GARD'NER, (Miss) "Nora" (Eleanor) c.1830–c.1924

Born in London, daughter of Richard Gard'ner. In 1837, when she was about six years old, George Richmond the noted English portrait painter, painted the group of Gard'ner children. Probably in 1880, when her younger brother Maitland brought his wife and children to Christchurch, she and her younger sister “Mima” accompanied them. In 1881 the two sisters were among those who signed the constitution drawn up for the newly founded CSA, but they seem to have left New Zealand before the first show. They returned to England, travelled a lot in Europe, then came back about 1886 to live in Armagh Street Christchurch. Their sketch books show that between 1886–90 they sketched in Canterbury, Otago and Southland. They died in about 1924 within three weeks of each other. Nora Gard'ner's sketches of Sumner in the 1880s are especially of interest. Exhibited: CSA c.1886–1923.