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Lyra Taylor

1894 – 1979

New Zealand lawyer and social worker

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About Lyra Taylor

Lived 1894 – 1979 (aged 84–85). Lyra Taylor was an Australian social worker and civil servant.

Lyra Veronica Esmeralda Taylor (11 July 1894 – 23 March 1979) was a New Zealand lawyer and social worker. She spent much of her career in Australia.

Taylor was born on 11 July 1894 in Stratford, New Zealand. She was one of four children of Robert Taylor, a farmer from England, and his New Zealand-born wife Mary, née Morrison. One of her siblings was Clara Taylor, who became a science teacher in England. Another sister, Portia, became a doctor in England, and Taylor's only brother became a barrister.

Taylor studied law at the Victoria University of Wellington, and was "called to the bar" in 1918, the first woman to be a barrister in Wellington.

In early 1940 Taylor was appointed general secretary of the Y.W.C.A. in New South Wales. In 1944 she started work with the Australian Department of Social Services. Taylor was sent on a 10 month study tour of England, Canada and the United States sponsored by the Carnegie Trust.

Taylor was a founding member of the Australian Association of Social Workers.

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
1979
Nationality
Education
Victoria University of Wellington
Awards
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Lyra Veronica Esmeralda Taylor

People in Lyra Taylor's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Lyra Taylor's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Lyra Taylor?

New Zealand lawyer and social worker

When was Lyra Taylor born?

Lyra Taylor was born on 11 July 1894.

When did Lyra Taylor die?

Lyra Taylor died in 1979.

What was Lyra Taylor's occupation?

Lyra Taylor was a social worker and civil servant.

What nationality was Lyra Taylor?

Lyra Taylor was Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Lyra Taylor

· Wikidata: Q18715800

· DBpedia: Lyra Taylor

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lyra Taylor. https://biography.guide/lyra-taylor/

MLA: "Lyra Taylor." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lyra-taylor/.

Chicago: "Lyra Taylor." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lyra-taylor/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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