Henry Lawson’s Crumbs Podcast Henry Lawson’s Crumbs Podcast

After leaving Leeton in 1917, Henry Lawson spent the remaining years of his life in Sydney. His alcoholism, depression, and poor health all made the final years of his life difficult. Lawson died on 2 September 1922 and was granted a state funeral. Thousands flock to pay their respects and to give Lawson a fitting send off after a life of literary service to his country. In this last episode of the Henry Lawson’s Crumbs Podcast, we discuss the closing years of Henry Lawson’s life.

Some of Anne-Marie Hanson’s favourite Lawson works:

His Father’s Mate. Originally published in The Bulletin 22 December 1888. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

The Drover’s Wife. Originally published in The Bulletin 23 July 1892. Collected in Short Stories in Prose and Verse (December 1894).

Mitchell Doesn’t Believe in the Sack. Originally published in the Bulletin 13 May 1893. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

“Shall We Gather at the River.” Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

The Story of ‘Gentleman Once.’ Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

Some of Gregory Bryan’s favourite Lawson works:

Prose:

The Drover’s Wife. Originally published in The Bulletin 23 July 1892. Collected in Short Stories in Prose and Verse (December 1894).

Send Round the Hat. Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

“Shall We Gather at the River.” Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

By the Banks of the Murrumbidgee. Originally published in The Bulletin, 18 May 1916.

Poetry:

The Wreck of the ‘Derry Castle’. Originally published in The Bulletin 24 December 1887. Collected in In the Days When the World Was Wide and Other Verses (February 1896).

“The Western Stars.” Originally published in Freeman’s Journal 23 December 1893.

Henry Lawson died in 1922. One year later—almost to the day—the Henry Lawson Memorial and Literary Society was inaugurated. The Society continues today under the capable leadership of the President of the Society, James Thomas, and other similarly dedicated committee members, including Leigh Hay. Leigh is the editor of the Society’s publication, The Lawsonian. In this episode of the Henry Lawson’s Crumbs Podcast, James and Leigh discuss their passions for Lawson and their roles within the Society that honours his name.

Some of Leigh Hay’s favourite Lawson works:

The Bush Girl. Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

The Women of the Town. Originally published in When I Was King and Other Verses (November 1905).

Do They Think That I Do Not Know? Originally published in The Skyline Riders and Other Verses (October 1910).

Hannah Thomburn. Originally published in For Australia and Other Poems (October 1913).

Some of James Thomas’ favourite Lawson works:

Prose:

That There Dog of Mine. Originally published in New Zealand Mail 8 December 1893. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

Send Round the Hat. Originally published in Children of the Bush (July 1902).

Poetry:

The Fire at Ross’s Farm. Originally published in The Bulletin 6 December 1890. Collected in Short Stories in Prose and Verse (December 1894).

Trooper Campbell. Originally published in The Boomerang 11 April 1891. Collected in In the Days When the World Was Wide and Other Verses (February 1896).

“Tambaroora Jim.” Originally published in The Bulletin 19 March 1892. Collected in The Rising of the Court and Other Sketches in Prose and Verse (August 1910).

The Bush Fire. Originally published in In the Days When the World Was Wide and Other Verses (February 1896).

Written Afterwards. Originally published in The Bulletin 29 January 1898. Collected in Verses Popular and Humorous (December 1900).

In 1916 and 1917, Henry Lawson lived in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, where he had the responsibility of writing promotional materials to attract settlers to the area. One of the unexpected benefits of the move from Sydney was that it provided for Lawson the opportunity to reconnect with Jim Gordon. Lawson and Gordon had not seen one another for 23 years, but their shared experiences in Bourke in 1892 and 1893 had formed a sufficiently strong bond that they were immediately able to pick up their friendship when they got back together in the summer of 1916. In this episode we discuss Henry Lawson’s time in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and some of the writing created there and inspired by his experiences living there.

Lawson works discussed in the episode:

First Impressions of Leeton. Originally published in The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, 28 January 1916.

Drought and Irrigation. Originally published in The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, 4 February 1916.

Leeton Town. Originally published in The Murrumbidgee Irrigator, 11 February 1916.

Travellin’. Originally published in The Bulletin, 30 March 1916.

By the Banks of the Murrumbidgee. Originally published in The Bulletin, 18 May 1916.

Bonnie of our Area. Originally published in The Bulletin, 21 September 1916.

A Wet Camp. Originally published in The Bulletin, 21 July 1921.

Jim Everett is the grandson of Henry Lawson's mate, Jim Gordon. A Tale of Two Poets is by Jim Everett.

One of Henry Lawson’s best friends was Jim Gordon, who was also a poet who published regularly in the Bulletin and other similar forums for Bush writing.  Jim Gordon wrote under the pen-name, Jim Grahame. As had been the case with Lawson in 1920, Grahame was awarded a Commonwealth Literary Pension in 1947; Prime Minister Ben Chifley deciding it was due recognition of his contribution to Australian literature. Lawson and Gordon first met in Bourke in 1892, when Lawson was 25 and Gordon was 18. Late in 1892, they tramped from Bourke to Toorale shearing shed and back (a distance of approximately 300km). In early 1893, they tramped from Bourke to Hungerford and back (approximately 450km). Life took them in different directions and so they were subsequently separated for many years. Fortune brought them together again in 1916 in the newly established Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Once again, the two became inseparable. In this podcast episode, we speak with Jim Everett, who is the grandson of Jim Gordon.

Henry Lawson wrote a series of stories set in the city slums of Jones’s Alley. Arvie Aspinall and his mother were two of the inhabitants of Jones’s Alley. In this podcast episode, we discuss Arvie and the stories in which he and his mother feature. We also discuss the autobiographical connections between Henry Lawson and the character of Arvie.

Lawson works discussed in the episode:

Two Boys at Grinder Brothers. Originally published in Worker, 7 Oct 1893. Collected in Over the Sliprails (June 1900).

Arvie Aspinall’s Alarm Clock. Originally published in The Bulletin, 11 June 1892. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

Jones’s Ally. Originally published in three parts in Worker, 1, 8, & 15 June 1892. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

A Visit of Condolence. Originally published in The Bulletin, 23 April 1892. Collected in While the Billy Boils (August 1896).

His Mother’s Mate. Originally published in The Bulletin, 6 July 1895.