Kate Sheppard (1847–1934)
Where can I find information about Kate Sheppard?
(Years 7-10)
Image: Kate Wilson Sheppard by W Sidney Smith. Collection: Alexander Turnbull Library [cropped from original]
Entry last updated: 30/09/25
Introduction
Kate Sheppard was born in England on 10 March 1847. She and her family moved to New Zealand in the late 1860s. Kate was a founding member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in New Zealand. She was also a leader of the New Zealand Women's Suffrage movement. She also fought for women to have equal rights in education and employment.
New Zealand websites
These will help you to find information on the life and achievements of Kate Sheppard.
NZ History is a great website for information about Aotearoa New Zealand. If we go all the way down the page, we can see that the website belongs to the Ministry for Culture & Heritage. This means that the information is well-researched and reliable.
Enter 'Kate Sheppard' in the search box.
The article Kate Sheppard has information about her life and the suffragists.
To find information about Kate Sheppard and the suffrage movement:
Go to the home page to select Women, the vote and activism.
Look for Women and the vote to read how Kate Sheppard led the movement to victory in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Use this page to find other related information on the suffrage movement, such as the Temperance movement.
Look at Suffragist or Suffragette? to find out the difference between the two words.
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (DNZB)
DNZB is part of Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. It contains over 3,000 biographies of New Zealanders who have ‘made their mark’ on this country. It does not include people who are alive. DNZB belongs to the Ministry for Culture & Heritage, so the information is well-researched and reliable.
Enter the keywords 'Kate Sheppard' to begin searching.
Choose the entry Katherine Wilson Sheppard to read about her life as a suffrage activist, writer, speaker, and founder of the WCTU in New Zealand.
Tips: We like sites like this because they’re reliable. You can tell because of their web address. They have either .govt or .ac, meaning they are from government or educational organisations. They’re also New Zealand sites, so relevant for us.
This website from Christchurch City Libraries has lots of pages on the history of Aotearoa New Zealand. It also has information about famous people like Kate Sheppard, who lived in Christchurch.
Go to Explore, then under Subject Guides, select People.
Look down the page to find the letter S, then choose the article Kate Sheppard 1847 – 1934.
Make sure you explore all the links under Recommended resources to learn more about this topic.
Tips: Many web pages have links to further information or to other recommended sites. Following these links is a great way to find out more.
This website promotes New Zealand overseas. Part of this is acknowledging famous New Zealanders and their achievements.
Enter 'Kate Sheppard' into the search box.
The article Kate Sheppard has information and photographs that cover her life as a leader and a source of inspiration.
Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the company’s mission and values are.
This website is an online showcase of New Zealand television, film and music videos. It is managed by the Digital Media Trust and funded by New Zealand On Air.
Enter the keywords 'Kate Sheppard' to find the video What Really Happened - Votes for Women.
This 70-minute docudrama is about Kate Sheppard and the suffrage campaign.
The historical settings and costumes will give you a good idea of what life was like in the late 1800s and how hard it was to change the political system.
EPIC resources
EPIC is a collection of online resources that have been put together especially for New Zealand school students.
This EPIC site is an online version of Encyclopedia Britannica. It covers history, geography, social sciences, and science topics including biographies. It has an article about Kate Sheppard, and early suffragists and activists.
Enter the keywords 'Kate Sheppard' into the search box.
The article Kate Sheppard (New Zealand activist) has information about her and women's rights in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Use the navigator on the left to move up or down a level if you need to.
Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.
This EPIC site includes information about all types of world-famous people from all walks of life.
Enter the keywords 'Kate Sheppard' into the search box.
The article Katherine Wilson Sheppard has information about her life and role in the New Zealand suffrage movement.
Tips: Search words, or keywords, are the most important words in our question. Usually it’s better to leave out small words like ‘the’, ‘a’ and ‘of’ and just choose the main ones, eg 'Kate Sheppard'. We can always change our keywords or add more if we need to.
This is the online collection of the New Zealand Geographic magazine. It has articles on all aspects of New Zealand life from the natural environment to history and culture.
Enter 'Kate Sheppard' into the search box.
Read A leap into the light. This is an in-depth article about how New Zealand became the first country in the world to allow women to vote in the General Elections.
Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.
Books
There are lots of books about New Zealand history and society which include chapters or articles about Kate Sheppard and the women's suffrage movement. Check with your school or local public library to see what they have.
Here are some recommended titles:
Kate Sheppard by Kevin Boon
Kate Sheppard : a biography : the fight for women's votes in New Zealand : the life of the woman who led the struggle by Judith Devaliant
Kate Sheppard: leading the way for women by Maria Gill
Votes for women: the story of Kate Sheppard and Richard Seddon by Vanessa York
SCIS no: 1987121
Topics covered
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