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Joan Donley papers.

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-Archives-2007/15

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of material on the development of midwifery in New Zealand, including official papers and background, and a large amount of Joan Donley's personal papers and clipping files.

Dates

  • 1933 - 2003

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

RESTRICTED: Access subject to review of individual files by the Special Collections Manager.

Biographical / Historical

Joan Donley was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada in 1916. She immigrated to New Zealand in 1964 with her husband and five children. In 1972 at the age of 56, Joan who had been a nurse since 1938, undertook midwifery training at St Helen's Hospital in Auckland. In 1974 Joan commenced domiciliary midwifery practice providing home birth services in Auckland. Joan played a major leadership role throughout all aspects of midwifery in New Zealand by motivating midwives to take control of midwifery and supporting consumers to fight for the home birth option. She initiated founding of the Home Birth Association in Auckland in 1978, the Domiciliary Midwives Society (Inc.) and the New Zealand College of Midwives.

Joan was awarded an OBE in 1989 for her services to midwifery, she died on 4 December 2005 aged 89.

Reference: Obituary: Joan Donley, New Zealand Herald, 17 December 2005.

Extent

22.5 metres (45 cartons)

Language of Materials

English

Location

In off-site storage. Expect delay of 12-24 hours from time of order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Collection donated by Dee Pigneguy in 2005.

General

NRAM Y4708.

Title
Inventory of the papers of Joan Donley (1916-2005), 1933-2003.
Status
Completed
Author
Katie Johnston and Stephen Innes
Date
2008
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections, University of Auckland Repository

Contact:
5 Alfred Street
Private Bag 92019
Auckland 1142 New Zealand