Wendy Carnegie lived adventurous life

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 6

Wendy Carnegie lived adventurous life

Wendy Carnegie, writer, and television and radio broadcaster in New Zealand, Australia and England, died in Auckland yesterday. At the time of her death she was secretary of the Art Galleries’ and Museums’ Association of New Zealand.

A generous, outgoing woman with a deep concern for others, Wendy Carnegie had a compulsive spirit of adventure which prompted her to make several overseas journeys well off the “beaten track.” She was among the first women air pilots in England, her [homeland, and served overseas in the commercial section of British Intelligence during World War 11. During the war years she also spent some time in the West Indies. On her return to Britain she continued her medical studies, with a special interest in homeopathy. OVERLAND SAFARI In 1953, Dr Carnegie set off on an overland safari to Tibet and Northern India, which took more than two years, to study diseases and customs of isolated tribes. Many of her experiences on this hazardous expedition are recorded in her book, “Gipsy Doctor.” In 1957 she went to Africa on an expedition to explore the Kalahari Desert for a hidden city, but she was caught up in riots when in the Belgian Congo and had to return home. Back in England she wrote about her African trip for magazines as well as giving radio and television travel talks. In 1960 she visited Sydney and, having

given up medical work, de cided to settle there.

Writing had always been one of Wendy Carnegie’s hobbies and in Sydney it became her livelihood. She was appointed editor of the house magazine of the A.M.P, Society and gave regular radio talks for the A.B.C. until her marriage to Mr P. R. Rollings, then of Christchurch. They lived in Christchurch for five years ! from 1965. During that time ! Wendy Carnegie was a I member of the television (team, “Montage,” and held ( health classes for mind and (body harmony in several ( Christchurch suburbs and at! ithe Y.W.C.A. as well as; being a free-lance writer. ( In 1970 she accompanied; her husband on an overseas; business trip, returning to! Christchurch briefly before! moving to Auckland to live.; Soon after settling in Auckland she was appointed sec-j retary to the Art Galleries’! and Museums’ Association of; New Zealand. PUBLICATIONS

While living in New Zealand, Wendy Carnegie had several children’s books published, including “Finding a Soul,” “Lonely No More” and “Finding a’ Miracle.” At the time of her death she had completed another, “Finding a Secret.” She gave many radio talks on her travels and reviewed books for the N.Z.B.C. in recent years, as well as contributing to “Thursday” and other magazines. She did book reviews for “The Press,” the “New Zealand Herald” and other publications and she was regarded as a talented amateur painter. Wendy Carnegie is survived by her husband, Mr Peter Rollings, of Auckland, a son and a daughter, by a previous marriage, who both live in Britain.