Seaweed pays for major book collection

Seaweed pays for major book collection

A Devonport family has donated a major collection of New Zealand books to the Michael King Writers’ Centre.

The collection was built up over many years by distinguished scientist Ray Bailey, from Palmerston North, who funded much of it by collecting agar seaweed.

The collection donated to the Michael King Writers’ Centre includes more than 500 books and literary journals, some dating as early as 1896. It features many rare, unusual and interesting items, such as a collection of fiction writing about farming. The books have been gifted to the centre by Ray Bailey’s daughters, Alison and Penny Bailey. Penny Bailey and her husband David Plummer live in Devonport.

Ray Bailey, who was born in 1923 and died in 2004, collected about 10,000 books during his life. His scientific career focussed on biochemistry applied to New Zealand agriculture. He wrote more than 75 scientific papers and was Director of the Applied Biochemistry Division at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Palmerston North until his retirement in 1993.

In his retirement he continued to research and publish and he developed his life-long interest in literature as an avid reader and book collector. He built an impressive and often ecletic collection of New Zealand novels, poetry, short stories, and periodicals.

His family says his library overflowed the family home “with the patient tolerance of his lovely wife, the late Patrica.”

“Most of the books were purchased through garage sales, church fairs, auctions, and fossicking through obscure bookshops. Ray funded much of his collection through collecting agar seaweed (used for food, medical, and scientific purposes) from the beach at the family bach at Akitio in the Wairarapa.”

Ray had a personal friendship with Michael King and they shared an interest in the works of Frank Sargeson and Janet Frame.

Alison and Penny Bailey said it seems very appropriate to gift a significant part of their father’s New Zealand collection to the Michael King Writer’s Centre so that others may enjoy the works well into the future.

Michael King Writers’ Centre manager Karren Beanland said the centre was thrilled and excited to receive the collection.

“We are building up a collection of books by New Zealand writers and about New Zealand writing. We already have about 500 books and these books from the Bailey collection are a magnificent addition. There are books written in the 1920s and 1930s by authors who we never hear of today, books by most of our leading writers, including very early works, literary journals from small and obscure publishing houses, and books of great historical interest. There are books about important historical figures such as Samuel Butler and Samuel Marsden through to an almost complete set of works by Barry Crump.

“Our volunteers Lynn Dawson and Jan Dickens are going through the collection, but it’s very slow work as we keep being amazed at what we find and want to stop to savour each book.

“It is a fabulous collection which will be a wonderful resource for writers and researchers. We are very grateful to the Bailey and Plummer families for such a generous gift.”

A book plate is being developed to go into each book and the centre has received a grant from the Chisholm Whitney Family Charitable Trust to pay for bookshelves.

Books in the Michael King Writers’ Centre library are being catalogued as part of the Auckland Library collections. The library is a reference collection. People who want to use it can make an appointment to visit the centre.

ends

© Scoop Media