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Ruth Dallas

Ruth Minnie Mumford CBE (29 September 1919 – 18 March 2008), better known by her pen name Ruth Dallas, was a New Zealand poet and children's author.

Ruth Dallas

BornRuth Minnie Mumford
(1919-09-29)29 September 1919
Invercargill, New Zealand
Died18 March 2008(2008-03-18) (aged 88)
Dunedin, New Zealand
Alma materSouthland Technical College
GenrePoetry
Notable awardsRobert Burns Fellowship

Biography

Dallas was born in Invercargill, the daughter of Frank and Minnie Mumford. She became blind in one eye at 15, then spent three years at the Southland Technical College and was engaged at 19. But her fiancé broke off the engagement to serve in Great Britain during World War II. During the war she worked at an army office and as a milk tester. Following the war, in 1946, her first published poem, "Morning Mountains" appeared in The Southland Times. She adopted her maternal grandmother's name, Dallas, as a pen name.[1] Her first book of poetry, Country Road and Other Poems, was published in 1953. In 1954 she moved to Dunedin, where she lived for most of her life.[2]

In her autobiography, she explains that during her upbringing no person or milieu would have encouraged her to write poetry: ‘I am at a loss to account for the fact that I wrote poetry in an environment where I knew no one who was interested in poetry.’[3] Nevertheless, her poetry is said to be influenced by William Wordsworth (and later in life by shorter Chinese poetry) and focuses upon southern New Zealand landscape.[4] Two of her most notable pieces of poetry, "Photographs of Pioneer Women" and "Pioneer Woman with Ferrets" were both written to show the inequality and sexist stereotypes of the time and to also give these pioneer women a voice. She was awarded the 1968 Robert Burns Fellowship by the University of Otago, which she used to launch a series of children's books, beginning with The Children in the Bush. In 1977, she was a joint winner of the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry for her collection Walking on the Snow; that same year she received for Song for a Guitar and Other Songs the Buckland Literary Award, for "the Literary Work for the year of the highest Literary Merit". In 1978 the University of Otago made her an honorary Doctor of Literature. Later, as her eyesight deteriorated, she received A Blind Achievers' Award. In the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to literature.[2][5]

Dallas died in 2008 in hospital in Dunedin after a fall in her home.[2] Her ashes were buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery.[6]

Bibliography

 
Memorial plaque dedicated to Ruth Dallas in Dunedin, on the Writers' Walk on the Octagon

Poetry

  • Country Road and Other Poems 1947-52 (Caxton Press, 1953)
  • The Turning Wheel (Caxton Press, 1961)
  • Experiment in Form (Press Room, University of Otago, 1964)
  • Day Book: Poems of a Year (Caxton Press, 1966)
  • Shadow Show (Caxton Press, 1968)
  • Walking on the Snow (Caxton Press, 1976)
  • Song for a Guitar and Other Songs (Otago University Press, 1976)
  • Steps of the Sun (Caxton Press, 1979)
  • Collected Poems (Otago University Press, 1987; 2nd ed. 2000)
  • The Joy of a Ming Vase (Otago University Press, 2006)

Children's literature

  • Ragamuffin Scarecrow (Bibliography Room, University of Otago, 1969)
  • The Children in the Bush (Methuen, 1969)
  • A Dog Called Wig (Methuen, 1970)
  • The Wild Boy in the Bush (Methuen, 1971)
  • The Big Flood in the Bush (Methuen, 1972)
  • The House on the Cliffs (Methuen, 1975)
  • Shining Rivers (Methuen, 1979)
  • Holiday Time in the Bush (Methuen, 1983)

Short stories

  • The Black Horse and Other Stories (Otago University Press, 2000)

Memoir

  • Curved Horizon: An Autobiography (Otago University Press, 1991)

References

  1. ^ Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins (5th ed.). McFarland. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-7864-4373-4.
  2. ^ a b c "Ruth Dallas 1919–2008; Southland poet saw meaning in landscapes". The Southland Times. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  3. ^ Curved Horizon (1991) quoted in https://www.read-nz.org/writer/dallas-ruth
  4. ^ Willhardt, Mark; Parker, Alan Michael (2000). Who's who in twentieth-century world poetry. Psychology Press. p. 76. ISBN 0-415-16355-2.
  5. ^ International Who's Who in Poetry (12th ed.). Taylor & Francis US. 2004. p. 233. ISBN 1-85743-178-2.
  6. ^ "Cemeteries search". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 29 November 2014.

ruth, dallas, ruth, minnie, mumford, september, 1919, march, 2008, better, known, name, zealand, poet, children, author, cbebornruth, minnie, mumford, 1919, september, 1919invercargill, zealanddied18, march, 2008, 2008, aged, dunedin, zealandalma, matersouthla. Ruth Minnie Mumford CBE 29 September 1919 18 March 2008 better known by her pen name Ruth Dallas was a New Zealand poet and children s author Ruth DallasCBEBornRuth Minnie Mumford 1919 09 29 29 September 1919Invercargill New ZealandDied18 March 2008 2008 03 18 aged 88 Dunedin New ZealandAlma materSouthland Technical CollegeGenrePoetryNotable awardsRobert Burns Fellowship Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 2 1 Poetry 2 2 Children s literature 2 3 Short stories 2 4 Memoir 3 ReferencesBiography EditDallas was born in Invercargill the daughter of Frank and Minnie Mumford She became blind in one eye at 15 then spent three years at the Southland Technical College and was engaged at 19 But her fiance broke off the engagement to serve in Great Britain during World War II During the war she worked at an army office and as a milk tester Following the war in 1946 her first published poem Morning Mountains appeared in The Southland Times She adopted her maternal grandmother s name Dallas as a pen name 1 Her first book of poetry Country Road and Other Poems was published in 1953 In 1954 she moved to Dunedin where she lived for most of her life 2 In her autobiography she explains that during her upbringing no person or milieu would have encouraged her to write poetry I am at a loss to account for the fact that I wrote poetry in an environment where I knew no one who was interested in poetry 3 Nevertheless her poetry is said to be influenced by William Wordsworth and later in life by shorter Chinese poetry and focuses upon southern New Zealand landscape 4 Two of her most notable pieces of poetry Photographs of Pioneer Women and Pioneer Woman with Ferrets were both written to show the inequality and sexist stereotypes of the time and to also give these pioneer women a voice She was awarded the 1968 Robert Burns Fellowship by the University of Otago which she used to launch a series of children s books beginning with The Children in the Bush In 1977 she was a joint winner of the New Zealand Book Award for Poetry for her collection Walking on the Snow that same year she received for Song for a Guitar and Other Songs the Buckland Literary Award for the Literary Work for the year of the highest Literary Merit In 1978 the University of Otago made her an honorary Doctor of Literature Later as her eyesight deteriorated she received A Blind Achievers Award In the 1989 Queen s Birthday Honours she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to literature 2 5 Dallas died in 2008 in hospital in Dunedin after a fall in her home 2 Her ashes were buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery 6 Bibliography Edit Memorial plaque dedicated to Ruth Dallas in Dunedin on the Writers Walk on the Octagon Poetry Edit Country Road and Other Poems 1947 52 Caxton Press 1953 The Turning Wheel Caxton Press 1961 Experiment in Form Press Room University of Otago 1964 Day Book Poems of a Year Caxton Press 1966 Shadow Show Caxton Press 1968 Walking on the Snow Caxton Press 1976 Song for a Guitar and Other Songs Otago University Press 1976 Steps of the Sun Caxton Press 1979 Collected Poems Otago University Press 1987 2nd ed 2000 The Joy of a Ming Vase Otago University Press 2006 Children s literature Edit Ragamuffin Scarecrow Bibliography Room University of Otago 1969 The Children in the Bush Methuen 1969 A Dog Called Wig Methuen 1970 The Wild Boy in the Bush Methuen 1971 The Big Flood in the Bush Methuen 1972 The House on the Cliffs Methuen 1975 Shining Rivers Methuen 1979 Holiday Time in the Bush Methuen 1983 Short stories Edit The Black Horse and Other Stories Otago University Press 2000 Memoir Edit Curved Horizon An Autobiography Otago University Press 1991 References Edit Room Adrian 2010 Dictionary of Pseudonyms 13 000 Assumed Names and Their Origins 5th ed McFarland p 130 ISBN 978 0 7864 4373 4 a b c Ruth Dallas 1919 2008 Southland poet saw meaning in landscapes The Southland Times Retrieved 28 January 2011 Curved Horizon 1991 quoted in https www read nz org writer dallas ruth Willhardt Mark Parker Alan Michael 2000 Who s who in twentieth century world poetry Psychology Press p 76 ISBN 0 415 16355 2 International Who s Who in Poetry 12th ed Taylor amp Francis US 2004 p 233 ISBN 1 85743 178 2 Cemeteries search Dunedin City Council Retrieved 29 November 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruth Dallas amp oldid 1100019522, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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