M. H. Holcroft

James Smithies (University of Canterbury)

Ed. by Mark Williams, Victoria University of Wellington
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 9.1.1: Australian Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Susan Kossew (Monash University)

Dates

Born 14 May 1902
Died 24 Sep 1993
Activity 1928-1993

Places

Born in New Zealand
Active in Australia; England; New Zealand

Activities

Primary

Autobiographer
Biographer
Editor
Essayist
Historian / Chronicler
Journalist
Literary Critic/ Historian
Novelist
Story-writer

Resources

Holcroft's Works

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Montague Harry (M. H.) Holcroft was born at a time when New Zealand literature was in its infancy. The writer, editor and journalist grew up in Christchurch and was educated at Christchurch Boys High School before taking a position as office boy at a confectionery factory in 1917. After two years in this position he determined to travel in order to gather experience for a career as a writer. He eventually made his way to Sydney where he settled as a dockyard clerk, short story writer and budding novelist, publishing in a wide variety of Australian periodicals such as

The Australian Journal

Punch

Triad

Smith's Weekly

and

Bulletin

(including literary essays on the infamous “Red Page”). In 1928 he published his first novel,

Beyond the Breakers

, and his time in Sydney provided the…

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490 words

Citation: Smithies, James. "M. H. Holcroft". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 June 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2173, accessed 21 November 2024.]