Annual Meeting of Henry Lawson Society (Melbourne)

[Stephen Whiteside]

I've been asked to speak at the Annual Meeting of the Henry Lawson Society at Footscray Park in Melbourne next Sunday at 1.30 pm.

It's a great thrill for me, and of course a great honour also. I think I'll be able to shed some new light on Lawson - some information that is not so widely known.

Hugh McDonald will also be there. Hugh is best known for his work with 'Redgum'. He also wrote the iconic song 'Diamantina Drover'. Hugh is a great Lawson-ophile, and has recorded an album of Lawson songs. He will be singing some of these on the day.

Also in attendance will be well known Melbourne playwright Barry Dickins.

All are welcome. You need to turn right off Farnsworth Avenue into Maribyrnong Boulevard, and proceed to the furthest car parking area adjacent to the new pavilion.

It promises to be a great day.

[keats]

Good on ya mate. That will be a great day. Say giddy to Hugh for me, I have been up against him in debates before. A wonderful Lawson addict and puts on a great show. Let us know how it goes. I am a Lawson fan of renown myself.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Yesterday's meeting went well. Hugh McDonald stole the show with a few sincerely expressed sentiments, and some beautiful singing and guitar playing.

For my own part, I focussed on the relationship between Henry Lawson and CJ Dennis. Put in a nutshell, Dennis struggled initially to find a publisher for 'The Sentimental Bloke'. 'Lothian' and 'Robertson and Mullins' in Melbourne both knocked him back. Then he hit upon the idea of approaching 'Angus and Robertson' in Sydney through his friend Henry Lawson. (They had met in Sydney the previous year, 1914.) It worked a treat. He asked Lawson to write a Preface to the book, which he was happy to do. (In fact, Lawson had already told Robertson all about Dennis.)

Things got sticky for a while, though, because Lawson appeared to be unsure what he should write, which led to a delay. Then, when he finally did put pen to paper, Dennis was very unhappy with the result. They more or less managed to patch things up in the end, though. Clearly Lawson was very generous in his approach to the Dennis, and was prepared to put his signature to pretty well anything as long as Dennis was happy.

The irony was that a couple of years later, when Robertson asked Dennis to write an introduction to a new book of Lawson's poems, he ducked for cover! Dennis was always very concerned with the appearance of things (much more so than Lawson, it would seem), and felt it would look a bit too much like he was returning a favour - 'log-rolling' was the expression he used.

He did get a chance to make things up to Lawson later, though. He answered a call for financial assistance, and later helped to get him a pension. He also wrote a tribute in verse to Lawson for the Melbourne Herald after hearing the news of his death in 1922.

The playwright Barry Dickins was fascinating. He has heard stories of Lawson living in a cave during the last year of his life, and has written a play about it. Yesterday he performed a poem from the play.

Both the weather and the setting were wonderful. The rain was well and truly behind us, and the sun shone brightly for most of the afternoon. We were in an outdoor amphitheatre in Footscray Park, surrounded by lush lawns and beautiful gardens. A short distance away, on the other side of the Maribyrnong River, the grandstands of Flemington Racecourse rose majestically above us.

It was a shame we didn't get a bigger crowd, but that seems to be the way with these things.

[Zondrae]

Well done Stephen,

How I wish I could have been there. I'm sure you spoke in your usual eloquent way. You always research your subject well and translate the abridged version for the listener. (I can imagine the intent interest on your listeners' faces.) Would it be possible to read the transcript of your presentation? I would like to further my knowledge of CJ and I know you will have sought out the acurate details of this facet of his life. Were you able to discern any cross over influence in writing styles between the two? If anyone else is interested, perhaps you may consider posting it on the site(?) If not would you pm to me, please.
I find it amazing to think these two great Australian writers lived such a short time before us. But then, we are very a young country.

[Bellobazza]

G'day Stephen...
I for one would also be very interested to read the transcript of your presentation, if you feel inclined to post. (That's an assured audience of at least two so far!)

Regarding the rejection of 'The Sentimental Bloke' by... "Robertson and Mullins": My understanding is that George Robertson (the Melbourne one) and Samuel Mullen had a falling out way back in 1859, and that Mullen then started up in opposition. So I assume that 'The Bloke was rejected by George Robertson, Publishers, Melbourne (by then, operating in receivership).

The roles played by the two George Robertsons in Australia's early literary developement is almost as bizarre as it is important. You have to wonder how different our heritage of "bush poetry" would be without their involvement.
Some years after 'The Bloke' was published, George Robertson (the Sydney one) was quoted as saying:
"My pen often gets me into trouble. I fancy it nearly lost me The Bloke, and I would have been sorry for that to be my last day."

By the way, although this thread is related to the Henry Lawson Society, there is that strong connection to 'Den': which leads me to ask if there has been any further developements with the creation of The C J Dennis Society?

Cheers, Will.

[Stephen Whiteside]

Jim Brown is making progress with the CJ Dennis Society, Will. You should hear from him soon, but feel free to give him a ring any time. Things are certainly moving.