Denis Glover

Denis James Matthews Glover (9 December 1912 – 9 August 1980) was a New Zealand poet and publisher.

Born in Dunedin, he attended the University of Canterbury where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts, and subsequently lectured.

Glover was born in Dunedin on 9 December 1912.

His parents were Henry Lawrence Glover, a dentist, and Lyla Jean Matthews.

Glover went to Arthur Street School, Dunedin, until moving with his mother in 1925 to New Plymouth.

He attended Central School there, being awarded dux.

He was also a Boy Scout and school cadet during this period.

In 1926 he attended New Plymouth Boys' High School, before moving to Auckland where he attended Auckland Grammar School.

There, he and Bob Lowry published an unofficial school journal La Verite.

He finally moved to Christchurch in 1929 where he attended Christ's College until 1930.

Glover was a popular and keen swimmer, boxer, and cross-country athlete at college.

From 1931, Glover attended University of Canterbury, studying Greek, Latin, philosophy, and English for a Bachelor of Arts in English and Greek.

While at university, he was captain of the boxing club and fought in the welterweight division, obtaining a University blue.

He also played rugby for the Old Collegians and sailed yachts.

Glover was a member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club and Christchurch Classical Association.

His mountaineering experiences formed the basis for his later Arawata Bill and Sings Harry poems.

In 1932 at the university sports tournament in Auckland he again met up with Lowry.

Lowry had by this time set up a press for the Auckland University Students Association and was publishing a magazine called Phoenix.

Returning to Canterbury Glover formed the Caxton Club with the aim of studying printing and typography.

In 1934 he interviewed George Bernard Shaw for the newspaper.

On 8 January 1936 he married Mary Granville.

From 1936 to 1938, he was an assistant lecturer in English and reported university news for the Press until he wrote an article advocating trial marriage, which angered the university.

Well known for radical leftist opinions, he was often in trouble with authorities.

In addition to writing for the Press, Glover edited New Zealand Motor Owner, the Canterbury University College Review, and Students Association newspaper Canta.

He worked as a reporter and editor for a time, and in 1937 founded the Caxton Press, which published the works of many well-known New Zealand writers of the day (including Glover's own poetry).

In 1937 together with John Drew he founded the Caxton Press.

The Caxton Press enabled Glover to pursue his interest in publishing.

Caxton published the early works of many New Zealand writers such as Ursula Bethell, R. A. K. Mason, Allen Curnow, Charles Brasch, Frank Sargeson and A. R. D. Fairburn.

Glover's own poems were also printed.

His work at the Press was interrupted by service with the Royal Navy in World War II.

He had wanted to join the Royal New Zealand Navy but as there were no suitable vacancies he applied under a programme which sent New Zealand naval recruits to the United Kingdom on loan to the Royal Navy.

During his life he published many poetry collections and other works; one of his best-known poems is "The Magpies" (1941).

He left Christchurch for Auckland, then embarking on the Dominion Monarch for HMS Ganges (shore establishment) Shortly Gate, England, arriving in February 1942.

After a short period of training he was assigned to the newly completed destroyer HMS Onslaught (G04) for its sea trials.

The Onslaught was then tasked with escorting Arctic convoys to Murmansk, Russia.

In 1943 Glover undertook officer training at HMS King Alfred (1939 shore establishment) being promoted to Lieutenant on 29 October.

After a period of service in World War II, he and his friend Charles Brasch founded the literary magazine Landfall, which Caxton began publishing in 1947.

Glover's later years were marred by alcoholism, forcing him to resign from Caxton Press and subsequent roles, and affecting his personal life.

After a move to Wellington with a new partner, he continued to work as a copywriter, publisher and teacher, and amongst other things served as a member of the New Zealand Literary Fund Advisory Committee from 1955 to 1958 and as president of the Friends of the Turnbull Library from 1963 to 1965.

In the mid-1970s he was awarded an honorary doctorate of literature from Victoria University of Wellington.