Stella Henderson

Stella May Henderson Allan
Henderson at the time of her graduation in 1893
Born	25 October 1871 Kaiapoi, New Zealand
Died	1 March 1962 Melbourne, Australia
Alma mater	Canterbury College
Known for	First woman Parliamentary newspaper reporter in New Zealand
Spouse	Edwin Frank Allan
Children	four daughters
Relatives	Elizabeth McCombs (sister); Christina Henderson (sister)

Stella May Henderson Allan (25 October 1871 – 1 March 1962) was a New Zealand feminist, university graduate and journalist. She was a founding member in 1896 of the National Council of Women of New Zealand and later of the National Council of Women of Australia. She was the first woman parliamentary reporter for a major New Zealand newspaper.^[1]

Stella moved to Australia in 1903 with her husband, who became employed by the Melbourne Argus. In 1907 the newspaper commissioned Allan to write articles for the Australian Women's Work Exhibition in October, the first of its kind. She adopted the pen name "Vesta" and began writing a column for the paper called "Women to Women", spanning a whole range of women's issues and community welfare. She succeeded Ada Cambridge as president of the Women Writers' Club, and in 1912 she helped found the Lyceum Club, later becoming its president.^[2]

In 1939 Henderson retired to England and wrote for The Argus on women's and children's experiences of World War II. In 1947 she returned to Melbourne and lived there until her death in 1962. Several of Henderson's siblings were also notable, Elizabeth became New Zealand's first woman Member of Parliament, and Christina was a teacher and social activist.