Keith Sinclair
Encyclopedia
Sir Keith Sinclair, CBE
(5 December 1922 – 20 June 1993) was a poet
and noted historian
of New Zealand
.
Born and raised in Auckland
, Sinclair was a student at Auckland University College
, which was then part of the University of New Zealand
. He was awarded a Ph.D.
at the College and was made a professor
of history at the University of Auckland
in 1963.
In the 1969 general election
he was the Labour Party
candidate for Eden
. He won the electorate on the night, but was defeated 3 weeks later on the postal ballot by only 67 votes.
Sinclair won widespread acclaim for his first book of history, The Origins of the Maori Wars
(1957). His next book, A History of New Zealand (1959), is often regarded as a classic in New Zealand history
. The book remains in print, being revised several times, the last in 1991. In 1967 he founded the New Zealand Journal of History.
In both his poetry and his work as a historian, Sinclair was a nationalist, in the sense that he was concerned with forging a national identity
for New Zealand that was independent of its colonial
origins.
He taught history at the University of Auckland until his retirement in 1987. Halfway Round the Harbour, an autobiography
, was published posthumously in 1993. In 2003, the University of Auckland established the Keith Sinclair Chair in History in his honour.
He was awarded a CBE
in 1983 and knighted for services to history in 1985.
In 2005, he was named one of New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers
.
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...
(5 December 1922 – 20 June 1993) was a poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and noted historian
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of 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...
.
Born and raised in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Sinclair was a student at Auckland University College
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
, which was then part of the University of New Zealand
University of New Zealand
The University of New Zealand was the New Zealand university from 1870 to 1961. It was the sole New Zealand university, having a federal structure embracing several constituent colleges at various locations around New Zealand...
. He was awarded a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
at the College and was made a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of history at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
in 1963.
In the 1969 general election
New Zealand general election, 1969
The 1969 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 36th term. It saw the governing National Party win a fourth consecutive term, under Prime Minister Keith Holyoake.-The Election:...
he was the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
candidate for Eden
Eden (New Zealand electorate)
Eden is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in the city of Auckland.-Population Centres:The electorate is urban, and comprises a number of inner-city suburbs in the central-south part of Auckland.-History:...
. He won the electorate on the night, but was defeated 3 weeks later on the postal ballot by only 67 votes.
Sinclair won widespread acclaim for his first book of history, The Origins of the Maori Wars
New Zealand land wars
The New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
(1957). His next book, A History of New Zealand (1959), is often regarded as a classic in New Zealand history
History of New Zealand
The history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to discover New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman on 13 December 1642...
. The book remains in print, being revised several times, the last in 1991. In 1967 he founded the New Zealand Journal of History.
In both his poetry and his work as a historian, Sinclair was a nationalist, in the sense that he was concerned with forging a national identity
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
for New Zealand that was independent of its colonial
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
origins.
He taught history at the University of Auckland until his retirement in 1987. Halfway Round the Harbour, an autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, was published posthumously in 1993. In 2003, the University of Auckland established the Keith Sinclair Chair in History in his honour.
He was awarded a CBE
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...
in 1983 and knighted for services to history in 1985.
In 2005, he was named one of New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers
New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers
New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers was a weekly television programme first shown on Prime Television New Zealand on 6 October 2005. 430 notable New Zealanders were ranked by a panel to determine the 100 most influential in New Zealand history...
.
History
- 1957: The Origins of the Maori Wars
- 1959: A History of New Zealand
- 1965: William Pember Reeves: New Zealand Fabian
- 1967: The Liberal Government, 1891–1912: First Steps Towards a Welfare State
- 1976: Walter Nash (1976)
- 1982: A Soldier's View of Empire: the Reminiscences of James Bodell (as editorEditingEditing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
) - 1986: A Destiny Apart: New Zealand's Search for a National Identity
- 1990: The Oxford Illustrated History of New Zealand (as editor)
- 1991: Kinds of Peace: Maori People After the Wars, 1870-85
- TVNZ Bateman New Zealand Encyclopaedia CD-ROM 2nd Edition
Poetry
- 19521952 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* November — The Group British poetry movement of the 1950s and 1960s began at Downing College, Cambridge University, Philip Hobsbaum along with two friends — Tony Davis and Neil Morris...
: Songs for a Summer and Other Poems - 19541954 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Robert Creeley founds and edits the Black Mountain Review...
: Strangers or Beasts: Poems - 19631963 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* January 26 – Raghunath Vishnu Pandit, an Indian poet who wrote in both Konkani and Marathi languages, publishes five books of poems this day* The Belfast Group, a discussion group of poets in...
: A Time to Embrace - 19731973 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Canadian poet and author, Michael Ondaatje adapts his 1970 book of poetry, The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, into a play which this year is first produced in Stratford, Ontario; it will appear in...
: The Firewheel Tree - 19931993 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* January 20 — Maya Angelou reads "On the Pulse of Morning" at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton* T. S...
: Moontalk
See also
- James BelichJames Belich (historian)James Christopher Belich, ONZM is a New Zealand revisionist historian, known for his work on the New Zealand Wars.Of Croatian descent, he was born in Wellington in 1956, the son of Sir James Belich, who later became Mayor of Wellington. He attended Onslow College.He gained an M.A...
, inaugural holder of the Keith Sinclair Chair in History at the University of Auckland
External links
- Sinclair's entry in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand on the origins of the Maori WarsNew Zealand land warsThe New Zealand Wars, sometimes called the Land Wars and also once called the Māori Wars, were a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872...
.