Jim Dryden

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.

Jim Dryden
Dryden in 1937
Personal information
Birth nameJames Herbert Ferrier Dryden
Born(1907-07-08)8 July 1907
Gateshead, England
Died29 October 1974(1974-10-29) (aged 67)
Auckland, New Zealand
Weight110 kg (17 st 4 lb)[1]
RelativesAlistair Dryden (son)
Murdoch Dryden (grandson)
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportWrestling
Medal record
Men's wrestling
Representing  New Zealand
Commonwealth Games
1938 SydneyHeavyweight

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