Leonard Isitt (minister)

The Reverend Leonard Isitt
Isitt in 1911
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Christchurch North
In office 1911–1925
Preceded by	Tommy Taylor
Succeeded by	Henry Holland
New Zealand Legislative Councillor
In office 28 October 1925 – 29 July 1937†
Appointed by	Gordon Coates
Personal details
Born	(1855-01-04)4 January 1855 Bedford, England
Died	29 July 1937(1937-07-29) (aged 82) Christchurch, New Zealand
Resting place	Linwood Cemetery
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Agnes Caverhill
Relations	Frank Isitt (brother) Kate Isitt (niece)
Children	2 inc. Sir Leonard Isitt
Profession	Minister of religion

Rev. Leonard Monk Isitt (4 January 1855 – 29 July 1937) was a Member of Parliament of the New Zealand Liberal Party.^[1] He was a Methodist minister and an advocate of prohibition (temperance), in association with Tommy Taylor and his brother, Rev. Frank Isitt.^[1]

He was born in Bedford, England, in 1855. His parents were James Isitt, a butcher, and Rebecca Isitt (née Cole). He lost his father at age two and his mother when he was twelve. He was educated at Bedford Modern School.^[1][2] His brother Frank emigrated to New Zealand in 1870 as a Methodist minister, and in 1875, Leonard Isitt followed him.^[3] His brother's daughter, Kate Isitt, later worked for him as his private secretary.

Leonard Isitt took over Taylor's parliamentary electorate of Christchurch North in a 1911 by-election after Tommy Taylor died. He held the seat, first as an Independent then as a Liberal until he retired in 1925.^[4]

Isitt was a member of the Legislative Council from 1925 to his death in 1937.^[5] Isitt and George Witty were both appointed to the Legislative Council by Gordon Coates on 28 October 1925; shortly before the 1925 election on 4 November. Both were Liberals but their retirement removed "a source of some bitterness from the Party’s ranks".^[6] Gordon Coates was Reform, and both of their former seats went to Reform candidates.

After Witty, Henry Holland of the Reform Party represented the Christchurch North electorate.

In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.^[7]

Isitt married Agnes Caverhill on 14 May 1881 at New Plymouth. Her parents were Frances and John Caverhill.^[8] They had two sons and one daughter. Frances^[a] Isitt (1889–1960) was their eldest child. Sir Leonard Isitt (1891–1976) became a prominent Air Force commander.^[9] Willard Isitt (1894–1916), a rifleman in the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, was killed during World War I in France on 31 October 1916.^[10] Their daughter was the mother to Sir Leonard Thornton who became Chief of Defence Staff for the New Zealand Defence Force.^[11]

Leonard Isitt died on 29 July 1937 in Christchurch and was buried at Linwood Cemetery.^[12] His wife died a year later at their residence in Cashmere.^[13]

• Bassett, Michael (1982). Three party politics in New Zealand, 1911–1931. Auckland: Historical Publications. ISBN 0-86870-006-1.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

• Isitt, Leonard M. (1891–1904), [Leonard M. Isitt: prohibition leader], n.p.: n.p.^[a]
• Diggens, Canon, ed. (1895), Gothic gossip: a medley of fact, fiction and fun, n.p.: L.M. Isitt and P.F. Peirson^[b]
• Isitt, Leonard M. (1908), The liberty of the subject, Christchurch: L.M. Isitt Book Depot. ; Fraser^[c]
• Isitt, Leonard M. (1914), Bible in schools: extract from a speech by Mr. L.M. Isitt, at Rugby Street Schoolroom on Nov. 18th, 1914, Christchurch: Lyttelton Times
• Isitt, Leonard M. (1919), Two lectures, Christchurch: L.M. Isitt Ltd.^[d]
• Isitt, Leonard M. (c. 1924), Kahu, a Maori boy, Wellington: L.M. Isitt Ltd.
• Isitt, Leonard M. (c. 1925), Five reasons for supporting the Bible in Schools Bill, Wellington: Isitt-Wildey Print
• Isitt, Leonard M. (1925), Religious exercises in schools: a bill intituled: an act to provide for the performance of certain religious exercises in schools, Wellington: Isitt-Wildey Print
• Isitt, Leonard M. (1925), Religious exercises in schools bill: excerpts from speech delivered by L.M. Isitt, in the House of Representatives, on Thursday, 20th August, 1925, Wellington: Government Printer

• It Is (1893), Isitt and his prohibition fad proved complete failures, Dunedin: Otago Workman
• Cleary, Henry William (1927), The state religion bill: Hon. Mr Isitt's pamphlet in support: a scathing exposure (2nd augmented ed.), Auckland: Whitcombe and Tombs^[e]
• Macdonald, George R. (1966). "Isitt, Leonard Monk". In McLintock, A. H. (ed.). An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
• Whitcher, G. F. (1966). The New Liberal Party 1905 (M.A.). University of Canterbury].
• Wood, G. Antony, ed. (1996), Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament, Dunedin: Otago University Press

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