Janet Hesketh
{{Short description|New Zealand women's leader}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2024}}
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Janet May Hesketh {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|QSM}} (nee Janet May Mackenzie, 23 Dec 1934 – 29 Aug 2018) was a New Zealand women's leader. In 1988 she was awarded the Queen's Service Medal, and in 1996 she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the National Council of Women (NCWNZ).
Early life and education
Hesketh was born on 23 December 1934 in Hamilton, to Lilian May Harris and electrical engineer Eric Bruce Mackenzie.{{Cite web |last=Hollingsworth |first=Randolph |date=24 September 2024 |title=NCWNZ Past President Janet Hesketh QSM, CNZM |url=https://www.ncwnz.org.nz/ncwnz_past_president_janet_hesketh |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=National Council of Women of New Zealand}}{{Cite web |title=Janet HESKETH Obituary (2018) - The Dominion Post |url=https://deaths.dompost.co.nz/nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/name/janet-hesketh-obituary?id=40580009 |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Legacy.com}}{{Cite Q|Q96247228}} She attended primary school in Nelson, and then attended Wellington East Girls' College after the family moved to Wellington in 1946. Hesketh graduated from Victoria University of Wellington in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science in geography.{{Cite web |title=NZ University Graduates 1870-1961 |url=https://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university15.html |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=shadowsoftime.co.nz}} Hesketh worked as a geography demonstrator and began studying for a master's degree. She also taught at Otago Girls' High School for a year. Hesketh did not finish her masters degree, passing her work on to others to finish when she had her first child. She had married dentist Craig Hesketh in December 1957, and they had four children together.
Work
Hesketh's husband did not want his wife to work, although she assisted in administration for his dental practice. Through her children's activities, Hesketh became involved in time-keeping and judging for water polo and swimming, and in the Mother's Union (now the Association of Anglican Women) and Girl Guides. Hesketh attended the Wellington branch meetings of NCWNZ as the representative of the Association of Anglican Women. In 1981 Hesketh became convenor of the NCWNZ Parliamentary Watch Committee, and in 1984 she was elected national secretary of NCWNZ, a position she held for four years. She was elected vice-president in 1988, and was president from 1994 to 1998, following on from Alison Roxburgh. Hesketh said later that she was expected by her family to be at home, and would not have been president of NCWNZ without having earlier separated from her husband. Hesketh attended the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women on NCWNZ's behalf. Hesketh was concerned about women's reproductive rights, violence against women and matrimonial and de facto property law.
Hesketh died on 29 August 2018, aged 83.{{Cite news |last=Manson |first=Bess |date=22 Sep 2018 |title=Council president wanted a better lot for all women |url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/waikato-times/20180922/282093457655001 |access-date=2024-11-22 |work=Waikato Times |website= |via=PressReader}}
Honours and awards
In the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours Hesketh was awarded a Queen's Service Medal for public service.{{Cite Q|Q109204996}} In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours she was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the National Council of Women.{{Cite web |date=1996-06-03 |title=The Queen's Birthday Honours List 1996 {{!}} Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-1996 |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=www.dpmc.govt.nz |language=en}}
References
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Category:New Zealand women's rights activists
Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni
Category:Recipients of the Queen's Service Medal
Category:Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit