Elizabeth K. Gellatly

Biographical information provided by Stefanie Lash, Archives New Zealand, for the He Tohu exhibition:

Elizabeth Keith Gellatly was born in 1870 to William Gellatly and Elisabeth Bonthron. She excelled at school and trained to be a teacher, winning very high marks in the New Zealand University scholarship examinations of 1888. In 1889’s teacher examinations she received special mention in Algebra, Euclid (geometry), geography and class arithmetic. Her sister Margaret achieved a Master of Arts at university, a rare feat for women at this time.

Elizabeth married John Woods in 1895, and they moved to Oreti Plains. They had five children. Elizabeth was widowed in 1918, and lived until 1944. She is buried with William and their daughter Mary Gilmore Woods, who died aged 10 weeks, in Winton Cemetery.