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Will Lawson

August 26, 2023

Will Lawson (2 September 1876 – 13 October 1957), born in Durham, England, was a popular bush poet, novelist, journalist and historian of Australia.[1] Many of his works had sailing or stage coach themes.[2]

Will Lawson
Lawson (undated)
Born
William Lawson

(1876-09-02)2 September 1876
Durham, England
Died13 October 1957(1957-10-13) (aged 81)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)Poet, author

Early life Edit

Born at Gateshead, Durham, England, the family was of Scandinavian descent, with the family name originally of Larsen.[3] Moving with his family to New Zealand at the age of four, they first lived in Wellington, New Zealand.[3]

The family moved to Brisbane, Australia around 1885, where Lawson received some education, then moved back to Wellington, New Zealand,[1][3] where he worked as a clerk in an insurance office, and began writing poems for The Bulletin.

Lawson was a fireman on the Wellington & Manawatu Railway Company, and wrote a poem Firin’ on the Mail:[4]

Fill her tank and give her coal
Clear her fires, and then
Let the big-wheeled Yankee roll
Down the grades again.

For World War I, Lawson was rejected by the New Zealand military for the mounted infantry because of his diabetes.[3] He wote a book on the Trentham Military Camp in WWI.

Career Edit

In 1912 Lawson returned to Australia and joined the staff of Sydney's Evening News, also writing for Smith's Weekly and The Bulletin.

In 1924 and 1925 Lawson went to San Francisco as the publicity officer for the Union Steamship Company.[1] In 1929, he then undertook an extensive tour of the 'Far East'.[1]

From 1932, Lawson has been freelancing literature.[1]

He was associated with the Sydney Bohemian artistic scene and such well-known figures as poet and later politician Randolph Bedford (1868–1941), journalist and writer Edward Dyson (1865–1931), illustrator Will Dyson (1880–1938), artist Livingston Hopkins (1846–1927), landscape painter Percy Lindsay (1870–1952), and poet Roderic Quinn (1867–1949).

Although not related to poet Henry Lawson (1867–1922),[5] they were lifelong friends,[1][3] and a friend of his widow Bertha.

Later life Edit

Lawson died in Sydney in 1957, aged 81.[5]

Some literary historians did not know whether to list Lawson as an Australian or a New Zealand writer, although Lawson considered himself Australian.[3]

Selected works Edit

Poetry Edit

  • The Red West Road (1903)
  • Light love (1904)[6]
  • Between the Lights (1906)
  • Stokin' and Other Verses (1908)
  • The tug that went a-trawling (1909)[7]
  • The Three Kings (1914)[8]
  • To the Fallen (c. 1917)[9]
  • Bush Verses (1943)
  • Bill the Whaler (1944)

Novels Edit

  • Red West Road (1906)[1]
  • Old Man Murray (1937)[13]
  • Harpoons ahoy! (1938)[14]
  • In Ben Boyd's Day (1939), considered to be his best to date, in a historical setting of a gentleman adventurer[15]
  • Red Morgan Rides (1940)
  • Bound for Callao (1942)[16]
  • Black Diamonds (1945)
  • The Lady of the Heather (1945)
  • Forbidden Gold (1945)
  • Paddle Wheels Away (1945)
  • Gold in their Hearts (1950), republished as Mary Smith's Hotel (1957)

With fellow author Tom Hickey:

  • Galloping Wheels (1947)
  • Moira of Green Hills (1950), set in the paddle-steamer days of trade between the Hunter River and Sydney, about an Irish colleen Moira.[17][18]

Short stories Edit

  • A stokehold tragedy (1909)[19]
  • A pack track knight (1913)[20]
  • The buggy ride (1935)[21]

Miscellaneous Edit

  • The Three Kings, and other verses (1914), 250 pages of many verses and poems, including The Old Ngahauranga Road, published by Angus & Robertson, being sold for the cost of 2 shillings 7 pence.[2]

Edited:

  • Australian Bush Songs and Ballads (1944)

Historical:

  • Historic Trentham 1914–1917: The story of a New Zealand Military Training Camp (1917).[22]
  • Pacific steamers (1928), about the development of steam shipping on the Australian, and West American coasts. It contained 237 pages with illustrations, and sold for 16 shillings.[23]
  • Blue Gum Clippers and Whale Ships of Tasmania (1949), in conjunction with the Shiplovers' Society of Tasmania, Georgian House, Melbourne.[24]

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Cessnock Rotary Club". The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder. Vol. 31, no. 4004. New South Wales, Australia. 12 January 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b "Our book column". The Sydney Stock and Station Journal. Vol. XXVI, no. 73. New South Wales, Australia. 22 December 1914. p. 12. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Balladist recalls Bohemian Sydney". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Vol. XVIII, no. 107. New South Wales, Australia. 25 July 1953. p. 19. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Troup, Gordon (1978). Footplate: The Victorian Enginemans’s New Zealand. Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed. p. 140. ISBN 0 589 01096 4.
  5. ^ a b c ""Will" LAWSON dies in Sydney". The Canberra Times. Vol. 31, no. 9, 299. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 October 1957. p. 7. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Light love". Camperdown Chronicle. Vol. XXX, no. 4881. Victoria, Australia. 17 December 1904. p. 50 (Unknown). Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "The tug that went a-trawling". Western Mail. Vol. XXV, no. 1, 252. Western Australia. 25 December 1909. p. 26. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "The Three Kings". The Land. Vol. XX, no. 1007. New South Wales, Australia. 3 October 1930. p. 8 (The Countrywoman). Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "To the Fallen". New Zealand Electronic Text Collection, Victoria University of Wellington. 1917.
  10. ^ "Laughing Buccaneer". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 17. Australia, Australia. 1 October 1938. p. Front cover (Laughing Buccaneer). Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Another coach robbery". Sunday Mail (Brisbane). No. 334. Queensland, Australia. 13 September 1936. p. 33. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Will Lawson's Cobb and Co. In Third Edition". The Canberra Times. 31 October 1959. p. 13. Retrieved 24 September 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "OLD MAN MURRAY". The Riverine Herald. No. 19, 879. Victoria, Australia. 27 December 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Harpoons ahoy! Chapter 10". Western Mail. Vol. 55, no. 2, 722. Western Australia. 28 April 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Will LAWSON's historical novel". The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales. Vol. 71, no. 8868. New South Wales, Australia. 6 September 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Bound for Callao". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 20, 177. New South Wales, Australia. 10 June 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Historical novels on Australia". The Northern Star. New South Wales, Australia. 27 October 1950. p. 7. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Migration story of the Eighties". The Age. No. 29, 804. Victoria, Australia. 4 November 1950. p. 10. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "A stokehold tragedy". The Queenslander. No. 2282. Queensland, Australia. 4 December 1909. p. 47. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "A pack track knight". Australian Town and Country Journal. Vol. LXXXV, no. 2287. New South Wales, Australia. 3 December 1913. p. 62. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "The buggy ride". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 30, 523. New South Wales, Australia. 31 October 1935. p. 18 (Women). Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Historic Trentham 1914-1917". NZETC. 1933.
  23. ^ "Our reference library". Daily Commercial News and Shipping List. No. 12, 294. New South Wales, Australia. 23 January 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "Shipping History and Romance". The Advertiser. Adelaide. 3 June 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 24 September 2013 – via National Library of Australia.

Sources Edit

  • Wilde, William H, Hooton, Joy, Andrews, Barry Oxford Companion to Australian Literature Oxford University Press, 2nd ed. 1994 ISBN 0 19553381 X

External links Edit

  • Australian Dictionary of Biography entry
  • "Historic Trentham (Camp) 1914-1917: booklet by Will Lawson". NZETC. 1917.

August 26, 2023
will, lawson, september, 1876, october, 1957, born, durham, england, popular, bush, poet, novelist, journalist, historian, australia, many, works, sailing, stage, coach, themes, lawson, undated, bornwilliam, lawson, 1876, september, 1876durham, englanddied13, . Will Lawson 2 September 1876 13 October 1957 born in Durham England was a popular bush poet novelist journalist and historian of Australia 1 Many of his works had sailing or stage coach themes 2 Will LawsonLawson undated BornWilliam Lawson 1876 09 02 2 September 1876Durham EnglandDied13 October 1957 1957 10 13 aged 81 Sydney New South Wales AustraliaOccupation s Poet author Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Later life 4 Selected works 4 1 Poetry 4 2 Novels 4 3 Short stories 4 4 Miscellaneous 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksEarly life EditBorn at Gateshead Durham England the family was of Scandinavian descent with the family name originally of Larsen 3 Moving with his family to New Zealand at the age of four they first lived in Wellington New Zealand 3 The family moved to Brisbane Australia around 1885 where Lawson received some education then moved back to Wellington New Zealand 1 3 where he worked as a clerk in an insurance office and began writing poems for The Bulletin Lawson was a fireman on the Wellington amp Manawatu Railway Company and wrote a poem Firin on the Mail 4 Fill her tank and give her coal Clear her fires and then Let the big wheeled Yankee roll Down the grades again For World War I Lawson was rejected by the New Zealand military for the mounted infantry because of his diabetes 3 He wote a book on the Trentham Military Camp in WWI Career EditIn 1912 Lawson returned to Australia and joined the staff of Sydney s Evening News also writing for Smith s Weekly and The Bulletin In 1924 and 1925 Lawson went to San Francisco as the publicity officer for the Union Steamship Company 1 In 1929 he then undertook an extensive tour of the Far East 1 From 1932 Lawson has been freelancing literature 1 He was associated with the Sydney Bohemian artistic scene and such well known figures as poet and later politician Randolph Bedford 1868 1941 journalist and writer Edward Dyson 1865 1931 illustrator Will Dyson 1880 1938 artist Livingston Hopkins 1846 1927 landscape painter Percy Lindsay 1870 1952 and poet Roderic Quinn 1867 1949 Although not related to poet Henry Lawson 1867 1922 5 they were lifelong friends 1 3 and a friend of his widow Bertha Later life EditLawson died in Sydney in 1957 aged 81 5 Some literary historians did not know whether to list Lawson as an Australian or a New Zealand writer although Lawson considered himself Australian 3 Selected works EditPoetry Edit The Red West Road 1903 Light love 1904 6 Between the Lights 1906 Stokin and Other Verses 1908 The tug that went a trawling 1909 7 The Three Kings 1914 8 To the Fallen c 1917 9 Bush Verses 1943 Bill the Whaler 1944 Novels Edit Red West Road 1906 1 The Laughing Buccaneer 1935 based on the career of blackbirder Bully Hayes 3 10 When Cobb and Co was King 1936 possibly his best known book 5 11 12 Old Man Murray 1937 13 Harpoons ahoy 1938 14 In Ben Boyd s Day 1939 considered to be his best to date in a historical setting of a gentleman adventurer 15 Red Morgan Rides 1940 Bound for Callao 1942 16 Black Diamonds 1945 The Lady of the Heather 1945 Forbidden Gold 1945 Paddle Wheels Away 1945 Gold in their Hearts 1950 republished as Mary Smith s Hotel 1957 With fellow author Tom Hickey Galloping Wheels 1947 Moira of Green Hills 1950 set in the paddle steamer days of trade between the Hunter River and Sydney about an Irish colleen Moira 17 18 Short stories Edit A stokehold tragedy 1909 19 A pack track knight 1913 20 The buggy ride 1935 21 Miscellaneous Edit The Three Kings and other verses 1914 250 pages of many verses and poems including The Old Ngahauranga Road published by Angus amp Robertson being sold for the cost of 2 shillings 7 pence 2 Edited Australian Bush Songs and Ballads 1944 Historical Historic Trentham 1914 1917 The story of a New Zealand Military Training Camp 1917 22 Pacific steamers 1928 about the development of steam shipping on the Australian and West American coasts It contained 237 pages with illustrations and sold for 16 shillings 23 Blue Gum Clippers and Whale Ships of Tasmania 1949 in conjunction with the Shiplovers Society of Tasmania Georgian House Melbourne 24 References Edit a b c d e f g Cessnock Rotary Club The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder Vol 31 no 4004 New South Wales Australia 12 January 1943 p 1 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia a b Our book column The Sydney Stock and Station Journal Vol XXVI no 73 New South Wales Australia 22 December 1914 p 12 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia a b c d e f g Balladist recalls Bohemian Sydney The Daily Telegraph Sydney Vol XVIII no 107 New South Wales Australia 25 July 1953 p 19 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Troup Gordon 1978 Footplate The Victorian Enginemans s New Zealand Wellington A H amp A W Reed p 140 ISBN 0 589 01096 4 a b c Will LAWSON dies in Sydney The Canberra Times Vol 31 no 9 299 Australian Capital Territory Australia 14 October 1957 p 7 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Light love Camperdown Chronicle Vol XXX no 4881 Victoria Australia 17 December 1904 p 50 Unknown Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia The tug that went a trawling Western Mail Vol XXV no 1 252 Western Australia 25 December 1909 p 26 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia The Three Kings The Land Vol XX no 1007 New South Wales Australia 3 October 1930 p 8 The Countrywoman Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia To the Fallen New Zealand Electronic Text Collection Victoria University of Wellington 1917 Laughing Buccaneer The Australian Women s Weekly Vol 6 no 17 Australia Australia 1 October 1938 p Front cover Laughing Buccaneer Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Another coach robbery Sunday Mail Brisbane No 334 Queensland Australia 13 September 1936 p 33 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Will Lawson s Cobb and Co In Third Edition The Canberra Times 31 October 1959 p 13 Retrieved 24 September 2013 via National Library of Australia OLD MAN MURRAY The Riverine Herald No 19 879 Victoria Australia 27 December 1938 p 3 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Harpoons ahoy Chapter 10 Western Mail Vol 55 no 2 722 Western Australia 28 April 1938 p 12 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Will LAWSON s historical novel The Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales Vol 71 no 8868 New South Wales Australia 6 September 1939 p 4 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Bound for Callao Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners Advocate No 20 177 New South Wales Australia 10 June 1941 p 3 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Historical novels on Australia The Northern Star New South Wales Australia 27 October 1950 p 7 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Migration story of the Eighties The Age No 29 804 Victoria Australia 4 November 1950 p 10 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia A stokehold tragedy The Queenslander No 2282 Queensland Australia 4 December 1909 p 47 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia A pack track knight Australian Town and Country Journal Vol LXXXV no 2287 New South Wales Australia 3 December 1913 p 62 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia The buggy ride The Sydney Morning Herald No 30 523 New South Wales Australia 31 October 1935 p 18 Women Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Historic Trentham 1914 1917 NZETC 1933 Our reference library Daily Commercial News and Shipping List No 12 294 New South Wales Australia 23 January 1928 p 4 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via National Library of Australia Shipping History and Romance The Advertiser Adelaide 3 June 1950 p 6 Retrieved 24 September 2013 via National Library of Australia Sources EditWilde William H Hooton Joy Andrews Barry Oxford Companion to Australian Literature Oxford University Press 2nd ed 1994 ISBN 0 19553381 XExternal links EditAustralian Dictionary of Biography entry Historic Trentham Camp 1914 1917 booklet by Will Lawson NZETC 1917 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Will Lawson amp oldid 1169769781, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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