16 Facts About Ngaio Marsh

Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director.

Ngaio Marsh was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966.

Ngaio Marsh is known primarily for her character Inspector Roderick Alleyn, a gentleman detective who works for the Metropolitan Police.

The Ngaio Marsh Award is awarded annually for the best New Zealand mystery, crime and thriller fiction writing.

Ngaio Marsh was the only child of Rose and bank clerk Henry Marsh, described by Marsh as "have-nots".

Ngaio Marsh was educated at St Margaret's College in Christchurch, where she was one of the first pupils when the school was founded.

Ngaio Marsh studied painting at the Canterbury College School of Art before joining the Allan Wilkie company as an actress in 1916 and touring New Zealand.

Ngaio Marsh wrote about the process of writing her first book in an essay, "Roderick Alleyn".

Ngaio Marsh was a member of The Group, an art association based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ngaio Marsh exhibited with them in 1927,1928,1935,1936,1938,1940 and 1947.

Several novels feature Ngaio Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting.

Ngaio Marsh lived to see New Zealand develop a viable professional theatre industry having realistic Arts Council support, with many of her proteges to the forefront.

Ngaio Marsh was unofficially engaged to Edward Bristed, who died in action in December 1917.

Ngaio Marsh enjoyed close companionships with women, including her lifelong friend Sylvia Fox, but denied being lesbian, according to biographer Joanne Drayton.

Ngaio Marsh died in Christchurch and was buried at the Church of the Holy Innocents, Mount Peel.

Ngaio Marsh co-wrote the 1951 episode Night at the Vulcan of the Philco Television Playhouse; and appeared as herself in the sixth episode The Central Problem in a television series of the unfinished Charles Dickens mystery novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood.