Elizabeth Ann Louisa Mackay

Elizabeth Ann Louisa Mackay (23 January 1843 - 24 August 1908) was a New Zealand farmer, community leader, inventor, and feminist. Born and raised in Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, England, Elizabeth traveled alone, while pregnant, to Nelson, New Zealand, where she met Robert Mackay, her husband. Elizabeth actively engaged with the community and had a reputation for being outspoken, independent, and innovative. She died on 24 August 1908. Despite her memorable character, her inventions were forgotten over time and she is little-known today.

Biography Elizabeth Ann Louisa Mackay was originally Elizabeth Ann Budge. She was born on 23 January 1843 in Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire, England. She was the daughter of Matthew Budge, a laborer, and Ann Church. In this community, she was reputed to be carrying around a gun, was called “Ma Mackay” by the town’s residents, and continuously called for improvements in town infrastructure such as roads, fencing, and beautifying the cemetery. Her invention, which essentially combined a saucepan and colander, reflected Elizabeth’s pride in living in a “nice home fit for anything”. However, after the acceptance of her first patent, little is known about its development, and its record has virtually disappeared.