Robert Dederick
Encyclopedia
Robert St Clair Dederick was born in Atherton, Lancashire
, England
, September 27, 1919 and died in Cape Town
, South Africa
, December 8, 1983.
He won the South African State Poetry prize in 1967 and the Thomas Pringle Award
for creative writing in 1971.
He was educated at Taunton School
, Somerset and served in the British Army during World War II. He worked as a solicitor in England 1947-1951 and emigrated to Cape Town, South Africa in 1951. He married Sheila (nee Solomon) in 1949 and had four children. He worked as a legal advisor for BP Southern Africa 1952–1981.
Robert Dederick published two collections of poems, The Quest and other Poems and Bifocal. He was a regular contributor to
The Cape Times, Standpunte, New Coin, Contrast, etc. His work is represented in a number of anthologies including The Penguin Book of South African Verse, Inscapes, A Century of South African Poetry and Halala Madiba: Nelson Mandela in Poetry.
The phrase "Ah big yaws?" from his poem A Variation on a Theme of Thomas Hardy's was used as the title of Robin Malan's book on South African English and his poem A Prayer in the Pentagon provided inspiration for the song Typical Situation
by Dave Matthews.
Robert Dederick was also a freelance sports reporter on cricket and field hockey for the Cape Argus and in later years became a regular broadcaster on the English radio station of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). He was an active member of the Owl Club
, Cape Town.
The Quest and other Poems. Purnell, Cape Town, 1968.
Bifocal. David Philip, Cape Town, 1974.
Atherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, September 27, 1919 and died in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, December 8, 1983.
He won the South African State Poetry prize in 1967 and the Thomas Pringle Award
Thomas Pringle Award
The Thomas Pringle Award is an annual award for work published in newspapers, periodicals and journals. They are awarded on a rotation basis for: a book, play, film or TV review; a literary article or substantial book review; an article on English education; a short story or one-act play; one or...
for creative writing in 1971.
He was educated at Taunton School
Taunton School
Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18....
, Somerset and served in the British Army during World War II. He worked as a solicitor in England 1947-1951 and emigrated to Cape Town, South Africa in 1951. He married Sheila (nee Solomon) in 1949 and had four children. He worked as a legal advisor for BP Southern Africa 1952–1981.
Robert Dederick published two collections of poems, The Quest and other Poems and Bifocal. He was a regular contributor to
The Cape Times, Standpunte, New Coin, Contrast, etc. His work is represented in a number of anthologies including The Penguin Book of South African Verse, Inscapes, A Century of South African Poetry and Halala Madiba: Nelson Mandela in Poetry.
The phrase "Ah big yaws?" from his poem A Variation on a Theme of Thomas Hardy's was used as the title of Robin Malan's book on South African English and his poem A Prayer in the Pentagon provided inspiration for the song Typical Situation
Typical Situation
"Typical Situation" is the title of a promotional single released by the Dave Matthews Band, released as the third single from their album Under the Table and Dreaming, as well as the song from which the single takes its name. The single did not chart...
by Dave Matthews.
Robert Dederick was also a freelance sports reporter on cricket and field hockey for the Cape Argus and in later years became a regular broadcaster on the English radio station of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). He was an active member of the Owl Club
Owl Club
The Owl Club of Cape Town, South Africa, is a gentleman’s dining club formed in 1894 to provide a social meeting place for those with an interest in the liberal arts and science. The members are entertained and informed by a tradition of speakers and musical performance.- Background to the name...
, Cape Town.
Works
Poetry collectionsThe Quest and other Poems. Purnell, Cape Town, 1968.
Bifocal. David Philip, Cape Town, 1974.