Vincent Pyke

John C. Ross (Massey University)

Ed. by John C. Ross, Massey University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 9.1.2: New Zealand Writing and Culture.
Vol. editors: Doreen D'Cruz (Massey University), Jennifer Lawn (Massey University), John C. Ross (Massey University), Mark Williams (Victoria University of Wellington)

Dates

Born 4 Feb 1827
Died 5 Jun 1894
Activity 1847-1894

Places

Born in England
Active in New Zealand

Activities

Primary

Journalist
Politician

Resources

Pyke's Works

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Vincent Pyke (1827-94) was a gold-digger, goldfield administrator, local and national politician, and journalist, as well as an author. His published works include three novels and several novellas or short stories, as well as non-fiction. Two of the three novels,

The Story of Wild Bill Enderby

(1873) and

The Adventures of George Washington Pratt

(1874), albeit undistinguished in literary style and in plotting, are nonetheless of genuine interest and value because of their lively portrayals of life at the Central Otago and Queenstown area goldfields, of which he had first-hand knowledge and experience.

Born as Vincent Pike in Shepton Mallett, Somersetshire, on 4 February 1827, he evidently changed the spelling of his surname to Pyke after his marriage in 1846. His father James Pike was a

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2413 words

Citation: Ross, John C.. "Vincent Pyke". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 04 May 2018 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12438, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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