About the author
Cecil (1896–1987) and Celia Manson (1908–87) wrote historical articles and books together. Cecil was born in England, and educated at Repton School. He served in World War I, and worked as a journalist before moving to New Zealand. There he met Cecilia, who was born in Carterton and educated at Victoria University College. Cecil saw a second period of war service during World War II. Celia Manson set up the Winn-Manson Menton Trust with Sheilah Winn. The Trust administers the Katherine Mansfield Menton Trust, which gives funding to New Zealand writers to go and write in Menton, France, where Katherine Mansfield spent some of her later years.
Cecil and Celia Manson wrote on early pioneers in New Zealand, and wrote at least one children’s historical story, The Lonely One, set in New Zealand of the 1860s, in which two lonely creatures: boy and horse, meet.
Finding the book
Reasonably easy to find.
Sources and links
Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature
National Library of New Zealand on the Mansons
Bibliography (pony book only)
The Lonely One
Whitcombe & Tombs, New Zealand, 1963, 153 pp, illus Ian Armour-Chelu
The Epworth Press, London, 1963
An historical novel set in the New Zealand of the 1860s. Bill Campion is being brought up by foster parents, but they are not on his side, and eventually, unable to bear their growing dislike, he runs away. He has an amazing ability to handle horses, and teams up with an old coachdriver. In time he parts from the coachdriver: lonely as he is, he manages to find other lonely people,and horses, including the stallion Pouaru, who shares in the dangers when Bill starts a job asa mailrider for the Meadbury Post Office.
