Eric Ramsden

George Eric Oakes Ramsden (1898–1962) was a New Zealand journalist, writer and art critic. He was born in Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand on 1 August 1898 and died in 1962.^[1]

Background and family

Ramsden was the oldest child of English born Matinborough storekeeper and farmer Henry Oakes Ramsden and Sophia Jane Harris. He attended Martinborough primary school, but suffered from asthma and tuberculosis which made his attendance irratic. He married Evelyn Francis Graham in Sydney on 1 June 1926 and they had one child.

Career

As a teenager Ramsden worked for the Bank of New South Wales at Wanganui and later as a shepherd on a farm near Castlepoint. He became a journalist for the Wairarapa Times-Age in 1919 when he was 20 yeas old. He moved to Auckland to work for the Auckland Star and then to Wellington where he worked for the New Zealand Times. By the mid 1920s he had moved to Sydney where he worked for the Sydney Morning Herald. In 1927 he returned to Auckland and worked for the Sun newspaper. Ramsden moved back to Sydney in 1929 becoming the illustrations editor and special writer for the Sydney Morning Herald. In 1934 Ramsden switched to the Sydney based Associated Newspapers Limited. Due to ill health Ramsden moved to Christchurch to work for the Press in 1942 where his journalistic focus was on history and Maori affairs. Moving back to Wellington in 1945, Ramsden joined the Evening Post becaming its diplomatic correspondent and art critic. He also wrote occasional article on topics of personal interest.

Involvement with Maori

In August 1927 the Sun sent Ramsden to Turangawaewae marae at Ngaruawahia to interview {[Te Puea Herangi]], a Tainui Princess. As a result of the meeting Ramsden became interested and involved in Maori and Maori-Pakeha relations. He published a feature article in the Sun on the Princess and her Model Village. When the Governor-General Sir Charles Fergusson visited Turangawaewae in April 1928 Ramsden covered the event for the newspaper. After these events Ramsden remained in contact with Herangi, visiting her and her family at Tahuna in January 1932. On this visit he met the native minister Sir Apirana Ngata with whom he corresponded for many years.

Research and writing

After joining Associated Newspapers Ramsden took an interest in anthropology. He attended lectures on the subject at the University of Sydney and founded the Pacific Islands Club (now known as the Polynesian Society). He was the clubs first secretary. Later he became President of the Anthropological Society of New South Wales. In 1935 he travelled with Charles Nordhoff to Tahiti and French Polynesia undertaking research.

After this journey Ramsden published his first book, Marsden and the missions in 1936 followed by James Busby: the prophet of Australian viticultureii in 1940. He was an active member of PEN during this time and continued to be after his return to New Zealand. Once back in New Zealand Ramsden wrote Busby of Waitangi in 1942, Strange stories from the South Seas in 1944, Sir Apirana Ngata and Maori culture in 1948, and Rangiatea in 1951. He had intended to write two further books, biographies of Te Puea and Sir Peter Buck, but these were never completed.

Known as Eric Ramsden in professional and private circles, he was the father of Maori nurse and educator Irihapeti Ramsden. He was married to Merenia Manawatu.^[2]

References