The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

[Shelley Hansen]

Win some, lose some! Ah, well!!

[Gary Harding]

Yes Shelley.. but here is a win I think??

Through the kindness of a long-time friend, I anticipate having access to some very valuable Ben Hall material for exhibiting.

1. While Ben was holding up a station, a young lady sketched the portraits of the Hall Gang. Ben robbed while she sketched apparently! Luckily Ben forgot to steal the sketches as he was leaving.
Or maybe he just thought they were a bad likeness of his gang? Perhaps art wasn't his scene?

These historic sketches will be on display for visitors to appreciate. Wow!

2. An original wanted poster.

3. A genuine Ben Hall handgun... 1860's. There are naturally government regulations on regulations trying to prevent displaying to the public such significant historic things but we will get there.

As ABPA members would know, there are Ben Hall related poems around like "How Gilbert Died" by Banjo. They will be featured because we try and make it Bush Ballad associated where we can!

A favourite of mine is the folk song : The Ballad of Ben Hall :

"Come all you Lachlan men and a sorrowful tale I'll tell
Concerning of a hero bold who through misfortune fell.
His name it was Ben Hall, a man of good renown
Who was hunted from his station and like a dog shot down"

Other more recent stuff like the film, and books on Ben. (pic of Ben is from the internet)

When I queried my friend about the "cultural" relevance of Ben Hall, my friend remarked..."Bushranging is REAL Australian culture!! In fact, there are still plenty of bushrangers around today.... they just dress differently "

Fair enough I suppose.

[Gary Harding]

For anyone who has not seen this particular photo with Karen, I might reproduce it here for interest.

I am sure all fellow ABPA Bush Poetry enthusiasts love Banjo and appreciate with us the need to elevate him!!

Busts and statues are not really our thing.

Among other reasons, they are difficult to get a reasonable subject facial likeness; as well as being totally outside my own private financial reach.

However....lovely, classic portraits command respect and have a warmth. (see pic)

Story : This magnificent outer frame was last year purchased for $25 at.. a local garage sale. Alan our framer (who does work that is outside our ability) commented that just the frame alone.. no glass, no board.. would cost $300 to have made. (A win) Sadly it was propped against a wall (storage is in short supply) and fell over, cracking the glass. (A loss)
This suggested to us a possible alternative concept whereby the board was covered in a suitable tactile fabric (Spotlight), with a featured, matching-framed, high-quality portrait in the centre. Alan framed the portrait using super-clear glass while we made the burgundy board and assembled it all. The engraved plate was made locally.

It is the best Banjo presentation that I have seen anywhere.... very satisfying. Unique.

As every cent comes from my own pocket, being cost conscious is just a part of the deal. This portrait would not have been fabricated if the main gold frame was not in our stock! A bit of good luck!!

[Gary Harding]

Some time ago, this newspaper article from The Age, 1956 fell out of a book.

It describes how the Melbourne Bread and Cheese Club arranged for a copy of a poem Flynn Of The Inland by Edward Harrington to be transcribed onto vellum using calligraphy.

This was at a time when the new John Flynn Memorial Church was being opened in Alice Springs. The vellum-poem was intended to be part of the celebrations.

Enquiries at the Memorial Church in Alice Springs and museums indicated that this original vellum had unfortunately been lost.

I resolved that a replacement document for the Church should be forthcoming.

Sounds good... but then the problems appeared!
Real vellum was prohibitively expensive. In my view it was far from his best poem. Calligraphy is all very fine but it can be hard work to read.

So things were put on hold....

Now the project has been reactivated and problems addressed.

1. There is no compulsion to use vellum and a more impressive handmade paper of very large size will be substituted.
2. His poem is what it is. It will not be on public display but stored at the church.
3. Calligraphy fonts will be examined and an easily read one selected. It may be further enhanced with art or illumination. The search for a calligrapher continues...

This interesting "rescue story" and a John Flynn feature too will then be shown to visitors at the proposed Paterson Centre. Among other relevant items, we have made a lovely presentation of the text of a letter of acknowledgement of his poem, sent directly to Edward from Sir Robert Menzies no less!

pics ... three items taken from my Collection...

1. Original newspaper article.
2. A book on John Flynn by Ion Idriess
3. How I first became acquainted with John Flynn at school. Today a politically incorrect series, but a great learning tool then.

[Gary Harding]

I might suggest that bush poetry and bush music go very smoothly together; the lyrics of some good ballads having been borrowed and set to music.

Browsing past ABPA Forum posts, it can be seen that some ABPA members today, as well as being bush poets, also take an interest in traditional Australian music. Acoustic guitarists especially, and composers... or just fans.

Personally I have always had an interest in Bush Bands..... their strange instruments (and occasionally strange members too)... and the way they can all be made to hang together into something truly Australian. Folk material. Most bush bands have a person who recites bush poetry.

Drawing up a current Inventory for the Centre, this is the interesting Bush Band subject page. There is also a large Collection of vinyl LP's of good bush bands.... Bushwhackers, Cobbers, Black Velvet Band and many others.

I just think that Australian music (in all its cultural forms) is so incredibly important..... and cannot be forgotten... and equally I sincerely hope other members share that view.

[Gary Harding]

As the proposed Centre is named in honour of the great balladist Banjo Paterson, it is clearly necessary to give a top quality presentation of him and his work.

Years ago and having an interest in military things, I noticed that nowhere had his medals and awards been researched, gathered and presented for public viewing.

I have a friend who is ex-army and restores medals and supplies replica medals as well. He in turn had all the expert historical connections in this area to validate and fine tune my initial in-depth research (that took me many hours!). For example, my friend pointed out that there were two CBE's.. one military and one civilian.. with the military one differentiated by a central white stripe on the ribbon. It is certainly a field for experts!

Having obtained the correct medals, Karen set about presenting them. They are set on a black-satin covered, mounting-board with a black velvet border. Cordage and corner tassels add a degree of status and classic layout. In a glass case and under special mini colour-enhancing spotlights they will look fabulous. Crown jewels!?

So I just think that this remarkable exercise is something nationally important. A task that we simply had to undertake. It has not been done anywhere else. It is unique in Australia and it will be on display for public appreciation only! at the proposed amazing Banjo Paterson Cultural Centre!

[Gary Harding]

Original copies of Under Wide Skies (Jim Grahame) rarely sell much under $200 now. I have 10 copies.
It's OK to have one valuable book, and a second perhaps in case the first is lost... but ten books!? I think that is kind of..weird ?? or obsessive? (only 990 copies to go..!)

Shown here with those books is an original (blue) program from the book's launch and Jim's tribute of Nov. 28th, 1947 at the Roxy Theatre, Leeton. What an incredible night it would have been.

Attending was the PM's representative and J. K. Moir (Knight Grand Cheese of Bread and Cheese Club fame). There is even a reading of a congratulatory message from John O'Brien (Around The Boree Log).

This is the only original celebration program for Jim and Under Wide Skies that I know of. There may well be another somewhere, but it is a rarity and a national treasure.

The Lure Of The Swag by Jim Grahame.

The old Dad's nearly eighty now;
Twice thirty-five and ten;
A sailor's blood is in his veins
And they are restless men.
He said he'd like another trip -
Just one - before the end,
And go where western shearers go
And western rivers bend.

And so I took him round with me
By tracks he used to know,
Through fenced-in lanes and over plains
Where shearers mostly go.
We'd rolled our swags with clumsy hands
And swung them shoulder high,
With calico beneath the straps
To keep the blankets dry.

( ........... main descriptive verses)

And then we took the rattler home,
As in the days of old
When we had cashed our cheques and filled
Our purses up with gold.
We poked our swags beneath the seat,
I saw him looking back
And heard a sigh that meant goodbye
To life along the track.

I did much the same thing for my late father.... calling past all the places he knew and loved. But I noticed, perhaps as a matter of form that he did not look back. So a farewell too for my Dad .. to "life along the track".

[Maureen K Clifford]

One of my online 'friends' in a brumby group has been trying to make contact with Banjo's great, great grandson - apparently she has a link to him. If she manages to raise him and he responds I will let you know, we are trying to stop the brumby culls as you know, but wouldn't that be something to have a genuine relative of Banjo on board with this wonderful project.

[Gary Harding]

Thank you for that suggestion Maureen, and all the help you are giving in other areas too! And good luck with your brumby project, which seems to be looking good at present.

We are starting to also bring our work to bear in other cultural areas. If the Centre was just about Bush Poetry, we would fail. So we necessarily have to be broad.

One interesting Australian cultural aspect that we would like to feature is Sport. (An area where in the past, Australia has punched way above its weight...... tennis, swimming)

eg. Exciting Australian Rules Football. We are aiming eventually for an awesome and immersive experience in presenting this game, and not just static displays.

One fabulous, football memorabilia item (shown here) is our 1895, J A Dunbier Medal. It is real gold.

It was awarded to Frank Weatherley by the Williamstown Football Club for the "Best AllRound Player". 125 years ago!

[Gary Harding]

Hi Maureen,

I see some Paterson-family documents were contributed to the National Library, but they do not say specifically under what terms this happened? They use the term "custodians"... and "acquisition" so it is nebulous. A purchase maybe?

https://www.nla.gov.au/content/give-to-the-2020-appeal

This is government seeking more money, beyond what one pays in taxes. I do not like the website.. or a National Library begging money... in principle. It is not dignified.

1. "Held by four generations of the Paterson family before its acquisition by the Library in 2019, this collection represents the last remaining material not already held in a public institution" NLA.

Absolutely untrue!! I can put my hands on three notable Paterson material collections in private hands... without even telephoning my more knowledgeable mate.

I hope this government appeal for money does not divert the flow of material or money normally donated towards wonderful, private Banjo Paterson museums and hurt them. Life is hard enough as it is... surely.

2. On the above website, the National Library (currently) claim to have (quote!) : "An original pencil sketch of Paterson as war correspondent by artist G.W. Lambert during the First World War. "

Aust. War Mem. : "When World War I broke out, he (Paterson) sought work as a war correspondent, but failed to gain it."
Grantlee Kieza (Author) says : "He immediately volunteered to reprise the role he had taken up in the Boer war, asking to be the Sydney Morning Herald's correspondent. Bureaucracy had changed, though: with Australia now a nation, the Commonwealth was appointing its own official war correspondents. The best the Herald could do was .. him as an honorary vet and have Banjo report back on the progress of the convoy."

I do not claim to be much of an authority on Banjo, but as far as I can see he was not a war correspondent in WW1 as the National Library claim.
I can be forgiven for making mistakes as I am an unpaid amateur, but Librarians/Researchers with more books even than me(!), especially government paid ones, must get it spot on.

3. NLA website. "Most of know at least a few lines from Paterson’s..." let's fix typos before posting on the National Libary website... oops.. I mean Library.

As a result of the above, I can only suggest that in handing over valuable material of any sort at all, Beware.!! .. especially of government institutions!!!

The Banjo Paterson Cultural Centre staff (Karen and myself) are meticulous and do it right... love our material and collections passionately....and are connected to the people, and produce work for them!

Banjo... a WW1 war correspondent as the National Library claims??? I don't think so.