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Born into a landed family, in Christchurch, in 1873, Effie Julia Margaret CARDALE was, throughout her life, a member of the congregation of St. Michael’s and All Angel’s Church. It was through seeking out new arrivals in the parish and discovering cases of sickness and need that Effie was introduced to her life’s activity; social work.

Among the positions which Effie held were those of Inspector for and Secretary to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Women and Children and Secretary-visitor to the Mayor’s Coal and Blanket Fund.

Effie was ‘slight, intensely energetic and observant’. She struck fear into many, including the vicars at St. Michael’s. She lacked social graces, dressed dowdily and lived frugally. Children in St. Michael’s congregation noted her appearance. They also knew vaguely that she dealt with such foreign and repellent subjects as domestic violence, poverty,
unemployment, overcrowding and unmarried mothers. Thus they chose to sit as far away from her as possible.

For a long period Effie paid for two children in adverse circumstances to attend St. Michael’s Church Day School. At her death, she left most of her substantial estate to the church. To this day the Cardale Assistance allows needy children to attend the school.

Many people thought Effie super-efficient. A verse in the 1936 book In the Public Eye runs thus:

When erring folk you wish to help
and do not know what to do
Just telephone Miss Cardale
and she will do the rest.

For her work, Effie was awarded the MBE in 1949. She died on 19th October 1960 and is buried in Block 17 Plot 183SS of the cemetery.

Additional Information can be found at:

Glennys Ward. ‘Cardale, Effie Julia Margaret – Cardale, Effie Julia Margaret’, from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 6-Jun-2013

Sands

Tennant, M (2007). The Fabric of Welfare : Voluntary Organisations, Government and Welfare in New Zealand, 1840-2005. Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books.

Gale Group. (2006). Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. Michigan, USA  :Gale and Yorkin Publications broke new ground with the publication of the Dartmouth Medal-winning set, Women in World History. Now, with the release of Dictionary of Women Worldwide, Gale is again teaming with Yorkin Publications to offer something similarly extraordinary.

Grave plot photos from Sarndra Lees

Linwood Cemetery Tour Guide, CCC, 2003

Photo of Effie Julia Margaret Cardale. New Zealand Free Lance : Photographic prints and negatives. Ref: PAColl-6203-42. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. http://natlib.govt.nz/records/23053858

Updated by Alexandra, 2 Aug 2013