after joining associated newspapers ramsden took an interest in anthropology. he attended lectures on the subject at the university of sydney and founded the pacific islands club (now known as the polynesian society). he was the club's first secretary. later he became president of the anthropological society of new south wales. in 1935 he travelled with charles nordhoff to tahiti and french polynesia undertaking research. in january while in hawaii he met up with te rangi hīroa (sir peter buck), who at that time was a professor of yale university and the then leading expert on polynesian culture.