Born in Christchurch, Jean McKay (1908-93), married name was Jane Leggett, studied at Wellington Technical College and whilst is considered a Pumpkin Cottage painter was best known for her floral paintings. Most of the women impressionists were relatively emancipated for the era, and several ran their own studios. Dorothy Kate Richmond wore the loose bohemian clothing associated with the new women’s movement and Mabel Hill insisted on exhibiting under her maiden name after she married in 1898. Despite being a colleague and close friend of Nairn, Hill’s comment that she was only invited there twice reminds us that propriety limited female participation in life at Pumpkin Cottage.