Chronology
1895 Born 23 April, Christchurch, New Zealand (birth not registered until 1899).
1910-14 Secondary education at St Margaret’s College.
1915-19 Studied painting at Canterbury College School of Art, Christchurch.
1920-22 Toured with the Allan Wilkie Shakespeare Company and then with the Rosemary Rees Comedy Company.
1922-28 Painted, freelance journalist and began working with repertory companies and Unlimited Charities to produce amateur theatrical productions.
1928 Travelled to England.
1928-32 Lived with the Rhodes family first at Gerrards Cross, then in London. Wrote articles for the Christchurch Press under the title ‘New Canterbury Pilgrim’ and opened a design shop with Nelly Rhodes in Knightsbridge.
1931-32 Wrote first detective fiction novel, which was submitted to literary agent just before being called back to her mother’s sickbed in New Zealand. Rose Marsh died 23 November 1932.
1932-37 Established herself as one of the four Queens of Crime; exhibited paintings with the Christchurch Society of Arts and The Group; and produced plays.
1937-38 Trip to Britain and tour of Europe with Betty Cotterill and Jean Webster.
1938 Returned to New Zealand and became a Red Cross ambulance driver during the war.
1943 Directed Shakespeare’s Hamlet for the Canterbury University College Drama Society.
1944-45 Toured New Zealand with Hamlet and Othello under the aegis of Dan O’Connor.
1948 Awarded OBE for services to drama and literature. Henry Marsh died 4 September.
1949 Toured Australia with Six Characters and Othello under the aegis of Dan O’Connor.
1949-51 Trip to England. Collins threw ‘Marsh Million’ party to celebrate the release of her books. Gathered a company for the British Commonwealth Theatre Company tour, which toured Australia and New Zealand before disbanding.
1952-54 Writing and directing in Christchurch.
1954-56 Travelled to England on board the cargo ship Temeraire, which was the inspiration for Singing in the Shrouds.
1956-60 Writing and directing in Christchurch.
1960-61 Promotional tour of East Asia, North America and Britain, and lived for over a year in London.
1962-65 Wrote libretto for A Unicorn for Christmas, which was performed in front of Queen Elizabeth II. Delivered the Macmillan Brown Lectures (1962), and was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by the University of Canterbury (1962).
1966 Travelled to England, and while there was awarded DBE. Delayed her departure to attend investiture at Buckingham Palace in November.
1968 Stayed in Rome with Doris and Alister McIntosh. Tour of northern Italy with Pamela Mann, followed by five weeks in London.
1971 Six-month stay in Britain, with promotional trip to Denmark and visit to Elsinore.
1974-75 Six-month stay in Britain extended to 18 months by cancer operation. This was her last trip to England.
1976 Directed last production— Sweet Mr Shakespeare.
1978 Received the Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America Award. Travelled to Australia to see John Dacres-Mannings and his family.
1982 Finished Light Thickens, her 32nd novel, just weeks before dying at home on 18 February, aged 86.
CHAPTER THREE
Companions in Crime
I t started off rather grandly with a printed invitation to Grosvenor House from the Detection Club,’ Ngaio explained later. They ate in a private dining room, with the Chief Constable of Surrey as guest speaker, but the meal was prelude to a more significant event: the 1937 induction of E.C. Bentley as president of the Detection Club. The cream of crime was there: Dorothy Sayers, John Rhode, Anthony Gilbert and Freeman Wills Croft, to name a few. After the speeches, they withdrew to a private drawing room where the real business began. Dorothy Sayers was mistress of ceremonies. Her imposing figure, ‘robust, round and rubicund’, towered over her colleagues. She struck Ngaio as something of ‘a cross between a guardsman & a female don with a jolly face (garnished with
1895 Born 23 April, Christchurch, New Zealand (birth not registered until 1899).
1910-14 Secondary education at St Margaret’s College.
1915-19 Studied painting at Canterbury College School of Art, Christchurch.
1920-22 Toured with the Allan Wilkie Shakespeare Company and then with the Rosemary Rees Comedy Company.
1922-28 Painted, freelance journalist and began working with repertory companies and Unlimited Charities to produce amateur theatrical productions.
1928 Travelled to England.
1928-32 Lived with the Rhodes family first at Gerrards Cross, then in London. Wrote articles for the Christchurch Press under the title ‘New Canterbury Pilgrim’ and opened a design shop with Nelly Rhodes in Knightsbridge.
1931-32 Wrote first detective fiction novel, which was submitted to literary agent just before being called back to her mother’s sickbed in New Zealand. Rose Marsh died 23 November 1932.
1932-37 Established herself as one of the four Queens of Crime; exhibited paintings with the Christchurch Society of Arts and The Group; and produced plays.
1937-38 Trip to Britain and tour of Europe with Betty Cotterill and Jean Webster.
1938 Returned to New Zealand and became a Red Cross ambulance driver during the war.
1943 Directed Shakespeare’s Hamlet for the Canterbury University College Drama Society.
1944-45 Toured New Zealand with Hamlet and Othello under the aegis of Dan O’Connor.
1948 Awarded OBE for services to drama and literature. Henry Marsh died 4 September.
1949 Toured Australia with Six Characters and Othello under the aegis of Dan O’Connor.
1949-51 Trip to England. Collins threw ‘Marsh Million’ party to celebrate the release of her books. Gathered a company for the British Commonwealth Theatre Company tour, which toured Australia and New Zealand before disbanding.
1952-54 Writing and directing in Christchurch.
1954-56 Travelled to England on board the cargo ship Temeraire, which was the inspiration for Singing in the Shrouds.
1956-60 Writing and directing in Christchurch.
1960-61 Promotional tour of East Asia, North America and Britain, and lived for over a year in London.
1962-65 Wrote libretto for A Unicorn for Christmas, which was performed in front of Queen Elizabeth II. Delivered the Macmillan Brown Lectures (1962), and was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature by the University of Canterbury (1962).
1966 Travelled to England, and while there was awarded DBE. Delayed her departure to attend investiture at Buckingham Palace in November.
1968 Stayed in Rome with Doris and Alister McIntosh. Tour of northern Italy with Pamela Mann, followed by five weeks in London.
1971 Six-month stay in Britain, with promotional trip to Denmark and visit to Elsinore.
1974-75 Six-month stay in Britain extended to 18 months by cancer operation. This was her last trip to England.
1976 Directed last production— Sweet Mr Shakespeare.
1978 Received the Grand Master of the Mystery Writers of America Award. Travelled to Australia to see John Dacres-Mannings and his family.
1982 Finished Light Thickens, her 32nd novel, just weeks before dying at home on 18 February, aged 86.
CHAPTER THREE
Companions in Crime
I t started off rather grandly with a printed invitation to Grosvenor House from the Detection Club,’ Ngaio explained later. They ate in a private dining room, with the Chief Constable of Surrey as guest speaker, but the meal was prelude to a more significant event: the 1937 induction of E.C. Bentley as president of the Detection Club. The cream of crime was there: Dorothy Sayers, John Rhode, Anthony Gilbert and Freeman Wills Croft, to name a few. After the speeches, they withdrew to a private drawing room where the real business began. Dorothy Sayers was mistress of ceremonies. Her imposing figure, ‘robust, round and rubicund’, towered over her colleagues. She struck Ngaio as something of ‘a cross between a guardsman & a female don with a jolly face (garnished with
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