| Jim Dryden | |
| Birth Name: | James Herbert Ferrier Dryden |
| Birth Date: | 8 July 1907 |
| Birth Place: | Gateshead, England |
| Death Place: | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Weight: | 17st[1] |
| Relatives: | Alistair Dryden (son) Murdoch Dryden (grandson) |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Sport: | Wrestling |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
James Herbert Ferrier Dryden (8 July 1907 - 29 October 1974) was a New Zealand wrestler who won a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games.
Born in Gateshead, England, on 8 July 1907, Dryden was the son of Margery Dryden (née Waddell) and Herbert Dryden.[2] The family emigrated to New Zealand on the SS Westmeath in 1913, landing in Wellington,[3] and settling in Wairarapa.
Dryden won the New Zealand amateur wrestling championship in the heavyweight division in 1937.[4] He was then selected to represent his country at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, where he won the silver medal in the men's heavyweight (100 kg) category.[5] In 1938 and 1939, Dryden successfully defended his heavyweight title at the national amateur championships.[6] [7]
Dryden later contested a number of professional wrestling bouts, particularly in 1942 and 1943, including against Lofty Blomfield and Ken Kenneth.[8] [9] [10]
On 6 February 1929, Dryden married Lilian Anne Osborne at Carterton.[11] In 1940, Dryden married Lynda Evelyn Phelps in Tauranga.[2] Their son, Alistair Dryden, represented New Zealand twice at Olympic Games in rowing. Their grandson, Murdoch Dryden, was also a representative rower.[12]
Dryden's third marriage was to Mary Alison Weedin in Auckland in 1974.[2] He died in Auckland on 29 October 1974, and was buried at Purewa Cemetery, Auckland.[2] [13]