Mellish, Edith Mary (1861–1922)

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Mellish, Edith Mary (1861–1922)

New Zealand deaconess and religious community founder. Born Mar 10, 1861, at Pailles, Moka, Mauritius; died May 25, 1922, at Christchurch, New Zealand; dau. of Edward Mellish (banker) and Ellen (Borrowes) Mellish.

Assumed Anglo-Catholic parish work at St Andrew's Deaconess Community in London, and was admitted to community (1891); chosen by bishop of London to establish religious community of women in Christchurch (Community of the Sacred Name), immigrated to New Zealand (1893); established homes for unmarried women and orphaned children (early 1900s).

See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 2).