Tasker, Marianne Allen (1852–1911)
Tasker, Marianne Allen (1852–1911)
New Zealand domestic servant, feminist, and trade unionist. Name variations: Marianne Allen Manchester. Born Marianne Allen Manchester, Nov 13, 1852, in Sussex, England; died Feb 4, 1911, in Wellington, New Zealand; dau. of James (shoemaker) and Matilda (Gillet) Manchester; m. John Tasker (clerk), 1874 (died 1910); children: 5 daughters, 2 sons.
Immigrated to New Zealand (1871); broke from Women's Social and Political League (WSPL) and formed Women's Democratic Union (WDU), which worked to better women's position in society through legislative reform and education (1895); founded Wellington branch of New Zealand Workers' Union and proposed separate division for women workers (1895); tried unsuccessfully to establish domestic workers' union (1906); served as president of WSPL (1911).
See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 2).