Stewart in 2015

Dame Ellen Adrienne Stewart, Lady Stewart DNZM QSM (née Peake; born 1936) is a New Zealand arts patron.

Life and career

Ellen Adrienne Peake was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1936.[1][2] She moved to New Zealand aged 19 and first worked in Wellington and Auckland.[3] In 1958, at age 22, she started working for PDL as personal secretary to Bob Stewart, who had purchased the firm the previous year.[2]

Stewart divorced his first wife and in 1970, Ellen Adrienne Cansdale (who had by then been married before) married Bob Stewart and took on his surname.[1] The Stewarts developed PDL into one of New Zealand's best known companies, and they became major exporters. Adrienne Stewart became deeply involved in the arts sector, where she is a "patron, supporter, board member and philanthropist".[2]

Awards and honours

In the 1979 New Year Honours, her husband was appointed Knight Bachelor, and she was thus styled Adrienne, Lady Stewart.[4] In 1993, she was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.[5] In the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours, Stewart was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.[6] In the 2006 New Year Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community.[7] In 2011, she was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters (LittD) by the University of Canterbury.[3] In 2014, Stewart was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.[8] In the 2015 New Year Honours, she was appointed Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM) for services to the arts and business.[9]

Family

The Stewarts had two children; Mark James Stewart and Todd Huntly Stewart.[1] Her husband died in 2007.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Sir Robertson Huntly Stewart 1913–2007". Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Wright, Michael (31 December 2014). "A powerful force for arts by any name". The Press. p. A3. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 Lee, Francesca (15 December 2011). "Varsity acclaims women's success". The Press. p. A7.
  4. ↑ "No. 47725". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1978. p. 39.
  5. ↑ "The New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 – register of recipients". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "No. 54067". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 17 June 1995. p. 35.
  7. ↑ "New Year honours list 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  8. ↑ "Past laureates". Business Hall of Fame. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "New Year honours list 2015". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
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