Emily Siedeberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emily Siedeberg
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| Born | 17 February 1873 Clyde, New Zealand
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| Died | 13 June 1968 (aged 95) Oamaru, New Zealand
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| Alma mater | University of Otago |
| Occupation | Medical practitioner |
| Known for | First female medical graduate in New Zealand |
| Spouse(s) |
James McKinnon
(m. 1928; died 1949) |
Emily Hancock Siedeberg-McKinnon (born February 17, 1873 – died June 13, 1968) was a doctor and hospital leader from New Zealand. She made history by becoming the first woman in New Zealand to graduate as a doctor.
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Her Early Life and Becoming a Doctor
Emily was born in 1873 in Clyde, New Zealand. Her parents were Anna Thompson and Franz David Siedeberg. Her father was an architect who also worked in mining. When Emily was three, her family moved to Dunedin. Her father became a successful building contractor there.
Emily went to the Normal School and then to Otago Girls' High School. She was a very good student and earned a scholarship. From a young age, her father wanted her to become a doctor, and she agreed.
Her father encouraged her to study medicine. In 1891, she became the first woman to join the medical school at the University of Otago. The head of the school, John Scott, was not sure about letting a woman in. But the university council decided that the school should be open to everyone, men and women. Emily faced some challenges, but it was easier for her than for women trying to study medicine in other countries. Her journey became even easier when Margaret Cruickshank joined her in her second year.
Emily graduated from the University of Otago Medical School in 1896. After graduating, she studied more about childbirth, women's health, and children's diseases. She did this in Dublin and Berlin.
Working as a Doctor and Hospital Leader
After her extra training and work overseas, Emily became a registered doctor. She opened her own private practice in Dunedin, with help from her father.
In 1905, she was chosen to be the Medical Superintendent at St. Helens Hospital in Dunedin. This meant she was in charge of the hospital's medical services. She worked there until 1938.
Dr. Siedeberg also spent a lot of time helping her community. She was a founding member of the Dunedin branch of the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children in 1899. This group worked to protect women and children. She was the president of this group in Dunedin from 1933 to 1948. Later, she became an honorary life president in 1949.
Groups Emily Helped Start
Emily Siedeberg was a founding member of many important groups. These groups often worked to support women and improve society:
- Otago University Women's Association
- New Zealand Federation of University Women
- The Townswomen's Guild
- Delegate to the first Pan-Pacific Women's Conference
- National Council of Women of New Zealand (Dunedin branch) (1918)
- New Zealand Medical Women's Association (founded in 1921), where she was the first president
- Otago Pioneer Women's Memorial Association
Her Personal Life
Emily married James Alexander McKinnon in Los Angeles on October 8, 1928. After her marriage, she was known as Emily H. Siedeberg-McKinnon. They did not have any children. James died in 1949.
In 1924, Emily Siedeberg-McKinnon helped deliver Janet Frame, who later became a famous New Zealand author.
Emily Siedeberg died on June 13, 1968, at the age of 95. She passed away in Oamaru, New Zealand.
Awards and Recognition
Emily Siedeberg received many awards for her important work.
- In 1929, she was given a life membership of the New Zealand Branch of the British Medical Association.
- In 1939, she received a life membership of the New Zealand Registered Nurses' Association.
- She was awarded a King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.
- In 1949, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was a high honour given for her services in medicine and for helping women.
To remember her, a street in Dunedin was named Emily Siedeberg Place in 1993. Another street, Siedeberg Drive, in Auckland, was also named after her. In 2017, she was chosen as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "150 women in 150 words". This celebrated the important contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.
