Esme Tombleson

Esme Irene Tombleson, CBE, QSO (1 August 1917 – 30 July 2010) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Early life

She was born and educated in Sydney in 1917, and was involved in various ballet, opera and theatre companies. During World War II she served in the Women's Auxiliary Signalling Corps in Sydney. She came to New Zealand in 1951 when she married a Gisborne farmer.

Political career

She represented the Gisborne electorate from 1960 to 1972, when she was defeated by Trevor Davey.

In 1961 she was one of ten National MPs to vote with the Opposition and remove capital punishment for murder from the Crimes Bill that the Second National Government had introduced.

Later life

She was awarded a QSO in 1977, and a CBE. She died on 30 July 2010.

References

• New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984 by J. O. Wilson (1985, 4th edition, Government Printer, Wellington)
• The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland; biographical appendix of National MPs, page 348) ISBN 0474001776
• Women in Parliamentary Life 1970-1990: Hocken Lecture 1993 by Marilyn Waring, page 32 (Hocken Library, University of Otago, 1994) ISBN 0 902041 614