Awa Press publisher Mary Varnham returns to Hawke’s Bay to receive the Tempus Award at Woodford House Old Girls’ Association’s 90th anniversary weekend.
Awa Press publisher Mary Varnham returns to Hawke’s Bay to receive the Tempus Award at Woodford House Old Girls’ Association’s 90th anniversary weekend.
The best things in life are unexpected, says journalist, book publisher and editor Mary Varnham.
Varnham, who was a Woodford House boarder from 1962-1964, was not expecting to receive the Tempus Award from the Woodford House Old Girls’ Association (WHOGA) as part of the association’s 90th anniversary weekend.
Every year, the Old Girls’ Association of Woodford House honours a past student for outstanding achievement in her chosen field.
Previous recipients have included co-founder of share trading platform Sharesies, Brooke Roberts, and founder of nationwide aged care provider Miranda Smith Homecare, Miranda Smith.
This year’s winner and accomplished publisher Varnham currently lives in Wellington and works as publisher and editor-in-chief of Awa Press, the independent publishing company she founded some 20 years ago.
Varnham was “stunned” at the news she would be this year’s recipient and said, “My company and its authors have won many awards in the past, but this is a first for me.”
During her years at the Havelock North school, Varnham proved herself a diligent and ambitious student, gaining dux of the school in 1964.
However she didn’t always find school life easy, and the initial loneliness she experienced as a boarder was diminished by throwing herself into her studies and developing a passion for academic success.
Woodford House principal Julie Peterson (left), Tempus recipient Mary Varnham and Woodford House Old Girls’ Association president Mary Sherratt celebrating the WHOGA’s 90th anniversary weekend.
She recalls that previous Woodford House principals had been visionary pioneers in girls’ education and many of their pupils emerged with strong aspirations – such as actor Dame Kate Harcourt and author Barbara Anderson.
But when the publisher attended the school she said, “There were limited future horizons for girls, a good marriage amongst them.
“When school finished my father wanted me to get a ‘good job’ and learn to be a typist,” she said.
Varnham thankfully ignored her father’s advice and headed to the University of Otago to further her studies instead.
At university she gained a BA Hons in English and Political Studies before taking a role at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then venturing abroad to New York – a move she said was pivotal to her getting involved in freelance writing and, ultimately, publishing.
“New Yorkers work hard, strive for excellence and believe anything is possible. I found that inspiring,” she said.
In New Zealand, Varnham has enjoyed a diverse career, working for the National Business Review, as a researcher and press secretary for the Lange government, and serving as a Wellington City councillor, whilst raising her three children.
In 1994 she authored a book on the history of Woodford House called Beyond Blue Hills – One Hundred Years of Woodford House, interviewing former pupils, principals and teachers who have lived and worked there.
These oral histories are now lodged in the archives at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington and are available to the public.
Varnham’s advice for girls readying themselves for life outside of school is to try a range of jobs and gain life experience before deciding on a career or work pathway.
“There is often pressure for a young person to go straight from university, polytechnic or other training into a high-pressure job, this can lead to disillusionment and even burnout,” she cautions.
“The happiest people I know have explored many options before choosing a final path. Above all, it should be something you enjoy doing.”
Mary Sherratt, president of the Old Girls’ Association, said the association is in awe of Varnham’s achievements.
“She is an inspiration and we are so lucky to have had someone of her calibre help document and share the story of Woodford House.
“It was a pleasure to have her back at the school this weekend to recognise her achievements and give thanks for her contribution to Woodford House,” Sherratt said.
Ahead of Woodford House’s 130-year celebrations, principal Julie Peterson said, “We so admire Mary’s drive to succeed and to spearhead change and it’s easy to imagine someone of Mary’s character railing against the traditional expectations placed upon the young women of her era.
“Thankfully, our school – and our world – have both come a long way, but it’s stories like Mary’s that will continue to motivate our girls to strive for excellence, to be challenged in whatever they do, and to seek careers that make them happy,” Peterson said.
