Oliver Duff
Encyclopedia
Oliver Duff OBE
was a New Zealand
writer, and editor. In 1939 he was founding editor of the New Zealand Listener
, a widely read magazine with a national monopoly on publishing radio and television programs.
, a gold mining town in Otago. He received his tertiary education at Otago
and Canterbury Universities
.
At the age of 18 he volunteered for the South African war
and on his return he won a scholarship to study for the Presbyterian ministry
from the Synod of Otago and Southland
. Influenced by writers such as Emerson
and Thoreau
he dropped out and became a journalist. He worked on a number of papers including the Sun
in Christchurch, the Timaru Herald
(as editor), the Press
in Christchurch, as editorial assistant (under M. C. Keane) then editor. At the Press he worked with writers such as Ngaio Marsh
, M. H. Holcroft
and D'Arcy Cresswell. He resigned over his coverage of the Christchurch tramway strike, which the owners thought too sympathetic to the unions.
In 1938, J. W. Heenan, under-secretary of internal affairs, appointed him editor for the forthcoming centennial publications. His contribution was New Zealand Now.
On 12 October 1908 at Dunedin
he married Jessie Barclay they had three sons and a daughter, but divorced in 1937. As Jess Whitworth she published an autobiographical novel, Otago Interval in 1950. Their son Roger Shepherd Duff (11 July 1912 – 30 October 1978) became a ethnologist and director of the Canterbury Museum. Their daughter Alison Duff (1914–2000) was a sculptor. Their son Gowan Duff, a forestry scientist, was father of novelist Alan Duff
. Duff remarried in 1946 to Ngaire Asquith Shankland, shortly before his retirement.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
writer, and editor. In 1939 he was founding editor of the New Zealand Listener
New Zealand Listener
The New Zealand Listener is a New Zealand magazine. First published in 1939 and edited by Oliver Duff and the Monte Holcroft it originally had a monopoly on the publication of of upcoming television and radio programmes. In the 1980s it lost its monopoly on the publication of upcoming television...
, a widely read magazine with a national monopoly on publishing radio and television programs.
Biography
Duff was born in Waitahuna GullyWaitahuna
Waitahuna is a small rural village in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. It is from Lawrence.In the 19th century, the town thrived after the discovery of gold. The Waitahuna Gully Miner's Monument commemorates this discovery and the miners who lived in the area. Another notable...
, a gold mining town in Otago. He received his tertiary education at Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and Canterbury Universities
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
.
At the age of 18 he volunteered for the South African war
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and on his return he won a scholarship to study for the Presbyterian ministry
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
from the Synod of Otago and Southland
Synod of Otago and Southland
The Synod of Otago and Southland is a synod of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand . Originally independent, the Synod merged with the northern Presbyterian church in 1901 to form the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.-History:...
. Influenced by writers such as Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
and Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
he dropped out and became a journalist. He worked on a number of papers including the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
in Christchurch, the Timaru Herald
The Timaru Herald
The Timaru Herald is a daily provincial newspaper serving the Timaru, South Canterbury and Otago districts of New Zealand. The current audited daily circulation is about 14,500 copies, with a readership of about 31,000 people. The paper is owned and published by Fairfax New Zealand.-History:The...
(as editor), the Press
The Press
The Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
in Christchurch, as editorial assistant (under M. C. Keane) then editor. At the Press he worked with writers such as Ngaio Marsh
Ngaio Marsh
Dame Ngaio Marsh DBE , born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. There is some uncertainty over her birth date as her father neglected to register her birth until 1900...
, M. H. Holcroft
M. H. Holcroft
Montague Harry Holcroft was a New Zealand essayist, and novelist.-Life:He wrote for the Southland Times, beginning in 1936.He edited the New Zealand Listener, starting in 1949....
and D'Arcy Cresswell. He resigned over his coverage of the Christchurch tramway strike, which the owners thought too sympathetic to the unions.
In 1938, J. W. Heenan, under-secretary of internal affairs, appointed him editor for the forthcoming centennial publications. His contribution was New Zealand Now.
On 12 October 1908 at Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
he married Jessie Barclay they had three sons and a daughter, but divorced in 1937. As Jess Whitworth she published an autobiographical novel, Otago Interval in 1950. Their son Roger Shepherd Duff (11 July 1912 – 30 October 1978) became a ethnologist and director of the Canterbury Museum. Their daughter Alison Duff (1914–2000) was a sculptor. Their son Gowan Duff, a forestry scientist, was father of novelist Alan Duff
Alan Duff
Alan Duff is a New Zealand novelist and newspaper columnist, most well known as the author of Once Were Warriors.- Biography :...
. Duff remarried in 1946 to Ngaire Asquith Shankland, shortly before his retirement.