John Dunmore (6 August 1923 – 1 May 2023) was a French-born New Zealand academic, historian, author, playwright, and publisher.
Biography Dunmore was born in Trouville-sur-Mer, France, on 6 August 1923. He lived in Jersey under German occupation during World War II, and then in England, where he received a BA from the University of London. He emigrated to New Zealand in 1950. He completed a PhD under historian J. C. Beaglehole at Victoria University of Wellington in 1962, studying the French contribution to the exploration of the Pacific Ocean in the 18th century. He was professor of French, head of the Department of Modern Languages, and dean of Humanities at Massey University, from which he retired in 1985.These facts are from pp. 9–11 of Pacific Journeys.
Dunmore's main field of history was the exploration of the Pacific, particularly by French navigators. He wrote two major biographies of La Pérouse, and translated and edited his journals (which he rediscovered after they had been misfiled in the French National Archives).Pacific Journeys, p. 12. In addition, he wrote biographies and edited the journals of both de Surville and of Bougainville. His biography of de Surville, The fateful voyage of the St. Jean Baptiste, won the Wattie Book of the Year award in 1970.Massey News Article – Champion of the Humanities
His work was highly regarded by scholars as well as by the public: "John Dunmore has done more than anyone to bring our attention to the achievements of eighteenth and nineteenth century French explorers of the Pacific"CCS – Book Reviews Part 9 "cette étonnante biographie, élégamment écrite (this stunning and elegantly written biography (of Bougainville))""Storms and Dreams" de John Dunmore (mars 2005) – La France en Nouvelle-Zélande "The succinct and perceptive evaluation of the voyages and the Anglo-French rivalry is of great use"Review by Samuel Clyde McCulloch in The Journal of Modern History, Vol. 43, No. 3 (September 1971), p. 518.
Dunmore wrote a variety of other books, including a series of thrillers under the pseudonym "Jason Calder".Pacific Journeys, p. 13. He produced a book of 18th-century recipes, Mrs Cook's book of recipes for mariners in distant seas. Some of the recipes were derived from the logs of explorers of the day. He also wrote plays,Pacific Journeys, p. 13. See also An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand at http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/L/LiteratureDrama/RadioDrama/en held office in the Playwrights Association of New Zealand,Panz Contacts and wrote a history of the association.
In his capacity as professor of French, Dunmore was president of the New Zealand Federation des Alliances Francaises, a post he held for twenty years.
Dunmore established two separate publishing firms, the Dunmore Press (1969–1984) and Heritage Press (1985–2004).Pacific Journeys, p. 13. See also The Dunmore Press, a substantial New Zealand publisher of academic books, eventually became part of the Thomson publishing group, in 2004.Cengage Imprints
Dunmore died on 1 May 2023, at the age of 99.
Honours and awards In 1990, Dunmore was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 2001 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to literature and historical research.
The French Government appointed Dunmore as a Chevalier dans la Légion d'honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) in 1976, and an Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes académiques (Officer of the Academic Palms) in 1986.pp. 9–11 of Pacific Journeys. He was promoted to Officier de la Légion d'honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honor) in 2007, becoming only the tenth New Zealander to hold this level of the orderDunmore promoted to Officer of the Legion of Honour http://www.ambafrance-nz.org/spip.php?article1022 and the third New Zealander to be promoted to the superior rank of Officer after Lieutenant Colonel James Waddell and Nancy Wake.M. Brewer, 'New Zealand and the Legion d'honneur: Officiers, Commandeurs and Dignites', The Volunteers: The Journal of the New Zealand Military Historical Society, 35(3), March 2010, pp.131–147.
Massey University awarded Dunmore an honorary DLitt degree in 2006. Fellow Pacific scholars honoured him with a Festschrift:
The Dunmore Medal for research into French achievements and development in the Pacific is named after him.Award of the Dunmore Medal
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (New Zealand) 2001 New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal (New Zealand) 1990 Officier de la Légion d'Honneur (France) 2007 Officier des Palmes académiques (France) 1986
Books This list of books by Dunmore is representative but by no means complete. He also wrote many articles, book chapters, reviews, plays and other items. A list of his scholarly writings to 2005 is included in Pacific Journeys at pp. 15–19.
Biographies
Published also by ABC Books, Sydney, Australia. Published also by ABC Books, Sydney, Australia & University of Alaska Press, 2007,
Translation of Pacific Explorer.
Translated and edited journals of explorers
Other historical works
Fiction "Jason Calder" is a pseudonym for John Dunmore.
Other Also published by the Australian National Maritime Museum.
See also List of foreign recipients of the Légion d'Honneur List of Foreign recipients of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques
References
External links Dunmore Press ( the site still exists and is being updated)