Elsie Locke

Elsie Locke
Bronze bust of Elsie Locke as part of the Twelve Local Heroes sculpture
Born	17 August 1912(1912-08-17) Waiuku
Died	8 April 2001(2001-04-08) (aged 88) Christchurch
Occupation	Writer
Known for	Political activism

Elsie Violet Locke (17 August 1912 – 8 April 2001) was a New Zealand writer, feminist and social activist. She was born Elsie Violet Farrelly in Waiuku.

Contents 1 Life 2 Commemoration 3 Bibliography 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

Life

Elsie Violet Farrelly was born in 1912, the youngest of six children, and grew up in the tiny south Auckland town of Waiuku. Locke graduated from the University of Auckland. Her life as a student was portrayed in her book Student at the gates.

She married, became Elsie Freeman, had a son Don, and became a divorced solo mother, all in the space of a few years. In 1941, Elsie married Jack Locke, and moved to Christchurch. In 1944 they moved into the Oxford Terrace cottage that was to be their home for the rest of their lives, and where they raised their children, Don, Keith, Maire and Alison. Son Keith Locke is a current Green Party MP, and daughter Maire Leadbeater is a councillor at Auckland City Council.^[1]

Along with Rod Donald, Locke was active in the founding of the Avon Loop Planning Association (ALPA) and in the ongoing development of community in the historic Avon Loop residential area in central Christchurch. Locke received an honorary DLitt from the University of Canterbury in 1987 for her work in the community. Locke campaigned for a more balanced understanding of New Zealand history.

Elsie Locke died in Christchurch in 2001.

Commemoration

Elsie Locke is the only person who has ever had a park named in their honour by Christchurch City Council during their lifetime^[1]. The Elsie Locke Park is located on Oxford Terrace in front of the Centennial Pool.^[2]

Each year LIANZA gives the Elsie Locke Award for "the most distinguished contribution to non-fiction for young adults".^[3]

In March 2009, Locke was commemorated as one of the Twelve Local Heroes, and a bronze bust of her was unveiled outside the Christchurch Arts Centre.

Bibliography

• Watson, C. G., and Elsie Locke, Gordon Watson, New Zealander, 1912-45 : his life and writings (Auckland, N.Z. Communist Party, 1949).
• Locke, Elsie, and Communist Party of New Zealand. Canterbury District., The Shepherd and the Scullery-Maid, 1850-1950 : Canterbury Without Laurels (Christchurch [N.Z.], New Zealand Communist Party Canterbury District, 1950).
• Locke, Elsie, The Time of the Child : a sequence of poems ([Christchurch,, 1954).
• Rouseabouts, and Elsie Locke, Ghosts on the Coast : a family fantasy with the Rouseabouts : programme ; October 29 to November 5, 1960 ([S.l.], Clarity Press, 1960).
• Locke, Elsie, Viet-nam (Wellington, Publications Branch Department of Education, 1963).
• Locke, Elsie, The Runaway Settlers : an historical novel for children (London, J. Cape, 1965).
• Locke, Elsie, Six Colonies in One Country : New Zealand, 1840-1860 (Wellington, Govt. Printer, 1965).
• Locke, Elsie, Reference notes to The End of the Harbour : an historical novel for children, and bibliography of material relating to Waiuku and the surrounding area ([Christchurch, University of Canterbury, 1969).
• Locke, Elsie, Growing Points and Prickles : Life in New Zealand 1920-60 ([Christchurch], Whitcombe and Tombs, 1971).

• Locke, Elsie, and Elizabeth Plumridge, The Roots of the Clover; The story of the Collett sisters and their families (Christchurch, The author, 1971)
• Locke, Elsie, and New Zealand. School Publications Branch., It's the Same Old Earth (Wellington, [Government Printer, 1973).
• Locke, Elsie, and Murray Grimsdale, Maori King and British Queen, Round the World Histories ; no. 34 (Amersham, England, Hulton Educational, 1974).
• Locke, Elsie, and David Waddington, Look Under the Leaves (Christchurch, Pumpkin Press, 1975).
• Locke, Elsie, Crayfishermen and the Sea : Interaction of man and environment, Social Studies Resource Books (Christchurch, Whitcoulls, 1976).
• Locke, Elsie, Ugly Little Paua : Moko's Hideout; To Fly to Siberia [and] Tricky Kelly (Christchurch, Whitcoulls, 1976).
• Locke, Elsie, Discovering the Morrisons (and the Smiths and the Wallaces) (Christchurch,, 1976).
• Locke, Elsie, The Gaoler (Palmerston North, Dunmore Press, 1978) – a biography of Henry Monson.
• Locke, Elsie, A Land without Taxes : New Zealand from 1800 to 1840, Bulletin for schools B (Wellington [N.Z.], School Publications Branch Department of Education, 1979).
• Locke, Elsie, Student at the Gates (Christchurch, N.Z., Whitcoulls, 1981).
• Locke, Elsie, Journey under Warning : Reference notes, biographies of historical characters, bibliography (Christchurch, The author, 1983).
• Locke, Elsie, and Ken Dawson, The Boy with the Snowgrass Hair (Wellington, N.Z., Price Milburn, 1983).
• Locke, Elsie, A Canoe in the Mist (illustrated by John Shelley, London, Jonathan Cape, 1984).
• Locke, Elsie, The Kauri and the Willow : How we lived and grew from 1801-1942 (Wellington [N.Z.], Government Printer, 1984).
• Locke, Elsie, and New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies, Co-operation & Conflict : Pakeha & Maori in Historical Perspective (Auckland, N.Z., New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies, 1988).
• Locke, Elsie, Janet Paul, Christine Tremewan, and Alexander Turnbull Library., Mrs Hobson's Album : given to Eliza Hobson by her friends when she returned to England in June 1843 as a remembrance of her time as wife to New Zealand's first governor : reproduced with commentary and catalogue ([Auckland, N.Z.], Auckland University Press in association with the Alexander Turnbull Library, 1989).
• Locke, Elsie, Wira Gardiner, and New Zealand Foundation for Peace Studies, Partnership and peace : essays on biculturalism in Aotearoa - New Zealand (Auckland, N.Z., The Foundation, 1990).
• Locke, Elsie, and David John Waddington, Explorer Zach (Auckland, N.Z., Brick Row, 1990).
• Locke, Elsie, Peace People : A History of Peace Activities in New Zealand (Christchurch, N.Z., Hazard Press, 1992).
• Locke, Elsie, Two Peoples, One Land : A History of Aotearoa/New Zealand especially for young readers Updated ed ([Wellington, N.Z.], GP Publications, 1992).
• Locke, Elsie, Peter Lole, and Rainbow Reading Programme., The Anti-Litterbug, Rainbow reading (Nelson, N.Z., Rainbow Reading Programme, 1995).
• Locke, Elsie, Joe's Ruby (Whatamango Bay, N.Z., Cape Catley, 1995).
• Thorn, Margaret, Elsie Locke, and Jacqueline Matthews, Stick Out, Keep Left (Auckland [N.Z.], Auckland University Press ; Bridget Williams Books, 1997).
• Locke, Elsie, and Katarina Mataira, The End of the Harbour : an historical novel for children Rev. ed (Waiuku, N.Z., W.J. Deed Printing, 2001).

See also

• History of New Zealand

References

Further reading

• Birchfield, Maureen (September 2009). Looking for Answers: A life of Elsie Locke. Christchurch: Canterbury University Press. ISBN 978-1-877257-80-3. 

External links

• Elsie Violet Locke at New Zealand Electronic Text Centre
• Elsie Locke on University of Auckland distinguished alumni list

Twelve Local Heroes of Christchurch Sir Donald Ward Beaven · Frank Dickson · Sir Richard John Hadlee · Diana, Lady Isaac · Elsie Locke · Charles Luney · Margaret Mahy · Sir Tipene O'Regan · Sir Robertson Stewart · Bill Sutton · Sir Angus Tait · Sir Miles Warren

Persondata
Name	Locke, Elsie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1912-08-17
Place of birth	Waiuku
Date of death	2001-04-08
Place of death	Christchurch