Monica Romaine Brewster (née Govett; 10 February 1886 – 13 December 1973) was a New Zealand arts patron and women's rights advocate. She is best known as the founding benefactor of the

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is a contemporary art museum at New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in ...

Early life

Born on 10 February 1886 in

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

, New Zealand, she was the youngest of four daughters. Her father was Clement Govett, barrister and founder of the Govett-Quilliam law firm. Her paternal grandfather was Henry Govett, vicar of St Mary's Church and first archdeacon of Taranaki. Her mother was Frances Elizabeth Atkinson. Brewster's maternal grandfather was

Harry Atkinson Sir Harry Albert Atkinson (1 November 1831 – 28 June 1892) served as the tenth Prime Minister of New Zealand, premier of New Zealand on four separate occasions in the late 19th century, and was Minister of Finance (New Zealand), Colonial Tr ...

, Premier of New Zealand for five terms during 1876 to 1891. She attended Wanganui Girls' College, and Chetwode School in New Plymouth. She married Rex Carrington Brewster at

Wanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest nav ...

on 21 September 1920. A doctor, he had served as a medical officer with the New Zealand Medical Corps in Palestine during World War I, and was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

in February 1918. His grandfather was the surveyor Octavius Carrington, who was the brother of

Frederic Carrington Frederic Alonzo Carrington (11 October 1807 – 15 July 1901) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician and surveyor. He is regarded as the Father of New Plymouth. Carrington was born in Chelmsford, Essex, England, in 1807, the son of Captain ...

, regarded as the "father of New Plymouth".

Career

With a privileged background and as a major benefactor of her father's estate (her parents died in 1914 and 1918), Brewster had the means to pursue her interests in travel, the arts and culture. Brewster was active in the Taranaki Women's Club, established in 1926, becoming president in 1931. She was a representative on the National Council of Women and helped found the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust. In 1939, in the months preceding World War II, Brewster and her friend, Elsie Andrews, courted controversy when they publicly declared that they were

conscientious objector A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of conscience or religion. The term has also been extended to objecting to working for the military–indu ...

s. Rex Brewster died in 1952 and the couple did not have any children. In 1962, she transferred £50,000 by trust deed to New Plymouth Council to establish an art gallery. The then-unused Regent cinema building in Queen Street was purchased and the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery was opened in 1970. Brewster later gifted $72,000 to create a collection. Brewster died of pneumonia on 13 December 1973, and her ashes were buried at Te Henui Cemetery.

Legacy

The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery continues as a successful and well-regarded contemporary art gallery. In 2015, a cafe at the Gallery was opened and named "Monica's Eatery" after Brewster. The Gallery also holds monthly events featuring artists speaking on their work, which are called "Monica Brewster Evenings".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewster, Monica 1973 deaths 1886 births New Zealand conscientious objectors Burials at Te Henui Cemetery People from Taranaki Atkinson–Hursthouse–Richmond family Deaths from pneumonia in New Zealand People educated at Whanganui Girls' College