Daniel Marcus DavinCBE (1 September 1913 – 28 September 1990), generally known as Dan Davin, was an author who wrote about New Zealand, although for most of his career he lived in Oxford, England, working for Oxford University Press. The themes of his earliest fiction, in short stories that include Saturday Night, Late Snow, The Apostate, The Basket, The Vigil, and The Milk Round, were about "Mick Connolly" and his Irish Catholic family in largely Protestant Southland.
Davin was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, into an Irish Catholic family, and was educated at local Catholic primary schools and the Catholic boys secondary school, Marist College. He won a scholarship for a final school year at Sacred Heart College in Auckland, then a university scholarship to the University of Otago.
In 1934, he received First Class Honours in English, and in 1935 a Dip. MA Single Honours in Latin. Winning a Rhodes Scholarship in 1935, he studied at Balliol College Oxford (BA, 1st class 1939, MA 1945). In 1939 he married Winifred Gonley, also from Southland; the couple had three daughters. One of their daughters, Delia, went on to become a writer on Chinese social issues.[1]
World War II
He was in the British Army (1939–40) then in the 2nd NZEF (1940–45), serving as an intelligence officer in the New Zealand Division in the Middle East, being evacuated from Greece and wounded on Crete.[2] He was mentioned in despatches three times, and in December 1945 he was appointed an additional Member of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire, in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy.[3] Writing the New Zealand official war history Crete took most of his spare time from 1946 to 1953.
Post-war he took part in a BBC Radio discussion on the Battle of Monte Cassino with the former German commander Frido von Senger, who had also been a Rhodes Scholar and Paddy Costello, who like Davin had been in Freyberg's intelligence team. Subsequently, he wrote of "New Zealanders at war, post-war tensions, exile and return".
Work
He worked for Clarendon Press, Oxford (England), 1945–78, then as Assistant Secretary to the Delegates of Oxford University Press 1948–70 and Deputy Secretary to the Delegates 1970–78. He was a fellow of Balliol College 1920–78, then an emeritus fellow.[2]
Literature and views of New Zealand
Two of his novels, Cliffs of Fall (1945) and Not Here, Not Now (1970), are set in Otago University, although Bertram says they are "among his least satisfactory works". Dan and Winnie co-authored a publication for schools by the Department of Education School Publications Branch, Writing in New Zealand: The New Zealand Novel (1956, parts 1, 2). Chris Laidlaw who used to drink with Dan in Oxford said there was "an abiding sadness about Dan; a melancholy that sprang, I think, from his frustration at being a prophet without honour in his own country. ... He was an early victim of the great New Zealand clobbering machine and often warned me to beware of this." Laidlaw quoted Davin's view that in New Zealand there is a very strong "stereotype that controls what you can say or be seen to do."[4]
Davin died in Oxford. According to Historian Rory Sweetman, who specializes in the history of the Irish in New Zealand, Davin is little remembered in Oxford, but is "cherished" in New Zealand.[6]
Books
His works of fiction are:
Cliffs of Fall (1945)
For the Rest of Our Lives (1947)
The Gorse Blooms Pale (1947, short stories)
Roads from Home (1949)
The Sullen Bell (1956)
No Remittance (1959)
Not Here, Not Now (1970)
Brides of Price (1972)
Breathing Spaces (1975, short stories)
He also wrote some non-fiction books, including:
Introduction to English Literature (1947, with John Mulgan)
Crete (1953) The Official New Zealand War History
Closing Times, his literary memoirs (1975, Oxford University Press)
He edited the anthology:
Short Stories from the Second World War (1982)
He edited and wrote an introduction to:
Katherine Mansfield - Selected Stories (1953, Oxford University Press)
References
^Gittings, John. "Delia Davin obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
^Veltkamp-Smith, Pat (2 September 2013). "Davin's 100th birthday celebrated". The Southland Times. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
External links
Dan Davin remembered in Southland & entries in 2013 Dan Davin short story competition
Auckland Library catalogue of 36 of his works
Sources
James Bertram, Dan Davin, Zealand Writers and Their Work series, Oxford University Press, 1983, ISBN0-19-558095-8
Keith Ovenden, A Fighting Withdrawal: The Life of Dan Davin, Writer, Soldier, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996.
James McNeish, Dance of the Peacocks: New Zealanders in Exile in the Time of Hitler and Mao Tse-tung, Vintage, Auckland, 2003
Janet Wilson (ed.), Intimate Stranger: Reminiscences of Dan Davin, Steele Roberts, Wellington, 2000.
January 20, 2023
davin, daniel, marcus, davin, september, 1913, september, 1990, generally, known, author, wrote, about, zealand, although, most, career, lived, oxford, england, working, oxford, university, press, themes, earliest, fiction, short, stories, that, include, satur. Daniel Marcus Davin CBE 1 September 1913 28 September 1990 generally known as Dan Davin was an author who wrote about New Zealand although for most of his career he lived in Oxford England working for Oxford University Press The themes of his earliest fiction in short stories that include Saturday Night Late Snow The Apostate The Basket The Vigil and The Milk Round were about Mick Connolly and his Irish Catholic family in largely Protestant Southland Contents 1 Early life 2 World War II 3 Post WWII 4 Work 5 Literature and views of New Zealand 6 Honours and awards 7 Death 8 Books 9 References 10 External links 11 SourcesEarly life EditDavin was born in Invercargill New Zealand into an Irish Catholic family and was educated at local Catholic primary schools and the Catholic boys secondary school Marist College He won a scholarship for a final school year at Sacred Heart College in Auckland then a university scholarship to the University of Otago In 1934 he received First Class Honours in English and in 1935 a Dip MA Single Honours in Latin Winning a Rhodes Scholarship in 1935 he studied at Balliol College Oxford BA 1st class 1939 MA 1945 In 1939 he married Winifred Gonley also from Southland the couple had three daughters One of their daughters Delia went on to become a writer on Chinese social issues 1 World War II EditHe was in the British Army 1939 40 then in the 2nd NZEF 1940 45 serving as an intelligence officer in the New Zealand Division in the Middle East being evacuated from Greece and wounded on Crete 2 He was mentioned in despatches three times and in December 1945 he was appointed an additional Member of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy 3 Writing the New Zealand official war history Crete took most of his spare time from 1946 to 1953 Post WWII EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed October 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message Post war he took part in a BBC Radio discussion on the Battle of Monte Cassino with the former German commander Frido von Senger who had also been a Rhodes Scholar and Paddy Costello who like Davin had been in Freyberg s intelligence team Subsequently he wrote of New Zealanders at war post war tensions exile and return Work EditHe worked for Clarendon Press Oxford England 1945 78 then as Assistant Secretary to the Delegates of Oxford University Press 1948 70 and Deputy Secretary to the Delegates 1970 78 He was a fellow of Balliol College 1920 78 then an emeritus fellow 2 Literature and views of New Zealand EditTwo of his novels Cliffs of Fall 1945 and Not Here Not Now 1970 are set in Otago University although Bertram says they are among his least satisfactory works Dan and Winnie co authored a publication for schools by the Department of Education School Publications Branch Writing in New Zealand The New Zealand Novel 1956 parts 1 2 Chris Laidlaw who used to drink with Dan in Oxford said there was an abiding sadness about Dan a melancholy that sprang I think from his frustration at being a prophet without honour in his own country He was an early victim of the great New Zealand clobbering machine and often warned me to beware of this Laidlaw quoted Davin s view that in New Zealand there is a very strong stereotype that controls what you can say or be seen to do 4 Honours and awards EditIn 1984 Davin was conferred an honorary DLitt by the University of Otago In the 1987 New Year Honours he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to literature 5 Death EditDavin died in Oxford According to Historian Rory Sweetman who specializes in the history of the Irish in New Zealand Davin is little remembered in Oxford but is cherished in New Zealand 6 Books EditHis works of fiction are Cliffs of Fall 1945 For the Rest of Our Lives 1947 The Gorse Blooms Pale 1947 short stories Roads from Home 1949 The Sullen Bell 1956 No Remittance 1959 Not Here Not Now 1970 Brides of Price 1972 Breathing Spaces 1975 short stories He also wrote some non fiction books including Introduction to English Literature 1947 with John Mulgan Crete 1953 The Official New Zealand War History Closing Times his literary memoirs 1975 Oxford University Press He edited the anthology Short Stories from the Second World War 1982 He edited and wrote an introduction to Katherine Mansfield Selected Stories 1953 Oxford University Press References Edit Gittings John Delia Davin obituary The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved 18 October 2016 a b Traue J E ed 1978 Who s Who in New Zealand 11th ed Wellington Reed p 96 ISBN 0 589 01113 8 No 37386 The London Gazette Supplement 13 December 1945 p 6062 Rights of passage beyond the New Zealand identity crisis by Chris Laidlaw Auckland NZ Hodder Moa Beckett 1999 pg 36 No 50766 The London Gazette 3rd supplement 31 December 1986 p 33 Veltkamp Smith Pat 2 September 2013 Davin s 100th birthday celebrated The Southland Times Retrieved 17 May 2015 External links Edit Dan Davin remembered in Southland amp entries in 2013 Dan Davin short story competition Auckland Library catalogue of 36 of his worksSources Edit James Bertram Dan Davin Zealand Writers and Their Work series Oxford University Press 1983 ISBN 0 19 558095 8 Keith Ovenden A Fighting Withdrawal The Life of Dan Davin Writer Soldier Oxford University Press Oxford 1996 James McNeish Dance of the Peacocks New Zealanders in Exile in the Time of Hitler and Mao Tse tung Vintage Auckland 2003 Janet Wilson ed Intimate Stranger Reminiscences of Dan Davin Steele Roberts Wellington 2000 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dan Davin amp oldid 1051058764, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
