Jim_Dryden

Jim Dryden

Jim Dryden

New Zealand sport wrestler (1907–1974)

James Herbert Ferrier Dryden (8 July 1907 – 29 October 1974) was a New Zealand wrestler who won a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.

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Early life

Born in Gateshead, England, on 8 July 1907, Dryden was the son of Margery Dryden (née Waddell) and Herbert Dryden.[2] The family emigrated to New Zealand on the SS Westmeath in 1913, landing in Wellington,[3] and settling in Wairarapa.

Wrestling

Dryden won the New Zealand amateur wrestling championship in the heavyweight division in 1937.[4] He was then selected to represent his country at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, where he won the silver medal in the men's heavyweight (100 kg) category.[5] In 1938 and 1939, Dryden successfully defended his heavyweight title at the national amateur championships.[6][7]

Dryden later contested a number of professional wrestling bouts, particularly in 1942 and 1943, including against Lofty Blomfield and Ken Kenneth.[8][9][10]

Family and death

On 6 February 1929, Dryden married Lilian Anne Osborne at Carterton.[11] In 1940, Dryden married Lynda Evelyn Phelps in Tauranga.[2] Their son, Alistair Dryden, represented New Zealand twice at Olympic Games in rowing. Their grandson, Murdoch Dryden, was also a representative rower.[12]

Dryden's third marriage was to Mary Alison Weedin in Auckland in 1974.[2] He died in Auckland on 29 October 1974, and was buried at Purewa Cemetery, Auckland.[2][13]

References

  1. [1]
    "Saturday's wrestling". Evening Post. 12 October 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  2. [2]
    "Herbert James Ferrier Dryden". Ancestry.com.au. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  3. [3]
    "Victoria, Australia, assisted and unassisted passenger lists, 1839–1923". Ancestry.com Operations. 2009. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  4. [4]
    "The amateur titles". Auckland Star. 21 September 1937. p. 15. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  5. [5]
    "James Dryden". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  6. [6]
    "N.Z. titles". Auckland Star. 20 September 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  7. [7]
    "Amateur championships". Evening Post. 28 September 1939. p. 19. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  8. [8]
    "Wrestling matches". New Zealand Herald. 12 October 1942. p. 5. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  9. [9]
    "On the mat". Auckland Star. 26 October 1942. p. 5. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  10. [10]
    "Wrestling matches". New Zealand Herald. 27 July 1943. p. 5. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  11. [11]
    "Marriage search: registration number 1929/9254". Births, deaths & marriages online. Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  12. [12]
    Irvine, Peter (5 May 2011). "Older rowers pull their weight at Lake Rotoroa regatta". Wanganui Chronicle. p. A11. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  13. [13]
    "Burial & cremation details". Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
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