilam School of Fine Arts The Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury was founded in 1882 as the Canterbury College School of Art. The school became a full department of the university in the 1950s, and was the first department to move to the suburban Ila ...

) at the age of 26, and graduated with a diploma. She attempted to train as an

occupational therapist Occupational therapists (OTs) are health care professionals specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science. OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) use scientific bases and a holistic perspective to promote a person's abi ...

in New Zealand but was turned down due to her disability. However, she travelled to the UK to attend the Liverpool School of Occupational Therapy, at the

University of Liverpool , mottoeng = These days of peace foster learning , established = 1881 – University College Liverpool1884 – affiliated to the federal Victoria Universityhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/2004/4 University of Manchester Act 200 ...

, graduating in 1952.

Career

Following graduation, Rutherford returned to her home town of Masterton and worked as an artist and occupational therapist. In 1955 she was appointed deputy principal of the New Zealand School of Occupational Therapy in

Auckland 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 ...

. Due to the lack of training opportunities in New Zealand she returned to the United Kingdom in 1957 to obtain a post-graduate diploma in education, specialising in occupational therapy. Rutherford took over as the principal of the School of Occupational Therapy in 1959 following the resignation of Hazel Skilton. Building on the work of the previous two principals, she developed the school's curriculum and was instrumental in gaining recognition for occupational therapy in New Zealand. After her retirement in 1972 Rutherford documented the history of the school, completing the document in 1976.

Artistic work

Works by Rutherford include ''My View No. 8 (Auckland Harbour)''.

Exhibitions

Rutherford exhibited with the Auckland Society of Arts and at the New Visions Gallery, including the ''Nikau Palms'' exhibition in 1967.

Frances Rutherford Lecture Award

In 1983 the Occupational Therapy New Zealand/Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa established the Frances Rutherford Lecture Award in her honour. The award is presented biennially at the Occupational Therapy New Zealand/Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa Conference and showcases outstanding role models and best practice for occupational therapists in New Zealand.

Early life

Career

Artistic work

Exhibitions

Frances Rutherford Lecture Award

References

Further reading