Ruth France

Helena Ruth France (12 June 1913–19 August 1968) (known as Ruth France) was a New Zealand librarian, poet and novelist.

She was born 'Helena Ruth Henderson in Leithfield, Northern Canterbury, New Zealand,

She lived in Lyttelton, New Zealand (on a yacht) and then in Sumner, New Zealand with her husband. She was friends with Elsie Locke, but considered Christchurch authors and poets prejudiced against women.

Her two published novels are The Race (1958) and Ice Cold River (1961). She published poems under her own name, and two collections of poetry, Unwilling Pilgrim (1955) and The Halting Place (1961), under the name of Paul Henderson.

She died in Christchurch, leaving a third novel, The Tunnel, unfinished.

Poetry

 * Unwilling Pilgrim: Poems (as "Paul Henderson"). Christchurch, NZ: Caxton, 1955.
 * The Halting Place (as "Paul Henderson"). Christchurch, NZ: Caxton, 1961.

Novels

 * The Race. Hamilton, NZ: Paul's Book Arcade, 1958; London: Constable, 1958.
 * Ice Cold River. Hamilton, NZ: Paul's Book Arcade / London: Constable, 1961.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.