De La Mare, F. : Papers

Fonds

Identifier: delf

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Papers held include:

1. 'French literature: Professor Rankine Brown's lectures 1901, period 1500-1600'. Manuscript lecture notes in exercise book, [2], 78 p. First of two books, second not held.

2. 'Spike, and other Victoria College affairs 1903-1949'. 21 items. Letters from S. Eichelbaum, J. C. Beaglehole, H. H. Ostler and others, also newspaper clippings; chiefly concerning 1903, 1924 and 1933 issues of 'The Spike'.

3. 'Academic freedom in New Zealand, 1932-1934; a statement of the facts'. Collected by F. A. de la Mare, with a foreword by G. W. von Zedlitz (Auckland, Unicorn Press, 1935). Pamphlet with associated clippings and letters from J. C. Beaglehole and others (13 pieces).

Papers to do with Victoria University College

Dates covered: 1901 - 1949

Dates

1901 - 1949

Biographical / Historical

"Frederick Archibald de la Mare (universally called 'Froggy') was born on 6 August 1877 at Christchurch, New Zealand. He enrolled as a student at Victoria College and graduated BA in 1904 and LLB in 1912. The college (later Victoria University of Wellington) retained de la Mare's lifelong loyalty. He poured out his affection in many ways, not least in the editing in 1910 of a collection of verses (including a selection from his own student writing) composed in and around the college. Under the cheerfully affectionate title The old clay patch , the collection went into two further editions, in 1920 and 1949. De la Mare was editor of the student magazine Spike in 1903--4, president of the students' association in 1906, and elected a life member in 1911. Frederick de la Mare was a public educator par excellence. He maintained a lifelong concern for academic principles and, in particular, for academic freedom. During the First World War he publicly criticised official interference in university matters, especially the government actions leading to the dismissal of G. W. von Zedlitz as a professor at Victoria University College. He returned to that theme in 1935 when he wrote his pamphlet Academic freedom in New Zealand, 1932--34 , in which, with measured analysis, he exposed the unworthy motives which led to the termination of the historian J. C. Beaglehole's employment at Auckland University College."

Taken from: Barton, G. P. 'de la Mare, Frederick Archibald 1877 - 1960'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007. Reference URL: http://https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/