Elizabeth Colenso

Elizabeth Colenso (; 29 August 1821 – 2 September 1904) was a missionary, teacher and Bible translator in New Zealand.

Early life Elizabeth Fairburn was born at the Church Missionary Society (CMS) station at Kerikeri, New Zealand, in 1821. She was the daughter of Sarah Tuckwell and her husband, William Fairburn.

Life with Colenso Elizabeth became fluent in Māori, and in 1840, aged 19 years, was teaching Māori children and young people at her father's mission station at Maraetai. In September 1845 Elizabeth went overland to the Rev. William Williams' mission station at Tūranga, Poverty Bay for the birth of her son Ridley Latimer (Latty). On 4 December 1863 Elizabeth accompanied Hariata and Hare Pomare as interpreter on a visit to Queen Victoria.

Having grown up speaking the Māori language from a young age, Colenso helped oversee the publication in England of a Māori language edition of the Old Testament, a lengthy undertaking which continued until the mid-1860s. She also helped prepare the revised New Testament for press, correcting the printed copy, and sometimes suggesting alternative translations.

Later life in New Zealand and the Pacific Latty entered St John's College, Cambridge in 1866, and Elizabeth and Fanny left England in October of that year, returning to Auckland by early 1867. In 1869 Elizabeth started a school for Māori children at the mission house at Paihia and kept it going until the end of 1875.

At this time, Elizabeth travelled to Norfolk Island to help in the work of the Melanesian Mission, at the request of Bishop John Selwyn. Here, she translated Christian materials into the Mota language, which was chosen as the 'lingua franca' of the Mission.

In 1879 Colenso visited New Zealand and travelled to Ōtaki to see her daughter Fanny and son-in-law, William H. Simcox. In 1891 Elizabeth again visited New Zealand; this visit also included a visit to her family in Ōtaki. In January 1895 Fanny moved to Norfolk Island.

Elizabeth retired from mission life in 1898, at the age of 76, by which time she was suffering increasing pain from rheumatism. She lived to the age of 83, dying on 2 September 1904 at Forest Lakes, Ōtaki.