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This is Mark's blog.

Mark Pirie privately publishes biography of Tom Lawn

Posted Friday, March 15, 2019 by Mark Pirie
Archived as Thomas Henry Lawn, Agricultural implements, Business history, Engineering, Farm machinery, Rugby history

In December 2018, I produced a hardback edition of my biography Tom Lawn, Mystery Forward, for my family and research libraries or museums in New Zealand.

The book took me around six years to research, edit and produce. I hope it contains some information of value to fellow researchers of farm machinery/implements and rugby of the 1920s and 1930s in Auckland and Canterbury.

I see it as mainly a family history project, and haven’t tried to market or sell it commercially.

It was privately published by Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop and included in their non-fiction list.

Mark Pirie publishes a book of rugby poems

Posted Sunday, November 17, 2013 by Mark Pirie
Archived as Thomas Henry Lawn, Rugby poetry, The Night Press

I'm pleased to announce the publication of a small book of my rugby poems written between 1994 and 2013 through my imprint The Night Press.

The book is titled "Sidelights" after a rugby column of the same name in the Auckland Weekly News, 1938.

The book includes poems on the All Blacks, Super Rugby and my rugby family, including four poems on my rugby playing Grandpa Tommy Lawn and his full rugby bio inside the book.

For book details click here.

For info on Tom Lawn see my previous post
/blog/2012/12/21/nz-rugby-museum-article-on-mark-pirie's-grandfather

The Night Press is an imprint for my journal broadsheet, which publishes occasional hand-made chapbooks/mini books.

NZ Rugby Museum article on Mark Pirie's grandfather

Posted Friday, December 21, 2012 by Mark Pirie
Archived as New Zealand Rugby Museum, Thomas Henry Lawn

Following a visit to the NZ Rugby Museum at Palmerston North, October 2012, the Director Stephen Berg published an article in the Manawatu Standard, 14 November 2012.

The article relates to the discovery of my grandfather's rugby career through an old photo I had in my possession. I had no knowledge of his career prior to the visit apart from remembered family stories which may be inaccurate. Thanks to Stephen for his help in identifying the photo.

My grandfather Tom Lawn (a tall forward) learned his rugby at Stratford District High School and after played for Sydenham Football Club and Technical Old Boys in Christchurch and College Rifles in Auckland, from 1919-29. He won Canterbury representative honours in 1925. The 1927 College Rifles team that he was part of included three All Blacks and a Maori All Black. He later received an invitation and coached North Shore Club to a good position in 1938 with Bert Cooke, a member of the 1924/25 All Blacks "Invincibles" team.

Here's a link to the article (which includes some of the information found):
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/7947872/Mysteries-solved-and-treasures-recovered-through-photo-library