Antony Francis George Alpers (1919 - 1997)

Born 10 Sep 1919 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Husband of Edith Joan (Hutton) Evison — married 8 Dec 1944 (to before 1949) in Karori, Wellington, New Zealand

Died 1 Jan 1997 at age 77 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Biography

The 1946 electoral rolls show Antony to be a journalist living with Edith Joan (Hutton)^[1] Alpers, married, at 13 Chamberlain Road, Karori, Wellington.^[2] In 1957 he is living with his second wife, Sarah, in Auckland.^[3] They divorced in 1963.^[4] His third wife was Margaret Cregoe.^[5]

Mr. Alpers spent the years 1948 until 1951 in England where, with the aid of a grant from the New State Literary Fund, he was able to write his first biography of Katherine Mansfield. While an assistant editor with the New Zealand Department of Education (1958-1969), responsible for the monthly teachers' magazine, "Education," Mr. Alpers wrote Dolphins, the first book he published on the subject, and began work on Maori Myths and Tribal Legends, which was published in 1964.

In 1962, he was invited to the University of British Columbia under a Canada Council visiting lecturers' scheme, lecturing at various universities (Universities of Alberta and Manitoba, McMaster, Queen's and Carleton Universities) on such diverse subjects as New Zealand literature, Katherine Mansfield, biography, dolphins, and Polynesian mythology. Upon returning to New Zealand he was employed by the Caxton Press, Christchurch (1962-1968), and was the founding editor of the journal, Local Government.

In 1966, he was invited to join Queen's University, as an Assistant Professor, Department of English, where he completed his Legends of the South Sea and began work on a new biography of Katherine Mansfield. He retired as a Professor in 1982, and returned to New Zealand.^[6]

He died on New Year's Day in 1997.^[7] His burial record lists him as a retired professor.^[8]

Research Notes

No marriage found pre April 1938 on NZBDM. Looks to be married by 1946 electoral roll.

First wife is Edith Joan Hutton who later married in UK to Evison. Died in NZ

Sources

1. ↑ NZBDM DEATH:1990/33403 Evison Edith Joan DOB:5 July 1922
2. ↑ New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981

   1946, Wellington, Karori

3. ↑ New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981

   1957, Auckland, North Shore

4. ↑ Archives New Zealand: R22745982 Archives NZ
5. ↑ Margaret Charlotte Hester DEANS (FORMERLY ALPERS). Lamb & Hayward. Accessed 8 September 2020.
6. ↑ Biography
7. ↑ NZBDM DEATH:1997/29192 Alpers Antony Francis George DOB:10 September 1919
8. ↑ Waimairi Cemetery records

See also:

Find A Grave: Memorial #176243096

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Alpers-1 created through the import of wrightspossible 2011.GED on Aug 3, 2011 by Alex Wright.