Elsie Andrews
# Elsie Andrews

Elsie Euphemia Andrews MBE (23 December 1888 – 26 August 1948) was a New Zealand teacher and community leader.

She was born in Huirangi, Taranaki, New Zealand, on 23 December 1888. Her parents were John Andrews and his wife, Emily Young, who both came from Taranaki pioneering families. Elsie Andrews was the only one of twelve siblings who attended secondary school; she received her education at Huirangi School and with the help of a scholarship, she went on to New Plymouth High School. When she failed entrance examinations to both university and teachers' college, she became a pupil-teacher at Waitara School. After completing her training, she moved around various rural schools before getting a permanent position at New Plymouth's Fitzroy School.

She unsuccessfully contested the New Plymouth electorate in the 1935 election as an Independent; she was one of only three women who stood for election that year.

In the 1938 King's Birthday Honours, Andrews was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Andrews died on 26 August 1948 at New Plymouth, having never married.

