The
Lions Club of Edwardstown through the Late Ron Wallace put the Song
of Australia up to a Lions Convention to be the new National Anthem.
It was passed but the next year it was dropped at the Convention.
Our
Club had copies of the sheet music printed and sent to all schools,
we also covered all Politicians in our push to have the song
recognised. At our Club we sing the Song of Australia at every
meeting immediately after the Toast to her Majesty the Queen and a
Toast to Australia.
The
Lions Club of Edwardstown is the main stay behind the function at
the West Terrace Cemetery on Australia Day (January 26th) at the
Carl Linger Memorial.
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(Compiled from information contained in
the Archives of the Gawler institute and the Public Library of South
Australia and prepared in abridged form by Ronald A. V. Wallace for
Sub Districts 201 J
& 201 N of Lions
International.)
The composition of the
"Song of Australia" resulted from a competition offering a 10-Guinea
prize for the best words of a Patriotic Song, to be entitled "The
Song of Australia". The competition was in conjunction with the
Second Anniversary celebrations of the Gawler Institute, South
Australia, in 1859.
After considering 93
entries, the Six Judges unanimously awarded the prize on October 20,
1859 to the entry signed "Nil Desperandum", being the pen-name of
Mrs- Caroline Carleton. The words written by Mrs. Carleton described
Australia as she saw it, as a migrant from distant lands. A further
10-Guinea prize was then offered for the best music to the
prize-winning poem. From 23 entries, the prize was awarded on
November 7th to the musical score marked "One of the Quantity",
being the name used by Mr. Carl Linger.
The first public
performance of the Song was at the Oddfellows Hall, Gawler on
December 12, 1859, when it was sung by Miss Mary Ann Alien,
accompanied by a Quartet and the Brunswick Brass Band of eight
performers under the personal baton of Carl Linger. A number of
editions of the Song have been published and many of them are
displayed at the Gawler Institute. After many years, the original
manuscript of the music was handed over to the public Library of
South Australia as a valuable historical document.
The Song has been sung in
Schools as our National Song since 1880, usually at Morning
Assemblies with the saluting and raising of the Australian Flag. In
1887, as part of the Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria,
children from Adelaide Schools were massed on Montefiore Hill to
sing the "Song of Australia". Copies of the Song have been presented
to and accepted by every Royal Personage visiting South Australia
over the years-In 1902, Sir William Sowden strongly advocated the
Song to the Australian Natives' Association, who took up the matter
of having it officially recognised as our National Song. At their
1922 Annual Conference, the matter was re-affirmed.
During World War 1, the
Y.M.C.A. sent many thousands of copies of the Song to Australian
Soldiers overseas. In 1918, the Adelaide Branch of the League of
Loyal Women sent 15,000 prints with Christmas Billycans to the
Soldiers.
The Song had a prominent
part in every function arranged for the Duke and Duchess of York
during their visit to South Australia in 1927 and at a Charity,
Carnival that year, massed Bands played it and 40,000 people joined
in the singing white the Australian Flag was unfurled. In 1928, at
the arrival from England of Australian Aviator, Bert Hinkler, at
Morphettville, 20,000 people sang the Song as he landed.
On September 4, 1929, Dr.
Basedow M.P. moved in the House of Assembly that the "Song of
Australia" should be officially proclaimed as the National Song.
There was considerable debate, but the Session of Parliament
concluded before there was any final deliberation. In the same year,
the same request was made to the Commonwealth Government on behalf
of Rotary International.
During a visit to Adelaide
in 1931, the late Peter Dawson said the "Song of Australia" was
worthy of being adopted as the National Song of the Commonwealth, as
the words were redolent of the atmosphere of Australia. He made a
recording of the Song when he returned to London and forwarded a
copy
to the
Australian Broadcasting Commission in Adelaide and it was played to
open the Morning Session.
The
Song was featured prominently at most of the official functions
during the South Australian Centenary celebrations in 1936. "The
News" and "The Mail" Pictorial Centenary Souvenir Publication on
February 8, 1937 contained photos of the Monuments erected by
public subscription on the graves of Carl Linger and Caroline
Carleton. The photo of Caroline Carleton's Monument was taken during
a Pilgrimage to the grave on March 13, 1936 and the Attorney-General
(Mr, Jeffries) is shown addressing a gathering of 800 school
children and 3,000 citizens. There was a Pilgrimage also to the
grave of Carl Linger on June 17, 1936 when his Monument was unveiled
by the Premier of South Australia (Mr. R. Butler) and 200 school
children, chosen from 50 schools, together with the Adelaide and the
Tanunda Liedertafels sang the "Song of Australia" in three-part
harmony. The caption beneath the photos quotes:
"Something of the Nation's Debt to the Composers of the 'Song of
Australia'." The Pilgrimages were influenced from a public statement
made earlier that year by the Director of Education (Mr. Adey).
Stories of the Song, written by H. Brewster Jones, a prominent
Adelaide Musician were published in the "Education Gazette" and in
the "Childrens' Hour" in 1936.
On
October 18. 1959 Centenary celebrations were conducted at Gawler to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Song. Invited
guests included the Descendants of the Composers, His Excellency
the Governor (Sir Robert George) and Lady George, Members of
Parliament and many prominent Citizens. At the Gawler Oval a massed
gathering of 1800 school children sang the five verses of the Song.
In an address by Mr. J. S. Clarke M.P., he stated: "Songs become
truly National if they have a truly National appeal and we think the
'Song of Australia' has that appeal". Prizes for a Poster and Essay
competition of the Song conducted for school children were
presented at the Oval gathering, in the evening a concert was held
in the Institute with items by various prominent Choirs and Soloists
and, as the Grand finale, the "Song of Australia" was sung by massed
Choirs. His Excellency the Governor (Sir Robert George) stated:
"I
think this is the finest Concert I have ever attended". He mentioned
the Union of France, England and Germany In connection with the
Song, as Mrs. Carleton's ancestors had come from France, she herself
to Australia from England and Carl Linger from Germany.
The
Song has been included in programmes of many important Concerts and
Public Performances over the years. Giri Guides and Scouts usually
sing it at Camp Concerts and it is sung by many service Clubs and
Patriotic Bodies at their Social gatherings. A special arrangement
of the music for Choir was written by Dr. J. V. Peters and is sung
at the "Christmas Carols by Candlelight" conducted each year at
Elder Park, Adelaide to an audience of nearly 100,000 people.
World-acclaimed Musician—Australian Barry Tuckwell, was quoted in
the press on October 8, 1970 as saying: "Does the 'Song of
Australia' measure up to your idea of a National Anthem ? Does it
make you lift your head, throw back your shoulders and make you feel
proud? Would you like it to be our National Anthem? I would. I have
yet to hear a better contender for the title."
The
"Song of Australia" is true in Australian character and sentiment.
Over a period of more than 100 years, it has become part of
Australian History and Tradition and generally is acclaimed our
National Song- It is hoped that the Commonwealth Government will
give it official recognition and title in due course.
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