Trailblazers: Aunt Daisy

Aunt Daisy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment and broadcasting in 1959.

AUNT DAISY Broadcaster 1879-1963

New Zealand's 'First Lady of Radio'

Born in London as Maud Ruby Taylor, New Zealand's "First Lady of Radio" is better known as Aunt Daisy.

She relocated to New Zealand with her mother in 1891 and enrolled as a trainee teacher when aged 16.

But it was on our airwaves where Aunty Daisy left her mark on New Zealand society. Her first involvement with broadcasting was via singing on Auckland's 1YA radio station, before getting her own shows in the early to mid 1920s.

By 1929 she was fulltime on 2YA, before being laid off two years later due to public service regulations, which meant stations could only have one woman on full-time staff — an archaic rule aimed at providing more work for men.

In 1933, Aunt Daisy began a daily morning show — which she fronted until her death in 1963 — including her famous welcome message of: "Good morning, good morning everybody."

During World War II, her popularity saw the government send her off to Navy, Air Force and Army bases offshore; both to visit New Zealand servicewomen and to report back on them for her radio show.

Aunt Daisy was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment and broadcasting in 1959.

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