British-born New Zealander, professional astrologer, and author of astrology books who researched astrological themes for his postgraduate theses.
Garth Chivalle Carpenter (Ph.D., M.Ed., B.A., Dip. Tchg.) was born in Devon and emigrated to New Zealand in 1958. After first studying astrology in London for a few months with Margaret Hone, he continued his studies in New Zealand and founded the Astrological Society of Wellington in 1962. He became a professional astrologer in 1966, writing astrological articles for national magazines from 1969. In the 1970s he wrote a column titled “Heavens Above!” for the national newspaper, “The Sports Post.” The column attracted enquiries from all over New Zealand and the horoscopes of readers were published with replies, the first time for this to be done in New Zealand by any publication.
Carpenter has taught many courses in Astrology and in the history of ideas. After training as a primary school teacher 1961-1963 at Wellington Teachers’ College he obtained his Diploma in Teaching. He completed his Masters in Education degree from Victoria University of Wellington in 1991 with a thesis titled “Valid Knowledge: Astrology in the Post-Compulsory Education and Training Sector.” In 1998 he obtained his Ph.D. in English Literature for a thesis titled “Chaucer’s Solar Pageant: An Astrological Examination of The Canterbury Tales.”
His first book, “Aspects of Astrology,” 1974, contained various charts for notable Australians and New Zealanders along with astrological commentary. His Sun Sign book, “Southern Hemisphere Horoscopes” 1980, was published in Wellington. In 2001 he was awarded honorary life membership of the Wellington Astrological Society. He currently serves as director of the Astrological Research and Teaching Institute which he founded in 1975.
Garth Carpenter has been married to Penny since the early 1960s. Without children, they enjoy their brown Burmese cat called Sam.