Death of Hector Vasyli - 1918

On the remaining abutment of the old Victoria Bridge, Brisbane, is a memorial to a young boy, Hector Vasyli.  In this post I will describe the life and the event that inspired a memorial. The memorial and the retention of the bridge portion are clearly intertwined. The Heritage Register makes the following observation:

The Victoria Bridge Abutment has a high social value for the Greek community of Brisbane, containing as it does, the memorial to Hector Vasyli, a young Greek Australian boy who died while demonstrating his loyalty to his adopted homeland. This association is further demonstrated by the role of the Greek community in ensuring that this portion of the bridge was retained to provide a fitting location for the memorial plaque erected in the memory of the Vasyli boy and the continued practice of conducting a memorial service for the boy each Anzac Day. [1]

Hector Vasyli Memorial
Photograph by Simon Hamlet, April 2017

This article from The Telegraph is perhaps the best coverage of the event.

BOY KILLED BY MOTOR CAR ACCIDENT, CLOSE TO VICTORIA BRIDGE.

The hundreds of people who awaited the procession of motor cars conveying the returned soldiers at the gates of the Military Hospital at Kangaroo Point last evening speculated a good deal about the reason for the considerable interval which passed between the arrival of about half the cars and the remainder, and it was not until later in the evening, that it transpired that the delay was due to a tragic accident close to Victoria Bridge, by which a schoolboy, Hector Vasyli, whose parents keep an oyster saloon in Melbourne-street, South Brisbane, lost his life.
The cars with the soldiers reached the top of Queen-street shortly before 6 o'clock, the procession being made up of more than 60 vehicles, and with the object of watching it pass, and of welcoming the men home, four or five lads, of whom deceased was one, stationed themselves on the side of the bridge; One of the cars in the lead had to slow down, and behind it was approaching a car driven by Mr. W. J. Jackson, (produce merchant) who had with him several of the returned men. To avoid the threatened collision with the car ahead, Mr. Jackson swerved his car to the left and the vehicle struck the boy Vasyli (who was 11 years of age), and knocked him down.
That Mr Jackson had perfect control of the car at the time is evident from the fact that he pulled it up within its own length as soon as he realised that an accident had occurred. The boy was picked up and driven by Mr Jackson with all speed to the St Helen's Hospital. As medical assistance was not immediately obtainable there, Mr Jackson took the wisest course he could under the circumstances, and motored the lad to the Mater Misericordiae Public Hospital where it was found that he had already succumbed to the injuries sustained. An examination of the body disclosed that the skull was fractured and that there was a compound fracture of the right arm in addition to minor injures. The tragic occurrence was quite unavoidable, and Mr. Jackson, from first to last, did everything possible to avert the fatal consequences of the mishap. The Ambulance Brigade quickly answered a summons for aid. [2]

Later sources provide other details regarding the incident. Given their chronological distance from the event they should perhaps be disregarded, but I include them here for the reader’s interest. Certainly they provide some reason why the boy would be so close to edge of the road.

A 1941 piece in The Truth says:

A bunch of flowers; was thrown towards him from one of the cars and fell in the roadway. Little Hec. rushed to pick it up; at the same moment, an old lady moved across the road from the other side. One of the cars swerved to avoid the woman, hit the boy, threw him against the iron bridge railings. [3]

A 1941 article in The Telegraph says:

He would spend all his money on cigarettes and sweets for the troops, and toss them into the cars as they passed. Once, however, when a packet of cigarettes fell outside a car, Hector ran to pick it up, and a following car was unable to stop in time, resulting in the accident which caused his death [4].

Hector’s funeral was held on 11th June and consisted of two graveside services, one in English, conducted by Rev. F. M. Nightingale, and a second service in Greek, conducted by Mr Christy Freeleagus.  The cortege proceeded from Melbourne Street, South Brisbane to the Toowong Cemetery, with students of his school acting as pall-bearers.  The Brisbane Courier’s report of the event lists the names on 59 wreaths [5].

A visit to the Toowong Cemetery reveals a once unmarked grave, that now has a brass plaque to mark the site.  One is left to reflect how apt it is that a boy who saved pennies to bless soldiers, now lies in an ‘unmarked’ grave with a view of war veteran graves immediately to the west of him... posthumously deferring his ‘needs’ for the honour of the returning servicemen.

Hector Vasyli's grave at the Toowong Cemetery.
Photograph by Simon Hamlet April 2017

After attending the funeral a returned serviceman, T. C. Owens,  writes to the paper in praise of the young boy.  Owens had a son, Wilbur, who was a playmate to Hector [6].

HECTOR VASYLI

Mr T. C. Owens, a returned soldier, writes as follows from Thompson Estate:
Sir. - I would like to make some reference to the dear little boy Hector Vasyli who was killed on Sunday while welcoming home our brave boys. This lad made it a rule to save his money to buy presents for the returned soldiers, and when they arrived it was his custom to wait for them and to throw the presents to them as they passed. This little silent worker it is sad to say met his end on such a good hearted mission. I have known the boy for some considerable time, and his good heart and honourable principles compel me to write this, because the returned soldiers have lost a good little friend. His ways are a lesson to many older than himself. The respect, shown to this dear boy and his parents to-day at the funeral was something never to be forgotten. I am sure the public of Brisbane and returned soldiers will with me enter in tendering our deepest sympathy to his parents in the sad loss of their dear boy Hector. [7]

Tributes from a writer to The Daily, who goes by the pen name 'Veritas', provide even more cause for admiring the deceased boy.

HECTOR VASYLI

To the Editor.
Sir — Allow me to give a few comments about the life and sudden death of little Hector Vasyli. An interview with his people, which touched my heart, convinced me that this little boy was an example of Christianity and self-denial, of love and obedience to his parents, of patriotism to his country, and its brave soldiers, and he, therefore, has taught a lesson to old and young. He was an example of Christianity and self-denial, because, although young, he devoted his Sunday to the heavenly things instead of spending his time in idleness and earthly amusements, and he did every Sunday his worshipping in the Anzac Church, where he was on altar boy. As you know, he went to welcome the returning heroes. He showed Christianity and patriotism by his deeds. He had friends amongst yellow, black, and brown people, and a little black boy was his most devoted and affectionate friend. At his coffin tears were shed by white and coloured people. Many an old invalid got some food from him at the back of the premises, and many poor souls blessed the little hand of this good-hearted dear boy.
His patriotism to his country and its brave soldiers was a great example in deed. He did his bit for every patriotic fund, collected money, sold badges, and the Anzac Church was the base of his operations. There were his little hands working in the interests of our soldiers, to make their return to home sweet for them. He saved every penny, not to buy sweets for himself, but packets of cigarettes for our returning heroes, and on that fatal Sunday he had four packets of cigarettes and a bundle of wattle, and stood there, waiting for the soldiers to show them his respect and affection. He would have loved to buy a football, but instead of saving his pennies for that purpose he spent them in the soldiers interests.
Hector Vasyli has taught us all a lesson. Let everybody ask himself now: "What have I done for my country?" Little Hector did what he could. He did his bit for the Empire, and we should not forgot this little lad. We should honor his memory. I would like to see a bronze plate on the Victoria Bridge, on the very spot where he fell in doing his noble work, a bronze plate, mentioning his name and the tragic circumstances of his sudden death. Should the board offer objection the Anzac Church would undoubtedly have nothing against placing the plate in that building, or it could be placed in the school which Hector attended. I would like also the school teachers to plant a weeping fig trees in the school yard. And I am sure that Mr. T. C. H. Owens, returned soldier, Cornwall and Barrow streets, Thompson Estate, South Brisbane, whose little son was a playmate of Hector Vasyli, will be only too glad to receive gifts for that purpose.
Yours, etc.
VERITAS [8]

The same Veritas organises for a public planting of a weeping fig tree in Hector’s honour at his school on 10 July [9].  At least 23 years later the tree was still alive and flourishing [10].

Veritas’ letter also set in motion the process of gaining a plaque by which to remember the much loved boy.

In consequence of the letter by "Veritas," published in "The Daily Mail," regarding the death of Hector Vasyli, a meeting will be held in the Anzac Club, Charlotte-street, tomorrow, at 8 p.m., to form a committee for the purpose of erecting a suitable memorial. A number of prominent citizens and public ladies have been invited. In the afternoon a memorial tree will be planted by his teachers in the yard of the Merivale-street State School, South Brisbane. [11]

At the first meeting a decision was made that should sufficient funds be available, a plaque would also be placed in St Luke’s Church (now the Pancake Manor) and the Greek Church [12]. The Daily Mail of 13 August 1918, details subscriptions to the value of £53 13s [13]. A visit to the Pancake Manor did not reveal any plaque at that location, and from what I can tell the Greek Church in Charlotte Street, to which The Telegraph refers, has been demolished.

The memorial was initially scheduled for an unveiling on 17 October, but faced delays due to indecision on the part of the Victoria Bridge Board [14]. Permission was granted at a meeting of the board on 19 November 1918, with the unveiling taking place on 8 December 1918 [15]. The unveiling ceremony was preceded by a march from the Post Office consisting of returned servicemen, The Returned Sailors and Soldiers Association and members of the Baden Powell Boy Scouts, the Hellenic Association, as well as the Anglican Mission [16]. About 1,000 people attended the service [17].

In 1966 the plaque was removed during the demolition of the old Victoria Bridge, but it was returned to the site in 1970 [18].

The original medallion for the plaque was made by Daphne Mayo [19], whom QAGOMA describes as “one of Queensland's most significant twentieth century artists.” People familiar with Brisbane will have seen her work, perhaps most obviously as the frieze on the Town Hall.  She also produced the Women’s memorial in ANZAC Square [20].

Daphne Mayo's frieze above the entrance to Brisbane Town Hall.
Composite photograph by Simon Hamlet, August 2016.

This medallion was lost or stolen and a replacement created based on a photograph retrieved from Hector's sister who was tracked down as a patient in a Sydney hospital; it was the only photo she had of her brother [21]. I assume it is the image below.

Portrait of Hector Vasyli by unidentified photographer.
John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.

Original medallion as recorded in a publication held in the John Oxley donated by Mr Freeleagus.

Replacement, and current, medallion on the Hector Vasyli Memorial.
Photograph by Simon Hamlet, April 2017

My closing thoughts are that little Hector's selfless life has given him eternal youth. He will always be remembered as an eleven year old boy, nearly a century after his death.  Age shall not weary him.

References

[1]  Queensland Government (2016). Former Victoria Bridge Abutment.  Retrieved April 10, 2017, from https://environment.ehp.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/detail/?id=600303
[2] BOY KILLED BY MOTOR CAR. (1918, June 10). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 6. Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20230566
[3] HE'S NOT FORGOTTEN (1941, August 24). Truth (Brisbane, Qld. : 1900 - 1954), p. 26. Retrieved April 4, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203200717
[4] Wreath Placed on Memorial to Brave Greek Boy (1941, April 25). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 5 (CITY FINAL LAST MINUTE NEWS). Retrieved April 4, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article186601800
[5] PERSONAL. (1918, June 12). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 11. Retrieved April 5, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20230872
[6] SUNDAY'S FATAL ACCIDENT. (1918, June 14). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 3. Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175205249
[7] Hector Vasyli. (1918, June 13). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 6. Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20231149
[8] HECTOR VASYL[?]. (1918, June 21). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 - 1926), p. 7. Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215432953
[9] Advertising (1918, July 8). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 7 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved April 1, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article177058701
[10] HE'S NOT FORGOTTEN (1941, August 24). Truth (Brisbane, Qld. : 1900 - 1954), p. 26. Retrieved April 4, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203200717
[11] FOR WOMEN. (1918, July 9). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 - 1926), p. 2. Retrieved April 5, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215433384
[12] HECTOR VASYLI MEMORIAL. (1918, July 11). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 2 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article177062554
[13] SOLDIERS AND POLITICS (1918, August 13). The Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903 - 1926), p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article215428189
[14] HECTOR VASYLI MEMORIAL. (1918, November 16). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 5. Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179046927
[15] Victoria Bridge Board. (1918, November 20). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 4. Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20258593
[16] Hector Vasyli Memorial. (1918, December 3). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20252353
[17] VASYLI MEMORIAL. (1918, December 9). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 5 (SECOND EDITION). Retrieved April 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article179048639
[18] Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign (2017) 1918. Retrieved April 10, 2017 from https://www.anzacsofgreece.org/en/milestones-1899-2016/1741-1918  
[19] A Queensland Artist (1918, November 21). Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955), p. 9. Retrieved April 10, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72189334
[20] McKay, J. ( 2011) A sculpture’s legacy.  Time and Place Vol 26 pp 4-5. Retrieved April 2, 2017 from http://www.qldheritage.org.au/assets/files/time-and-place/time-and-place-26.pdf
[21] COMPACT (1973, November 21). The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), p. 41. Retrieved April 10, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47228843

What’s in a place name? - Yangan

“Yangan” is a small township on Queensland’s Southern Downs.  The name is normally treated as an Aboriginal place name by various sources, however the word yangan appears in other languages too. Even if we accept that our local town is an Aboriginal place name, the meaning is not clear.

Aboriginal word options - verbs

‘Moving in relation to your present location’

The University of Queensland (2015) site “Queensland Places” suggests that Yangan, previously known as Upper Swan Creek, was so named in 1887 using the Aboriginal word for “going forward or upwards”. The people group for this word is not mentioned. [1]  This is certainly a cheerful name to give a township which has just found itself on a railway line. The SEQ location, Yangan, only appears in Trove after the opening of the railway.  The first mention is in a railway timetable of 1884. [2]

Portion of Railway timetable of 1884.
These are the 'up' trains, 'down' trains not included.

The Department of Natural Resources and Mines notes that Yangan is “reportedly an Aboriginal word, language and dialect not recorded, indicating ‘proceed’ or ‘go away’.” [3] Similarly an article in The Queenslander of 1914, quoting a pamphlet describing the nomenclature of Queensland railway stations says, “Aboriginal for ‘To go on,’ or ‘Go away.’" [4]

This interpretation as “keep going” or “go away” is consistent with a trope in some place names of the White man not understanding either the language, humour or anger of the Aboriginal guide and recording something uncomplimentary as a place name, cf. the surveyor James Warner naming ‘Goodna’ after the Yuggera word for human excrement. [5]

In 1936, a large series of articles on the Nomenclature [naming conventions] of Queensland suggests that A. Meston, a prodigious writer on Aboriginal word meanings, favoured the “keep going”, “go away” option.

YANGAN.— A small township about half-way between Warwick and Killarney. It was originally named Logan's Vale, by Allan Cunningham, after Captain Logan. When the railway line was opened the name was altered to Yangan. The late Mr. Archibald Meston said it was a native word meaning "Let us go on" or "go away." [6]

This is quoted by the Warwick Daily News in 1938 in their nomenclature of the Warwick District. [7]

The Queenslander in the same year offers the following

Yangan, between Warwick and Killarney, is a native name. The late Mr. Meston said it meant "Let us go away", meaning that the blacks bestowed the name on the place when civilisation was beginning to impact severely upon them. [8]

It is a subtle shift in meaning … but it has moved the name from one of defiance to one of Aboriginal hopelessness.

Another verb option can be found in the language of the Bundjalung people … who are known to travel through the area, especially enroute to the Bunya Festival in the Bunya Mountains. Their word root ‘yangani’ can mean “bring to me" or "fetch”, with numerous variations. [9]

Aboriginal word options - nouns

It is risky to see an Aboriginal word in one location and assume it applies in another, which is the reason I am making observations about which people group are noted as using the word.

“Common property”

Despite L. A. Meston offering a different interpretation to that provided by his father A. Meston in one of his own articles (1929) he notes that ‘yangan’ can mean ‘common property’

"Yangan" was the word for "common property" in the Wiradhuri language of New South Wales. A number of words from this extensive language were used in Queensland dialects. [10]

“Dugong”

Interestingly, the most common translation of the word yangan is for the marine creature the dugong. In September 1859 two papers, the Moreton Bay Courier [11] and The (Melbourne) Argus [12], published extracts from a then new book by Edward Wilson, ‘Rambles at the Antipodes’ (available in electronic format at Internet Archive [13]). Edwards offers ‘Yangan’ as a name for the marine creature the dugong.

Lower down on the bay is CIeveland - interesting as being the resort of turtle, and "an animal more interesting even than turtle," "the yangan," or "dugong." The flesh of this animal is not only palatable, but actually curative, when fresh having the taste of tender beef, and when salted nearly resembling bacon. Every dugong yields an oil, which is found, in cases of scrofula and other diseases, to be more efficacious than cod liver oil. [14]

Similarly Dixon et al (2006) in their Australian Aboriginal Words in English [15] note that ‘yangan’ and a number of spelling variants refer to the dugong. They quote from sources to which I would attribute much weight, namely Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences of Early Queensland (1904) and Rev Eippers Statement of the origin, condition and prospects of the German mission to the Aborigines at Moreton Bay, conducted under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales (1841).

This may go some way to explain why Fisherman Island was known as Yangan by the Turrbal people. [16]

Okay … we are not going to see a dugong on the Western side of the Great Divide, but we do know that Aboriginal people from Moreton Bay travelled through the Yangan region on their way to the Bunya Nut Festival.  There would have been Aboriginal language speakers in the locality now known as Yangan at times for whom the word Yangan meant ‘dugong’.  Is it possible we have not understood the ‘humour’ or ‘anger’ of a guide?

“A woman”

Given the sailor stories of dugong being mistaken as mermaids (hence dugong belonging to the Genus Sirenia) the translation of ‘yangan’ as a “wife” or “marriageable woman” by the Gubbi-Gubbi and Butchulla people [17] is also of interest.  Similarly in the Bidjara language of South East Queensland ‘yanga’ is also a word for ‘mother’ [18].

“A specific edible orchid”

There is another fifth option though not the word ‘Yangan’, rather the word ‘N yangan’ (could we have an alternate spelling, or a phonetic spelling?).  This is the earliest use of the word I could find in Trove and it comes from the extracts for a Naturalist’s report in 1850, taken at a location with the Latitude 26 11 12 and Longitude 151 30 00 which when entered into Google Maps gives a location near Proston SEQ.

In the afternoon some blackfellows (sic) approached our camp, bringing in their hands gum leaves of an integral leaved wattle, or Acacia, as tokens of peace. They did not, however, come nearer than one hundred yards or so. I obtained the following words from them by pointing to different parts of my body and by signs … I also obtained their names for the following species of plants which I had then in my hand. - Tharrum, Capparis or Caper trees. N yangan, Cymbidiam (sic). This plant is an Epiphite (sic), and common in the forks of the dead or diseased gum trees. Its blossoms are a rich waxy peach white, very sweet and pendulans succeeded by clusters of fleshy like oblong and octangular seed pods, which are collected and eaten by the Natives. [19]

Variously known as the ‘small groove-leafed cybidium’, the ‘banana orchid’, or the ‘Queensland Black Orchid”, Cybidium canalicatutum is documented as being present in the region [20].  It is also well attested as an Aboriginal food plant. The Cribbs in their ‘Wild food of Australia’ state that …

The pseudobulbs are packed with starch. They can be eaten either raw or cooked but they are mucilaginous and insipid. If the pseudobulb is grated or pounded the starch can be washed out and allowed to settle. … The plant was at one time known as native arrowroot but this term seems to have fallen into disuse. The brown fruit which eventually splits  to release enormous numbers of seeds can also be eaten raw. [21]

Similarly Tim Low in his Bush Medicine notes the use of C. canalicatutum’s milky sap as a healing aid for sores and wounds, and that eating the base stems is a cure for dysentery, with the latter also being used as a cure by early settlers [22].

Non-indigenous word options

Trove offers two other ‘hits’ for the word Yangan prior to 1890 that may be worth noting, if only to disregard them after consideration.

Firstly, a press release on a significant fire in Constantinople which appears in at least 10 papers in the Nov-Dec of 1865, “In less than half-an-hour after the cry of ‘yangan var!’ (there is fire), at least a score of houses were ablaze” [23]. This observation is made more interesting when one considers that the Aboriginal people to the north of Yangan, the Goone-burra or  “fire blacks”, after whom Goomburra is named, were known for their use of fire to modify the landscape.

Secondly, several news article in October 1859 make mention of an execution, by the French, of British and American subjects in New Caledonia that has a focus on a port called Yangan, whereby persons were forbidden to enter the said port on ‘pain of death’ [24].  With the exception of this 1859 article it is very difficult to find any other mention of Yangan in association with New Caledonia.

A conclusion

If the word for the township was chosen by some bureaucrat in the railway department because of some poorly documented understanding of the Aboriginal language we may need to concede the meaning as “going forwards or upwards”, while at the same time acknowledging a somewhat crass cultural appropriation.

If the word was acknowledged as having currency in the region and therefore seemed an appropriate name to the railway bureaucrats then I would favour the orchid derivation, given its presence in the region...  appealing as a joke about dugongs may be.

As for the foreign options I am treating them as examples of the delightful and curious red herrings that a journey through an archive such as Trove throws up.  If I didn’t have more pressing investigations I would be interested in following the New Caledonia link further.

References

[1] University of Queensland (2015) Queensland Places - Yangan. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from http://queenslandplaces.com.au/yangan.

[2] Advertising (1884, May 31). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 7. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article174680353

[3] Queensland Government (n.d.) Queensland place names - Yangan. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from https://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/qld/environment/land/place-names/search#/search=yangan&types=0&place=Yangan38430

[4] QUEENSLAND RAILWAY NOMENCLATURE. (1914, April 25). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), p. 8. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25506057

[5] Queensland Government (n.d.) Queensland place names - Goodna. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from https://www.dnrm.qld.gov.au/qld/environment/land/place-names/search#/search=goodna&types=0&place=Goodna48315

[6] NOMENCLATURE OF QUEENSLAND—318 (1936, October 6). The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37005724

[7] ANOTHER LIST (1938, July 26). Warwick Daily News (Qld. : 1919 -1954), p. 6. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article190396766

[8] What's In A Name? (1938, October 5). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), p. 8. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18907608

[9] http://bundjalung.dalang.com.au/filedown/file/Language-EnglishH-Y.pdf accessed Mar 28, 2017

[10] ABORIGINAL WORDS. (1929, February 21). The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), p. 3. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21378490

[11] RAMBLES AT THE ANTIPODES. (1859, September 17). The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861), p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3720370

[12] RAMBLES AT THE ANTIPODES. (1859, August 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 6. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5686975

[13] Rambles at the antipodes: a series of sketches of Moreton Bay, New Zealand, the Murray River and South Australia and the overland route. With 2 maps; and 12 tinted lithographs, illustrative of Australian life. Accessed March 6, 2017 from https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_tsENAAAAQAAJ

[14] RAMBLES AT THE ANTIPODES. (1859, September 17). The Moreton Bay Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1846 - 1861), p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3720370

[15] Dixon, R. M. W., Moore, B., Ramson, W. S. Thomas, M. (2006) Australian Aboriginal Words in English, second edition. (Oxford)

[16] Maroochy Barambah (n.d.) RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNALITY: AN INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVE ON KNOWLEDGE AND EXPRESSION. Retrieved March 28, 2017 from, https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/7325/1/Barambah_9781920899714_TEXT.pdf

[17] Bell, J. & Seed, A. (1994) Dictionary of the Gubbi-Gubbi and Butchulla languages. Retrieved March 6, 2017 from https://morayfieldeastss.eq.edu.au/Supportandresources/Formsanddocuments/Documents/Indigenous%20Resources/dictionary-of-the-gubbi-gubbi-and-butchulla-languages.pdf

[18] Yugambeh (n.d.) List of Bidjari Words. Retreived March 30, 2017 from http://www.yugambeh.com/gtcms/structured/strc__resource_482_103___List+of+Bidjara+Words.pdf

[19] JOURNAL OF A NATURALIST. (1850, July 1). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 4. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4768627

[20] Atlas of Living Australia (n.d.)Cymbidium canaliculatum R.Br. http://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/93196#overview accessed March 22, 2017.

[21] Cribbs, A. B. & J. W. (1974) Wild Food of Australia. Fontana.

[22] Low, T. (1990). Bush medicine: a pharmacopoeia of natural remedies. Angus and Robertson.

[23] THE FIRE AT CONSTANTINOPLE, (1865, November 23). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 5. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13122169 and others.

[24] MISCELLANEOUS NEWS. (1859, October 13). Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64091350 

The Man from Goondiwindi Q.

Tourism signage in the rural town of Texas, South East Queensland, asks visitors a knowledge question about Banjo Paterson's poetry.  Following that path not only led me to a Banjo poem, but on an historical journey into Sydney's underworld and a stoush between two of Australia's iconic poets.

From a tourism display in Texas, Queensland.

The poem can be found in the National Library of Australia's newspaper archive, Trove.  I was delighted to see that no one had corrected the text before I got to it.  There is a certain pleasure in correcting the record.

The text of which reads -

The Man from Goondiwindi (Q.)

By the Banjo

I. This is the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q.).

II. This is the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
came down, from Goondiwindi (Q.).

III. These are the wealthy uncles — two,
Part of the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q.).

IV. This is the game, by no means new,
Played by the wealthy uncles — two,
Part of the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q.).

V. This is the trooper dressed in blue
Who busted the game by no means new
Played by the wealthy uncles— two,
Part of the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q.).

VI. This is the magistrate who knew,
Not only the trooper dressed in blue,
But also the game by no means new,
And likewise the wealthy uncles— two,
And ditto the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q.).

VII. This is the tale that is oft gone through
On Western plains where the skies are blue.
Till the native bear and the kangaroo
Have heard of the magistrate who knew
Not only the trooper dressed in blue,
But also the game by no means new,
And likewise the wealthy uncles— two,
And ditto the Push from Waterloo
That spotted the sunburnt bushman who
Came down from Goondiwindi (Q,).

Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Saturday 17 December 1904, page 12

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113305820

Some observations

The poet's design strategy is clear -  eight syllable lines with rhyming endings throughout (including a clever use of the stand alone letter Q for Queensland).  Stanzas become one line longer with increasing stanza number with the exception of stanza seven which has gained three lines.  This growth of verse is known as cumulative verse.  Readers may recognise the similarity with 'The 12 Days of Christmas' or 'The Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly.'  Paterson also used it in 'The Dam that Keele Built.'

The use of illustration is important.  The poem is presented in some anthologies as a text only poem, but this illustrated version seems to suggest that the words and the accompanying art are both needed to understand the work.  This page of the paper appears to be a collaborative piece between poet and artist.

The Waterloo Push was a notorious gang of disaffected youths.  There were a number of gangs, called 'Pushes' in Sydney at the time that Paterson wrote, with names such as the Miller Point Push, the Waterloo Push and the Rocks Push (eventually "The Push").  The Waterloo Push's notoriety was exemplified in the gang rape of a young woman in 1886, a crime labelled the Mt Rennie Outrage, which saw a number of people go to the gallows.  But the newspapers continued to report bashings and violence from this gang after the Mt Rennie Outrage.

Given the link between the image and poem, I wonder if the 'uncles' are specific people that the reading public would have been able to identify.

It is useful to compare this work with other works by the Australian Poet, Henry Lawson, namely "The Captain of the Push" and the related "The Bastard from the Bush".  Granted there is debate about whether 'the bastard' really was authored by Lawson - it was certainly too bawdy for him to place his name on it. A distinct battle of ideologies between Paterson and Lawson played out in the magazine 'The Bulletin', and was therefore known as the "Bulletin Debate".  Have another look at the two uncles then Google an image of Henry Lawson and see if he would fit a composite of these two characters (or perhaps I am seeing too much!).  Paterson saw the bushman as a better human then the city man, and Lawson had an opposite view.  While this poem is not published in 'The Bulletin' it does seem to be engaging the topic of the debate.  The bushman comes to the rough part of the city, has an interaction with the criminal part of town, but is then able to hold his own in court and return to his bush home unscathed and gentlemanly.

If I could continue the journey that this little ramble started, I think there is much to be gained from a further analysis of the argument between these two Australian voices.

Sheep killed by lightning - 1857

While researching the history of the Goomburra Valley I encountered this story that captured my interest, about a storm which passed through on 19th November 1857.  Clearly a story that also captured the interest of a number of newspapers at the time, as this press release appeared in no less than nine papers, with The North Australian [1] being the first to publish on 1 December ... the quote below is from this edition.

DESTRUCTION OF SHEEP BY LIGHTNING—During a violent thunderstorm which visited the Goomburra station, Darling Downs, on the night of the 19th ultimo, 300 sheep were killed by the electric fluid. It appears that at the head-station the lightning was extremely vivid and dangerous and that in one yard 270 sheep were struck dead by an electric stroke, while at another yard about seven miles distant, 30 more were destroyed at the same time by the same destructive agency. The flocks in great terror were huddled together, and it required the greatest exertions of the watchmen and shepherds, who were summoned to their assistance, to prevent a large portion of the flocks from being smothered. At the time the accident occurred at the head-station, the man in charge of the flock, much to his credit, was standing by the flock keeping vigilant watch, and discerned the effect of the lightning in sufficient time to give the alarm ; and it is owing to this circumstance that the loss was not greater. Mr. Patrick Leslie, the newly elected member for the United Pastoral Districts, is the proprietor of the station where the disaster occurred.

Next to publish was the Sydney Morning Herald [2] on the 7th December.  Then deriving from the publication in the Herald the following papers, The Argus [3] on the 12th December, The Ballarat Star [4] on 14th December, The Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser [5] (which references The North Australian ) on 16th December, Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser [6] on 18th December, also on the 18th December The Bendigo Advertiser [7].  Followed by the The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser [8] on 19th December. Finally the Ovens and Murray Advertiser devotes some space to the report in its Christmas Day edition (also quoting the North Australian). And so the 'news' cycle stops more than one month after the event took place.

While the story itself is interesting it is not unique. Use the phrase "sheep killed by lightning" in the Trove search tool and over 500 results appear. This set of articles about a specific event in Goomburra is also interesting as a reflection on the speed of media today.  In 1857 both reports and the papers themselves would have been mostly delivered by horseback, today 'news' of such age would probably be deemed too old to publish.


References

[1] LOCAL AND DOMESTIC. (1857, December 1).The North Australian, Ipswich and General Advertiser (Ipswich, Qld. : 1856 - 1862), , p. 4. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78850984

[2] MORETON BAY. (1857, December 7). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), , p. 8. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13003657

[3] NEW SOUTH WALES. (1857, December 12). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), , p. 5. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article7143285

[4] Local and General news. (1857, December 14). The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), , p. 3. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66045626

[5] FORGED £10 NOTES. (1857, December 16). The Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser (NSW : 1848 - 1859), , p. 2. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118248536

[6] NEW SOUTH WALES. (1857, December 18). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 - 1876), , p. 2 (EVENING.). Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64570054

[7] INDIA. (1857, December 18). Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), , p. 3. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87977577 

[8] New South Wales Intelligence. (1857, December 19). The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW : 1856 - 1861; 1863 - 1889; 1891 - 1954), , p. 3. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189959432

[9] LOCAL COURT. (1857, December 25). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 - 1918), , p. 2. Retrieved June 29, 2016, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113235931