Ethel Pritchard
Ethel Pritchard | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 March 1880 Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 19 July 1964 Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service number | WWI 22/47 |
| Unit | New Zealand Army Nursing Service |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
| Awards | MBE |
Ethel Pritchard MBE (née Watkins, 1880–1964), also known as Ethel Watkins Taylor, was a New Zealand military and civilian nurse.[1]
Biography
Ethel was born on 17 March 1880 to mother Madeline Ratahi Cochrane and father Bazett Watkins in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand, in 1880.[2] She was Māori and identified with the Ngāpuhi iwi. Her great grand-father was Frederick Edward Maning and great grand-mother, Moengaroa.[2]
She was one of the few Nurses or Māori descent that served in World War I and left New Zealand in 1915 with the first draft of 50 nurses.[1] Ethel was stationed at the No 15 General Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt.[2] She served during WWI for a total of 4 years and 78 days.[1]
On July 5th, 1921, she married Albert Pritchard Puha at St. Augustine Church in Napier.[3]
During her career she was a native health nurse for the Te Karaka district, president of the Matawai-Mōtū branch of the RSA, foundation member of the Country Women's Institute of New Zealand, member of the Victoria League, the National Council of Women of New Zealand, the Women's Division Federated Farmers of New Zealand and the St John Ambulance Brigade.[2]
In the 1949 King's Birthday Honours, Pritchard was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for long services as a district nurse and an honorary child welfare officer.[4]
Ethel died in on 19 July 1964 in Gisborne. [5]
References
- ^ a b c "Ethel Watkins Taylor". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Burgess, Marie E. "Ethel Pritchard". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ Poverty Bay Herald (22 November 1921). "MARRIAGE". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
- ^ "No. 38629". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 1949. p. 2380.
- ^ "Lives of the First World War". livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2025.