BIRTHDAY BOY

[Neville Briggs]

Happy Birthday Andrew Barton Paterson. 150 years old to-day
( nearly as ancient as Bill Williams )

I believe there was a birthday bash at Orange yesterday, for Banjo Paterson, with Jack Thompson holding centre stage.

[warooa]

Good to see Google celebrating The Banjo today as well.

Happy birthday also to my late Pop who was born 99 years ago.

Marty

[Bob Pacey]

And we think we are not getting through to kids, this is from the A B Paterson College web site. Hopefully I will get to perform with them again this year in July when they make their trip to Winton.

News

Happy 150th Birthday, Banjo!
February 14, 2014

This is a special year for our College as it commemorates the 150th birthday of Andrew Barton Paterson, after whom our College is proudly named.

Each year the College celebrates Banjo's birthday with poetry recitals and a special sporting event we call Banjo's House Games.

This is a fun after-school event held on the Friday afternoon closest to Banjo's birthday on 17 February for our College community, culminating in a BBQ courtesy of our Parents and Friends Association.

Earlier in the day, Years 1-6 celebrated in style, with recitals by each year group of much loved poems such as Waltzing Matilda, Old Man Platypus, Benjamin Bandicoot and The Geebung Polo Club.

Our weekly newsletter Illalong is a part of our Banjo heritage, as is our quarterly magazine, Vision Splendid, its title taken from the fourth verse of one of A.B. Paterson's most famous poems, Clancy of the Overflow.

"And the bush hath friends to meet him, and their kindly voices greet him

In the murmur of the breezes and the river on its bars

And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended,

And at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars."

But do you know how Andrew Barton Paterson came to be known as Banjo Paterson? Read on!


Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson (1864-1941), poet, solicitor, journalist, war correspondent and soldier, was born on 17 February 1864 at Narrambla near Orange, New South Wales, eldest of seven children of Andrew Bogle Paterson (d.1889), grazier, and his native-born wife Rose Isabella, daughter of Robert Barton of Boree Nyrang station, near Orange. His father, a lowland Scot, had migrated to New South Wales about 1850, eventually taking up Buckinbah station at Obley in the Orange district.

When Paterson's uncle died, his family took over the uncle's farm in Illalong, near Yass, close to the main route between Melbourne and Sydney. Bullock teams, Cobb and Co coaches and drovers were familiar sights to him. He also saw horsemen from the Murrumbidgee River area and Snowy Mountains country take part in picnic races and polo matches, which led to his fondness of horses and inspired his writings.

Paterson's early education came from a governess, but when he was able to ride a pony, he was taught at the bush school at Binalong. In 1874 Paterson was sent to Sydney Grammar School, performing well both as a student and a sportsman. Matriculating at 16, he took up the role of an articled clerk in a law firm and on 28 August 1886 Paterson was admitted as a qualified solicitor.

In 1885, Paterson began submitting and having his poetry published in the Sydney edition of The Bulletin under the pseudonym of The Banjo, the name of a favourite horse. In 1890, as The Banjo he wrote The Man from Snowy River, a poem which caught the heart of the nation and, in 1895, had a collection of his works published under that name. In his lifetime, Paterson was second only to Rudyard Kipling in popularity among living poets writing in English. Paterson also became a journalist, lawyer, jockey, soldier and a farmer.

Paterson became a war correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age during the Second Boer War, sailing for South Africa in October 1899. His graphic accounts of the relief of Kimberley, surrender of Bloemfontein (the first correspondent to ride in) and the capture of Pretoria attracted the attention of the press in Britain. He also was a correspondent during the Boxer Rebellion, where he met George "Chinese" Morrison and later wrote about his meeting. He was editor of the Sydney Evening News (1904–06) and of the Town and Country Journal (1907–08).

In 1908 after a trip to the United Kingdom he decided to abandon journalism and writing and moved with his family to a 40,000 acres (160 km2) property near Yass.

Just as he returned to Australia from serving In World War 1, the third collection of his poetry, Saltbush Bill JP, was published and he continued to publish verse, short stories and essays while continuing to write for the weekly Truth. Paterson also wrote on rugby league football in the 1920s for the Sydney Sportsman.

Paterson died of a heart attack in Sydney on 5 February 1941 aged 76. Paterson's grave, along with that of his wife, is in the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Sydney.

[william williams]

NOW NEVILLE I will wait for you and let you catch up cause your only a little behind me you old bugger

[william williams]

A good bit of history Bob about A.B.P

[Nerelie Teese]

Some of the students at my new school came to my Australian Bush Poetry performance in the Library at lunchtime today. I presented Mulga Bill's Bicycle and Clancy of The Overflow, then the students took part in a shared reading of The Man from Snowy River. Lots of smiling happy faces from the students and Library staff, as well as a great looking display of books with Banjo's poems and writings at the Library entrance. Some of the students took a copy of The Man from Snowy River home with them, so with luck they're sharing this great Australian poem with families and friends. Happy Birthday Banjo.

[Heather]

Heard a bit on the radio this morning about the Orange celebrations. They are hoping it will be an on-going event..

HEATHER

[Robyn]

I was in Orange for four days of the celebrations, and the air was full of poetry! Together with lots of others, I was lucky enough to perform in a number of different venues, from parks to schools to the newly restored cottage that came from Narambla, where he was born. A lot of people have done a load of research and the Banjo heritage is very much alive and well.
Today started with a birthday celebration for Banjo complete with birthday cake, then out to the opening of the Banjo More Than a Poet museum at Yeoval (opened by Tim Fischer), and the celebrations fittingly included bush poetry and songs. If you ever get a chance to stop at Yeoval, call in and see the Banjo memorabilia and information - a wonderful collection!
ABC radio and TV were around Orange most of the weekend, and the moving/restoration of the old cottage will feature on ABC TV at some stage in one of those restoration project shows.
The poetry was great, I met up with old friends and new and generally had a fabulous time!

[manfredvijars]

Boiling billy, lamb stew
Peaceful setting, great view
swaggie, jumbuck, three traps
Cranky squatter - bum rap
Happy birthday dear Banjo
Well remembered, 'Old chap'

[keats]

Although well liked, I believe that Sir Les 'Banjo' Paterson was only the second best character that Barry Humphries portrayed and that Dame Edna is still the best.

Strangely, Barry shares the same birthday as a famous Australian poet, Edward Barton Patterson. Born exactly 70 years apart and Barry just turned 80.

Happy birthday Bazza and E.B.

Neil