Eleanor Airini (Pope) Fisher MA MSc (1899 - 1982)

Born 15 Oct 1899 in New Zealand

Ancestors

Wife of Allan George Barnard Fisher PhD — married 8 Jan 1929 in Wadestown, Wellington, New Zealand

Died 17 Sep 1982 at age 82 in West Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Life events

Eleanor Airini Pope was born in New Zealand in 1899, the daughter of Spencer Devenish Pope and Eleanor Henrietta Walford.^[1][2][3]

On the 8th January 1930, she married Allan George Barnard Fisher in Wellington, New Zealand.^[4][5]

Airini's husband died in Hampton, Middlesex, England, on the 8th January 1976, aged eighty years.^[6]

Eleanor Airini Fisher née Pope died in West Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia, on the 17th September 1982, aged eighty-two years.^[7][8][9]

Career notes

Overview of Airini Pope Fisher's career:

• attended New Plymouth Girls' High School;^[10] awarded a four-year scholarship to attend Victoria College in Wellington.^[11]
• matriculation, Christchurch, January, 1915.^[12]
• appointed to the post of pupil-teacher (probationer) by the Taranaki Education Board, January, 1916.^[13]
• passed first year term examinations at Victoria College, Wellington; obtained honours standings in French, pure mathematics (second class), botany (junior first class), and practical botany (junior, first class); October, 1916 (note, that Airini was identified as a student from New Plymouth).^[14]
• passed annual examinations in Physics Theory (senior, first class) and Physics Practical (senior, second class) at Victoria College, October, 1918.^[15]
• earned B.Sc. degree, March, 1920.^[16]
• awarded the Sarah Anne Rhodes Travelling Scholarship of £250 for two years, December, 1921.^[17] Note: “The Sarah Anne Rhodes Bequest.—An event which might have improved the prospects of women at Victoria considerably occurred in 1915, when the College received a handsome bequest from the estate of Sarah Anne Rhodes, widow of a Wellington businessman. The will gave a part of the residue of her estate to ‘the Victoria University Wellington (sic) to be applied for the education of women as my trustees in their discretion shall think fit.’ The part of the estate came to £10,000, a very considerable sum at the time.”^[18][19]
• received M.A. degree, University of Toronto, 1924.^[20]
• returned to New Zealand from her studies abroad in England and in Canada, September, 1925.^[21]
• appointed lecturer in chemistry, foods, and nutrition, in the home science department, Otago Home Science School, February, 1927.^[22]
• published in the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology.^[18]
• employed by the Otago Medical School; conducted research, under the direction of Dr. J. Malcolm, on “the value of various supplementary stock feeds used in the Dominions," February, 1928.^[23]
• author, “Report on the Nutritive Values of Meat-meals,” published in N.Z. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Bulletin No. 12 (Wellington, 1929).
• contributed to the book, Domestic Science for High Schools in India, written by Mabel A. Needham, B.A. and Ann G. Strong, B.Sc. (1931).^[24]
• member, University Women’s Club (Victoria University College, Wellington).^[25]
• gave talks by radio broadcast during her sojourn in Perth, Western Australia, for example: “The Natural Diet of Man: What is It?” (June, 1936),^[26] and, “Scurvy—the Dread of Pacific Explorers.” (June, 1936);^[27] and publicly, for example, to the Women’s Service Guild on “Diet, Nutrition and Income Standards (September, 1936).^[28]
• teacher at Sidwell Friends School in Maryland, USA (1960).^[29]

News extracts

Women teachers in 1920 (letter to the editor)

News extract from the Evening Post, 19 October 1920:

Women Teachers.

To the Editor.

Sir,—In your last night’s issue number one, Airini Pope, speaking apparently on behalf of the Victoria University College Women’s Club, seems to have become rather unduly excited about an alleged insult that she contents the Minister of Education has inflicted upon the women of New Zealand by daring to offer female entrants to the teacher service £5 a year, or as it works out 3d a day, less than is paid to males. What a dreadful injustice! To think that these poor girls, the majority of whom either live at home or in one of the excellent women’s hostels, should receive 3d a day less than a hardy youth who is being continually hunted from pillar to post on account of the whims and fancies of landladies! Further, your correspondent declares that this awful edict is going to drive all self-respecting women from the teaching profession. Still, even in the face of all this, I am inclined to believe that the work of education will still be filled by capable young women, who do not put the pecuniary value of 3d a day upon their “self-respect.” As yet, in no walk of life, except that of rearing a family, have women proved the equals of men, and personally I have grave doubts if this difference is solely a matter of £5 worth of self-respect per annum.—I am, etc.,

A MERE MAN.

16th October.^[30]

Wedding, 8th January 1930

News extract from the Evening Post, 9 January 1930:

A wedding of interest to many friends was solemnised at St. Luke’s Church, Wadestown, yesterday, when Miss Airini Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Pope, Moorhouse street, Wadestown, was married to Dr. A.G.B. Fisher, son of Colonel and Mrs. A.G. Fisher, Chatswood, Sydney. The Rev. E. Ashley-Jones performed the ceremony, Miss Irene Hirst being at the organ. The bride was accompanied by her father, and was charmingly gowned in champagne lace and georgette, her hat being of cream straw, and her bouquet a sheaf of Christmas lilies. The bridesmaid, Miss Maude Walford, was in beige georgette with touches of green, worn with a green hat, a pretty Victorian posy completing her toilette. The best man was Mr. Walter Nash, M.P. The reception was held at the residence of the bride’s parents, only relatives and a few intimate friends being present. Mrs. Pope wore floral georgette under a black satin coat, her hat being [made?] to match, and her bouquet was of yellow roses. The decorations at the house were of pink and white sweet peas and carnations. Dr. and Mrs. Fisher left by car for a brief tour previous to their departure for a visit to Australia. Later they will make their home in Dunedin.^[31]

Legacy

The University of Reading (Berkshire) holds the following documents in its Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) collection:

• D FIS/1 – Correspondence between Lillian McCutcheon and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 22 Feb 1941 – 16 Dec 1943.
• D FIS/1/1 – Correspondence between Lillian McCutcheon and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 22 Feb 1941 – 16 Dec 1941
• D FIS/1/2 – Correspondence between Lillian McCutcheon and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 7 Jan 1942 – 27 Dec 1942
• D FIS/1/3 – Correspondence between Lillian McCutcheon and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 13 Jan 1943 – 1945
• D FIS/2 – Correspondence between Charlie McCutcheon and Airini Fisher and Allen Fisher; 1 folder; 13 Feb 1944 – 27 Dec 1944
• D FIS/3 – Letters from Charlie McCutcheon to Allen Fisher; 1 folder; 15 Feb 1941 – 24 Nov 1942
• D FIS/3/1 – Letters from Charlie McCutcheon to Allen Fisher; 1 folder; 15 Feb 1941 – 28 Oct 1941
• D FIS/3/2 – Letters from Charlie McCutcheon to Allen Fisher; 1 folder; 11 Jan 1942 – 24 Nov 1942, 1945–1949
• D FIS/4 – Letters from Allen Fisher to Lillian and Charlie McCutcheon; 20 Feb 1941 – 15 Jul 1945
• D FIS/5 – Correspondence between Elizabeth McCutcheon and Allen and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 7 May 1943 – 28 Feb 1958
• D FIS/6 – Correspondence between Jim Grieve, Gladys Grieve and Allen Fisher; 1 folder; 12 May 1941 – 21 Nov 1944
• D FIS/8 – Miscellaneous correspondence to Allen and Airini Fisher; 1 folder; 5 Dec 1940 – 30 Dec 1942
• D FIS/9 – Cables from Charlie and Lillian McCutcheon to Allen Fisher; 25 Feb 1942 – 7 Apr 1943
• D FIS/10 – Folder of photographs; 1 folder; 1940–1945
• D FIS/11 – Folder of postcards; 1 folder; 1940–1945
• D FIS/13 – Folder of letters from Charlotte Louise to Arini Fisher; includes a brief summary of the letters; 1 folder; 1940.^[32]

Sources

1. ↑ New Zealand Government. Te Tari Taiwhenua / Internal Affairs. Births, Deaths & Marriages Online. Birth of Eleanor Airini Pope, daughter of Eleanor Henrietta and Spencer Devenish. Ref. no. 1899/5174. Index online at www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-02).
2. ↑ U.S. Social Security Death Index. Eleanor Fisher, SSN 579-48-9927; last residence: 708 (U.S. Consulate), Sydney, Australia; born 15th April 1899, died in September 1982; SSN issued in District of Columbia. Original record: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Index online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-09-02).
3. ↑ 1939 Register (England and Wales). Allan G.B. Fisher, born 26th October 1895, married, Professor of Economics, Registered Intin[—] Officer; and Eleanor A. Fisher, born 15th October 1899, married, unpaid domestic duties; Ramsden, Witney, Oxfordshire. Enumeration district DZKP, registration district no. 156/1, schedule no. 33, sub-schedule no. 2 (ref. RG101/2217G). Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-09-02).
4. ↑ New Zealand Government. Te Tari Taiwhenua / Internal Affairs. Births, Deaths & Marriages Online. Marriage of Eleanor Airini Pope and Alland George Barnard Fisher. Ref. no. 1930/1038. Index online at www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
5. ↑ “Allan George Barnard Fisher.” Biography (unsourced); citing “winsomegriffin” as the author, with digital image of obituary. Online at winsomegriffin.com/Barnard/AllanGeorgeBarnardFisher.html (accessed 2018-09-02).
6. ↑ National Probate Calendar, England and Wales. “FISHER, Allan George Barnard, otherwise George Barnard, of 76 Ormond Av., Hampton, Middx., died 8 January 1976; Probate: London, 30 July [1976]. 760114325F.” (ref. 1976, pg 2799.) Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-09-05, by subscription).
7. ↑ The Times. Death Notices, 1982–1988. Eleanor Airim [Airini] Fisher, aged 83 years, died 17th September 1982, spouse: Allan G.B. Fisher; death notice published 5th October 1982. Original record: The Times. London, England: The Times, 1982-1988. Index compiled by: Noonan, Barry, comp., database on-line (pub. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005). Index online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-09-05).
8. ↑ U.S. Social Security Death Index. Eleanor Fisher, SSN 579-48-9927; last residence: 708 (U.S. Consulate), Sydney, Australia; born 15th April 1899, died in September 1982; SSN issued in District of Columbia. Original record: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Index online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-09-02).
9. ↑ National Probate Calendar, England and Wales. “FISHER, Eleanor Airini, of West Pennan Hills, New South Wales in Australia, died 17 September 1982; Probate: Sydney. Sealed London, 9 December [1983]. 830019740X.” (ref. 1983, pg 3247.) Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick 2018-09-02, by subscription).
10. ↑ Stratford Evening Post, 19 July 1924 (Vol. XXXXIII, Issue 19, pg 5). “Miss Airini Pope, B.Sc., an ex-pupil of the New Plymouth Girls’ High School, has received her M.A. degree at the Toronto University, Canada. Miss Pope has had a distinguished career, being the holder of travelling scholarship in science. Since leaving New Plymouth[,] Miss Pope has been in England and Canada.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
11. ↑ Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1916 (pg 6). “New Plymouth Social News. … Miss Joyce Wilson and Miss Airini Pople, both having gained scholarships at the New Plymouth Girl’s High School, which will enable them to attend the Victoria College for the next four years, left on Tuesday by the express for Wellington.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
12. ↑ Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1915 (Vol. LVII, Issue 190, pg 5). “Educational. Matriculation Passes. Christchurch, Last Night. The following is a list of matriculation passes:—New Plymouth. … Eleanor Airini Pope, …” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
13. ↑ Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1916 (pg 6). “Education Board. Appointment of Teachers. The Taranaki Education Board has appointed the following pupil-teachers and probationers: … Probationers. … Eleanor Airini Pope, …” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
14. ↑ Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1916 (pg 7). “Victoria College Exams. Successful Local Students. The following New Plymouth names appear in the terms examination results of Victoria College, Wellington: …;” Airini Pope passed first year term examinations at Victoria College, Wellington; obtained honours standings in French, pure mathematics (second class), botany (junior first class), and practical botany (junior, first class). Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
15. ↑ Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1918 (pg 2). “Victoria College. Annual Examinations.” Airini Pope passed annual examinations in Physics Theory (senior, first class) and Physics Practical (senior, second class). Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
16. ↑ Taranaki Herald, 13 March 1920 (Vol. LXVIII, Issue 16688, pg 5). “Miss Airini Pope has been successful in passing her B.Sc. examination.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
17. ↑ Stratford Evening Post, 2 December 1921 (Vol. XXXV, Issue 32, pg 5). “Miss Airini Pope, formerly of New Plymouth, has been awared the Sarah A. Rhodes Travelling Scholarship of £250 for two years.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Hughes, Beryl, and Sheila Ahern. Redbrick and Bluestockings: Women at Victoria, 1899–1993. (i) “The Sarah Anne Rhodes Bequest.” (pg 47.) (ii) “Airini Fisher (Pope), a Sarah Anne Rhodes Fellow, became a lecturer in Nutrition in the Otago Home Science School.” (pg 68.) (iii) “The names of two graduate women students appear in the list of staff publications. Airini Fisher (Pope), a Sarah Anne Rhodes Fellow, published in the New Zealand Journal of Science and Technology, …” Wellington: Victoria University Press, 1993.
19. ↑ Canada: Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919–1924. Eleanor Airini Pope, age 24 years, arrival at Québec 16th September 1923. Original record: Library and Archives Canada. Form 30A, 1919-1924 (Ocean Arrivals). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, n.d.. RG 76. Department of Employment and Immigration Fonts. Microfilm Reels: T-14939 to T-15248. Digital image online at ancestry.ca (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick by subscription, 2018-09-05).
20. ↑ Stratford Evening Post, 19 July 1924 (Vol. XXXXIII, Issue 19, pg 5). “Miss Airini Pope, B.Sc., an ex-pupil of the New Plymouth Girls’ High School, has received her M.A. degree at the Toronto University, Canada. Miss Pope has had a distinguished career, being the holder of travelling scholarship in science. Since leaving New Plymouth[,] Miss Pope has been in England and Canada.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
21. ↑ Evening Post, 8 September 1925 (Vol. CX, Issue 60, pg 11). “Miss Airini Pope, holder of a Sarah Rhodes Scholarship, who has just returned from her studies in England and Canada, was welcomed back last evening by the president, Miss Hind, and members of the Wellington branch of the Federation of University Women.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
22. ↑ Evening Post, 18 December 1926 (Vol. CXII, Issue 147, pg 19). “Miss Airini Pope, M.A., M.S.C. [sic], has been appointed lecturer in chemistry, foods, and nutrition to the home science department, Otago University, and will take up her duties in February.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
23. ↑ Otago Daily Times, 14 February 1928 (Issue 20332, pg 13). “Science and Industry. Research Work in Dominion. Report by Acting Chairman. (Special to the Daily Times). Wellington, February 13. ... [in additional to several other projects:] The important questions relating to the value of various supplementary stock feeds used in the Dominion, which for some time past have engaged the attention of Dr J. Malcolm, will be continued under his direction by Miss Airini Pope, who has now taken up her duties at the Otago Medical School, and already has made a survey of all the available publications dealing with stock nutrition problems. This work will have important bearings—first, evaluating the new feeds prepared from waste products, and, secondly, in assisting those experiments such as Mr Scott, of Lincoln College, who has been dealing with animal nutrition trials.” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
24. ↑ Evening Star, 9 December 1931 (Issue 20971, pg 13). “Publication Received. ‘Domestic Science for High Schools in India.’ … by Mabel A. Needham, B.A. (London), principal of Maharani High School for Girls, Baroda, and the second part by Ann G. Strong, B.Sc. (Columbia), Dean of Home Science Faculty, University of Otago. … The second section … acknowledges … help given by [in addition to several others named:] Miss Airini Pope (Mrs Fisher), …” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
25. ↑ Evening Post, 9 August 1932 (Vol. CXIV, Issue 34, pg 11). “University Women. Social Club Report. The fifth annual report of the University Women’s Club…;” citing, amongs several others, the name of Mrs. Fisher (nee Airini Pope). Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
26. ↑ The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia), 13 June 1936 (pg 17). “6WF. (435 Metres.) … Monday. … 11: Talk, by Airini Fishere, “The Natural Diet of Man: What is It?” Digital image hosted online by the National Library of Australia at Trove, www.trove.nla.gov.au (accessed and transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
27. ↑ The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia), 22 June 1936 (pg 13). “Broadcast Programmes. Perth National. Today. … 11.00: The A.B.C. women’s session. Talk by Airini Fisher, “Scurvy—the Dread of Pacific Explorers.” Digital image hosted online by the National Library of Australia at Trove, www.trove.nla.gov.au (accessed and transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
28. ↑ The West Australian (Perth, Western Australia), 15 September 1936 (pg 4). “Women’s Service Guild.—Mrs. Airini Fisher will speak on ‘Diet, Nutrition and Income Standards’ at an educational meeting of the Perth Women’s Service Guild to be held at headquarters, National House, on Friday at 2.30 p.m.” Digital image hosted online by the National Library of Australia at Trove, www.trove.nla.gov.au (accessed and transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
29. ↑ Silver Spring, Maryland, USA, City Directory, 1960. “Airini P. (Allan G.B.) tchr Sidwell Friends School r29 Primrose (Ch Ch).” (pg 355.)
30. ↑ Evening Post, 19 October 1920 (Vol. C, Issue 95, pg 2). “Women Teachers. To the Editor. Sir,—In your last night’s issue number one, Airini Pope, speaking apparently on behalf of the Victoria University College Women’s Club, …” Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
31. ↑ Evening Post, 9 January 1930 (Vol. CIX, Issue 7, pg 13). “Weddings.” Marriage of Miss Airini Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.D. Pope, Moorhouse street, Wadestown, and Dr. A.G.B. Fisher, son of Colonel and Mrs. A.G. Fisher, Chatswood, Sydney, 8th January 1930. Digital image online at “Papers Past,” hosted by Te Puna Mãtauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand, paperspast.natlib.govt.nz (accessed, and transcribed, by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).
32. ↑ University of Reading (UK). University Museums and Special Collections Service. The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL). Documents, correspondence, and photographs pertaining to Allan and Airini Fisher. Summary online, www.reading.ac.uk/web/files/merl/D_FIS.pdf (accessed by Alison Kilpatrick, 2018-09-10).