Pedersen, Anna Arnolda
Description
Anna Pederson was born in Norway in 1891 and came to New Zealand as a teenager. She was married to Jens Bjorvik for a short time but reverted to her original name. In the 1920s she owned a dress shop and worked as a dressmaker but from 1929 to 1945 she ran the Seaman's Rest at New Plymouth's port. The Seaman's Rest was built by James Holmes, Anna's sister's husband and it was here she acted as an interpreter for Scandinavian seamen and was like a mother to a number of lonely sailors from around the world. In 1945 she retired to Christchurch where she took the position of housekeeper at Jedburg Sheep Station. Anna died in Christchurch in 1988 at the age of 98.
The collection consists of photos of Anna, her family and the Seaman's Rest, New Plymouth; research notes compiled by Floss Lambert and Kathy Terry (including a letter from her brother relating stories of Anna and their mother who were sisters); two British passports and one New Zealand passport belonging to Anna complete with certificates of vaccination, an autograph book dated 1936-45; a Nowegian hymn book; and Anna's diary from 1937.
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Object detail
Folder
1. Transcripts of articles in Taranaki Herald, 'Seaman’s Rest Mart for Funds' 19 October 1937 and 'Seaman's Rest' 19 August 1937.
2. 1937 Whitcombs New Zealand Diary, short daily entries.
3. Two British Passports, issued 1939 and 1957, and one New Zealand Passport, issued 1966.
4. Autograph book, numerous entries 1936 - 1945.
5. Letters to Sara Jimila Rixon (Pedersen's sister) from the Norwegian vice Consulate and Norwegian Consulate General expressing gratitude for the hospitality displayed to Norwegian nationals in the Lyttelton and Christchurch areas.
6. New Zealand Department of Health, International Certificate of Vaccination, 1966.
7. Port of Genoa, Notice to Seamen, 11 March 1967.
8. Death notice and funeral arrangements, 10 August 1988.
9. Letter to Kathy Terry from the Foundation of the Blind acknowledging a donation on behalf of Anna Pedersen (a sum of $15,000).
10. Norwegian Hymn Book.
11. Five undated newspaper clippings, four relating to the appeal for funds for the Seaman’s Rest and one being a short biography on Pedersen.
12. Family tree for Pedersen sisters - Paula, Anna and Sara.
13. Letter written to Kathy Terry from Dave Holmes containing information about Pedersen.
14. Photographs:
- Miscellaneous.
- Rixon.
- Family and Seaman's Rest.
- Anna Pedersen.
- Uncle 'Russian Jack'.
- Vehicles.
- Large miscellaneous.
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