W. G. Hay was born at "Linden" in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, the second son of Alexander Hay[1] a wealthy merchant, pastoralist and politician, and his second wife Agnes Grant Hay, née Gosse.
William Gosse Hay and Mary Violet Williams were married on 26 October 1901 at the chapel of St. Peter's College, where her late father, Rev. Francis Williams, had been head master. They lived until 1924 at Beaumont then moved to Victor Harbor.[3]
Hay's mother and sister were lost at sea aboard the SS Waratah in July 1909. In 1911, as administrator of the estate of his brother Alexander Gosse Hay (1874–1901), he was involved in legal argument related to the insurance paid out on the destruction by fire of his parents' Victor Harbor home "Mt. Breckan", to which he had an option to purchase.[4][5] He suffered a breakdown and that same year he and his wife visited Tasmania, where he gathered historic material for his writing.[6]
He died at Victor Harbor[7] after collapsing during an attempt to save his home from a bushfire.[2]
FamilyEdit
William had a brother and two sisters and eight half-brothers and sisters,[8] and many notable relatives including:
brother-in-law William Christie Gosse, who, by virtue of W.G. Hay's father marrying W.C. Gosse's sister, was also his uncle[9]
William Gosse Hay married Mary Violet Williams ( – 31 May 1949) on 26 October 1901. They lived at "Tower House" on Beaumont Common, later moving to "Nangawooka" near Victor Harbor in 1924. They also built a seaside place at Seacliff. They had three sons:
Alick
William
Andrew Gosse Hay
PublicationsEdit
Stifled laughter : a melodrama / William Gosse Hay. London : John MacQueen, 1901 was published with financial assistance of his mother. Later works (all after the first published as "William Hay") were all historical novels set in convict-era Tasmania; all were published in London and were soon out of print:
Captain Quadring (1911)
Herridge of Reality Swamp (1905)
The escape of the notorious Sir William Heans (and the mystery of Mr. Daunt) a romance of Tasmania by William Hay, London : Allen & Unwin 1918. NLA catalogue (Also The escape of the notorious Sir William Heans (and the mystery of Mr. Daunt): a romance of Tasmania (Rev. ed. of first Australian ed.), Melbourne University Press, 1955, Includes Introduction by R.G. Howarth and Historical background by E.M. Miller.)
Strabane of the Mulberry Hills : the story of a Tasmanian lake in 1841 / by William Hay. London : George Allen & Unwin, 1929. NLA catalogue
The Mystery of Alfred Doubt (1935)
Critical receptionEdit
The Australian novelist Christina Stead recommended Hay's 1918 novel and noted that Patrick White also admired it:
I have just finished a truly remarkable novel...: The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans (and the Mystery of Mr. Daunt)... by author William Hay..., writing about the penal settlement days in Tasmania (one of our worst convict settlements, that of Port Arthur). Given to me by friend-novelist Patrick White: he so greatly admires it that he "keeps buying it and giving it away." This magnificent writer is a most serious deepdyed scholar, student of the epoch and his work is a sort of epic, an Inferno, not the usual horror-story of beatings and killings in prison... an ascent from Avernus. (...) One of his wonders is his extraordinary use of the human face as a stage for conflicting emotions — often all at once![12]
TributesEdit
The 3rd issue of 1946 of the Australian literary magazine "Southerly" was devoted to the works of W. G. Hay.[13]
ReferencesEdit
^Andrew Gosse Hay, 'Hay, Alexander (1820–1898)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, Melbourne University Press, 1966, p. 525.
^ ab"William Hay Novelist". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 10 May 1947. p. 4 Edition: Second Edition. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
^Wedding group of the writer William Gosse Hay and Mary Violet Williams, who were married on 26 October 1901 at St Peter's College Chapel. They lived for many years at Victor Harbor. nla.gov.au Photo
^"The Law Courts". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 October 1911. p. 17. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^"The Hay Will Case". Southern Argus. Port Elliot, SA: National Library of Australia. 29 February 1912. p. 3. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
^I. D. Muecke, 'Hay, William Gosse (1875–1945)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 9, Melbourne University Press, 1983, p. 239.
^Fayette Gosse, 'Gosse, William Christie (1842–1881)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4, Melbourne University Press, 1972, p. 276.
^Fayette Gosse, 'Gosse, Sir James Hay (1876–1952)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, Melbourne University Press, 1996, pp 301-302.
^I. McL. Crawford, 'Gosse, George (1912–1964)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, Melbourne University Press, 1996, pp 300-301.
^Christina Stead, letter to Ettore Rella, in: Christina Stead, Talking into the Typewriter: Selected Letters (1973-1983). Edited with preface and annotations by R. G. Geering. Carlton, Victoria: The Miegunyah Press, 2018, pp. 104-5.
^"Personality And Works Of William Hay". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 March 1947. p. 14. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
External linksEdit
[1][2] Tower House at Beaumont, ca. 1910, home of William and Mary Hay from 1902 to 1924.
October 14, 2023
william, author, william, gosse, november, 1875, adelaide, march, 1945, victor, harbor, australian, author, essayist, contents, history, family, publications, critical, reception, tributes, references, external, linkshistory, editw, born, linden, eastern, subu. William Gosse Hay 17 November 1875 Adelaide 21 March 1945 Victor Harbor was an Australian author and essayist Contents 1 History 2 Family 3 Publications 4 Critical reception 5 Tributes 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditW G Hay was born at Linden in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide the second son of Alexander Hay 1 a wealthy merchant pastoralist and politician and his second wife Agnes Grant Hay nee Gosse He was educated by a private tutor on his parents cattle station then at Melbourne Grammar School subsequently at Trinity College Cambridge where he studied law 2 William Gosse Hay and Mary Violet Williams were married on 26 October 1901 at the chapel of St Peter s College where her late father Rev Francis Williams had been head master They lived until 1924 at Beaumont then moved to Victor Harbor 3 Hay s mother and sister were lost at sea aboard the SS Waratah in July 1909 In 1911 as administrator of the estate of his brother Alexander Gosse Hay 1874 1901 he was involved in legal argument related to the insurance paid out on the destruction by fire of his parents Victor Harbor home Mt Breckan to which he had an option to purchase 4 5 He suffered a breakdown and that same year he and his wife visited Tasmania where he gathered historic material for his writing 6 He died at Victor Harbor 7 after collapsing during an attempt to save his home from a bushfire 2 Family EditWilliam had a brother and two sisters and eight half brothers and sisters 8 and many notable relatives including brother in law William Christie Gosse who by virtue of W G Hay s father marrying W C Gosse s sister was also his uncle 9 nephew Sir James Hay Gosse 10 grand nephew George Gosse 11 William Gosse Hay married Mary Violet Williams 31 May 1949 on 26 October 1901 They lived at Tower House on Beaumont Common later moving to Nangawooka near Victor Harbor in 1924 They also built a seaside place at Seacliff They had three sons Alick William Andrew Gosse HayPublications EditStifled laughter a melodrama William Gosse Hay London John MacQueen 1901 was published with financial assistance of his mother Later works all after the first published as William Hay were all historical novels set in convict era Tasmania all were published in London and were soon out of print Captain Quadring 1911 Herridge of Reality Swamp 1905 The escape of the notorious Sir William Heans and the mystery of Mr Daunt a romance of Tasmania by William Hay London Allen amp Unwin 1918 NLA catalogue Also The escape of the notorious Sir William Heans and the mystery of Mr Daunt a romance of Tasmania Rev ed of first Australian ed Melbourne University Press 1955 Includes Introduction by R G Howarth and Historical background by E M Miller Strabane of the Mulberry Hills the story of a Tasmanian lake in 1841 by William Hay London George Allen amp Unwin 1929 NLA catalogue The Mystery of Alfred Doubt 1935 Critical reception EditThe Australian novelist Christina Stead recommended Hay s 1918 novel and noted that Patrick White also admired it I have just finished a truly remarkable novel The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans and the Mystery of Mr Daunt by author William Hay writing about the penal settlement days in Tasmania one of our worst convict settlements that of Port Arthur Given to me by friend novelist Patrick White he so greatly admires it that he keeps buying it and giving it away This magnificent writer is a most serious deepdyed scholar student of the epoch and his work is a sort of epic an Inferno not the usual horror story of beatings and killings in prison an ascent from Avernus One of his wonders is his extraordinary use of the human face as a stage for conflicting emotions often all at once 12 Tributes EditThe 3rd issue of 1946 of the Australian literary magazine Southerly was devoted to the works of W G Hay 13 References Edit Andrew Gosse Hay Hay Alexander 1820 1898 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 1 Melbourne University Press 1966 p 525 a b William Hay Novelist The West Australian Perth National Library of Australia 10 May 1947 p 4 Edition Second Edition Retrieved 19 July 2013 Wedding group of the writer William Gosse Hay and Mary Violet Williams who were married on 26 October 1901 at St Peter s College Chapel They lived for many years at Victor Harbor nla gov au Photo The Law Courts The Register Adelaide National Library of Australia 7 October 1911 p 17 Retrieved 20 July 2013 The Hay Will Case Southern Argus Port Elliot SA National Library of Australia 29 February 1912 p 3 Retrieved 20 July 2013 Family Picnic nla gov au Hay William Gosse www austlit edu au I D Muecke Hay William Gosse 1875 1945 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 9 Melbourne University Press 1983 p 239 Fayette Gosse Gosse William Christie 1842 1881 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 4 Melbourne University Press 1972 p 276 Fayette Gosse Gosse Sir James Hay 1876 1952 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 14 Melbourne University Press 1996 pp 301 302 I McL Crawford Gosse George 1912 1964 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 14 Melbourne University Press 1996 pp 300 301 Christina Stead letter to Ettore Rella in Christina Stead Talking into the Typewriter Selected Letters 1973 1983 Edited with preface and annotations by R G Geering Carlton Victoria The Miegunyah Press 2018 pp 104 5 Personality And Works Of William Hay The Advertiser Adelaide National Library of Australia 8 March 1947 p 14 Retrieved 19 July 2013 External links Edit 1 2 Tower House at Beaumont ca 1910 home of William and Mary Hay from 1902 to 1924 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Hay author amp oldid 1176791242, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
