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Eva Edwards

From Journal of Pacific Adventist History.

Edwards, Eva Elizabeth (1884–1981)

By Olga Ward

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Olga Ward, M.A. (La Sierra University, California), retired in 2000 as lecturer at Pacific Adventist University in Papua New Guinea. Born in New Zealand of Australian parents, Ward has spent most of her working years as an educator in overseas countries. She currently occupies her time volunteering in various capacities. She is married to Martin and they have four children, eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

First Published: January 28, 2020

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Eva Edwards was a teacher in Australia and New Zealand and a missionary to Tonga and Fiji.

Early Experiences

Eva Elizabeth Edwards was born in Auckland, New Zealand on August 24, 1884.1 In 1887 her recently widowed mother attended tent meetings in Auckland held by Pastor A. G. Daniels. Her mother was so impressed with the messages he presented that she was later baptized and became a charter member of the Ponsonby church. When Eva was eight years old, she attended the Napier camp meeting and heard Ellen G. White speak. Later that year Eva, her mother, and sister moved to Victoria, Australia where they were able to attend more camp meetings. As an eleven-year old, Eva was baptized, but later in her teens she felt that she hadn’t fully understood the meaning of baptism and was rebaptized.2

Early Work

In 1903, while studying at Avondale, nineteen-year-old Eva was employed by Pastor J. E. Fulton to help his wife in their house. One year later she went with the Fulton family to live and work in Fiji. She first worked with Louis Currow, who operated treatment rooms,3 then with the Indian women. A few months later she moved back with the Fulton family to operate the printing press. When the Fulton family moved from Suva to Buresala Eva was with them and became interested in teaching.4 At the end of 1905 the Fulton family returned to Australia accompanied by Eva who was suffering from a tropical ulcer. While receiving treatment, she studied at Avondale College so she could graduate in 1907 from the Business Course5 and in 1909 as a teacher.6 For six months Eva taught Grades 4-6 at the Avondale school.7

Mission Work

Eva completed 1910 at Nuku’alofa, Tonga and continued teaching at the school for another year.8 Not until 1927 did Eva have the opportunity for more overseas work.

Employment in Australia and New Zealand

For the next two years Eva was involved in church school work in various places. She began 1912 by teaching in Murgon, Queensland,9 and later taught in Pukukera, New Zealand.10 In 1914 she was employed as the Sabbath School leader at the Australasian Union.11 At the end of that year Eva returned to church headquarters in New Zealand where she was in charge of Sabbath School work for three years.12

In 1918 Eva became the preceptress and matron at Longburn College (North New Zealand Missionary School). Five years later she was transferred to Carmel College (Western Australian Missionary School).13

Further Overseas Work

In 1927 Eva returned to Fiji where she worked until the end of 1929.14 For a short time in 1930, Eva engaged in Sabbath School work in the South New South Wales Conference based in Sydney,15 but then returned to Fiji where she worked in various schools until 1937.16 The following two years she worked specifically with the Indian girls in Fiji.17 In 1941 Fulton College opened and Eva spent eight years working there.18 In 1949 and 1950 Eva worked at Fiji Mission Headquarters.

Retirement

In 1951 Eva retired and returned to Australia. When the Charles Harrison Home at Cooranbong, New South Wales was built Eva was the first resident19 and remained there until her death on June 2, 1981.20

Sources

“Actions Taken by the Union Conference Council Held at Wahroonga, New South Wales, September 23 to October 3, 1913,” Australasian Record, October 13, 1913

Craig, R. D. “Turning the Sod Ceremony.” Australasian Record, August 18, 1969.

Dyason, Arthur P. “Eva Elizabeth Edwards obituary.” Australasian Record, August 17, 1981.

Dyason, Arthur P. and W. G. Ferris. “Life Sketch of Miss Eva Edwards.” Australasian Record, August 17, 1981.

Edwards, Eva E. “General Meeting at Fulton Missionary College.” Australasian Record, September 24, 1945.

Edwards, Eva E. “Indian Girls’ School Fiji.” Australasian Record, April 25, 1938.

Edwards, Eva E. “New Zealand School Closing Exercises.” Australasian Record, February 24, 1913.

Edwards, Eva E. “Pioneering in Many Places.” Australasian Record, April 13, 1970.

Edwards, Eva E. “Slang in our Church School.” Australasian Record, June 24, 1912

Edwards, Eva E. “The Three R’s.” Australasian Record, June 3, 1912.

Edwards, Eva E. “Union Conference Session, Sabbath School September 13, 1930.” Australasian Record, October 6, 1930.

Eva Elizabeth Edwards Biographical Records. South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives. Folder: “Edwards, Eva Elizabeth.” Document: “Biographical Information Blank, Received February 26, 1946.”

Litster, W. Glynn. ”Avondale’s Pioneer Women Missionaries.” In Avondale and the South Pacific, 100 Years of Mission, edited by Barry D. Oliver, Alex Currie and Doug Robertson, 51-66. Cooranbong, New South Wales: Avondale Academic Press, 1997.

”Miss Eva Edwards . . .” Australasian Record, December 13, 1926.

”Miss Eva Edwards . . .” Australasian Record, April 6, 1931.

Oliver, Barry D., Alex Currie and Doug Robertson, editors. Avondale and the South Pacific, 100 Years of Mission. Cooranbong, NSW: Avondale Academic Press, 1997.

Pascoe, W. H. “North New Zealand Conference.” Australasian Record, October 12, 1914.

Showe, C. H. “Closing Exercises of the Avondale School.” Union Conference Record, November 4, 1907.

”Since reporting the opening . . .” Australasian Record, March 11, 1912.

”Sister Eva Edwards . . .” Australasian Record, December 4, 1911.

“Sister Eva Edwards . . .” Australasian Record, March 11, 1929.

Notes

  1. Eva E[lizabeth] Edwards, “Pioneering in Many Places,” Australasian Record, April 13, 1970, 10.↩

  2. Ibid.↩

  3. W. Glynn Litster, ”Avondale’s Pioneer Women Missionaries,” in Avondale and the South Pacific, 100 Years of Mission, ed. Barry D. Oliver, Alex Currie and Doug Robertson (Cooranbong, New South Wales: Avondale Academic Press, 1997,) 55.↩

  4. Ibid.↩

  5. C. H. Showe, “Closing Exercises of the Avondale School,” Union Conference Record, November 4, 1907, 7.↩

  6. Eva Elizabeth Edwards Biographical Records; South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives; Folder: “Edwards, Eva Elizabeth;” Document: “Biographical Information Blank, Received February 26, 1946.”↩

  7. Eva E[lizabeth] Edwards, “Pioneering in Many Places,” Australasian Record, April 13, 1970, 10.↩

  8. ”Sister Eva Edwards . . . ,” Australasian Record, December 4, 1911, 8.↩

  9. ”Since reporting the opening . . . ,” Australasian Record, March 11, 1912, 8.↩

  10. Eva E[lizabeth] Edwards, “New Zealand School Closing Exercises,” Australasian Record, February 24, 1913, 4.↩

  11. “Actions Taken by the Union Conference Council Held at Wahroonga, New South Wales, September 23 to October 3, 1913,” Australasian Record, October 13, 1913, 4.↩

  12. W. H. Pascoe, “North New Zealand Conference,” Australasian Record, October 12, 1914, 18.↩

  13. Eva Elizabeth Edwards Biographical Records; South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives; Folder: “Edwards, Eva Elizabeth;” Document: “Biographical Information Blank, Received February 26, 1946.”↩

  14. ”Miss Eva Edwards . . . ,” Australasian Record, December 13, 1926, 8.↩

  15. Eva Elizabeth Edwards Biographical Records; South Pacific Division of the General Conference Archives; Folder: “Edwards, Eva Elizabeth;” Document: “Biographical Information Blank, Received February 26, 1946.”↩

  16. ”Miss Eva Edwards . . . ,” Australasian Record, April 6, 1931, 8.↩

  17. Eva E[lizabeth] Edwards, “Indian Girls’ School Fiji,” Australasian Record, April 25, 1938, 3.↩

  18. W. Glynn Litster, ”Avondale’s Pioneer Women Missionaries,” in Avondale and the South Pacific, 100 Years of Mission, ed. Barry D. Oliver, Alex Currie and Doug Robertson (Cooranbong, New South Wales: Avondale Academic Press, 1997), 57.↩

  19. Arthur P Dyason and W G Ferris, “Life Sketch of Miss Eva Edwards,” Australasian Record, August 17, 1981, 12.↩

  20. Arthur P Dyason, “Eva Elizabeth Edwards obituary,” Australasian Record, August 17, 1981, 14.↩

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Ward, Olga. "Edwards, Eva Elizabeth (1884–1981)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 28, 2020. Accessed June 18, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=87VL.

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Ward, Olga. "Edwards, Eva Elizabeth (1884–1981)." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 28, 2020. Date of access June 18, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=87VL.

Copy to clipboard Download Word File

Ward, Olga (2020, January 28). Edwards, Eva Elizabeth (1884–1981). Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved June 18, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=87VL.

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