ADAM LINDSAY GORDON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22025, 7 August 1933, Page 7

ADAM LINDSAY GORDON

AUSTRALIA’S FIR?" POET

MEMORIAL IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY

(United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

LONDON, August 4.

The Dean and Chapter have consented to the erection in Westminster Abbey of a memorial to Adam Lindsay Gordon, the Australian poet.

Though the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Lyons.) has not indicated his decision, the desire is expressed here that Adam Lindsay Gordon’s bas-relief portrait should be executed by Lady Scott.

Adam Lindsay Gordon, the' Australian poet, was born in the Azores in 1833. He was educated in England, and went to Australia in 18.53, whcr-> he became successively a trooper in the mounted police, horse breaker, livery stable keeper, and member of the House of Assembly. In 1867 he published two volumes of poems, “ Sea Spray ” and “ Smoke Drift,” and a dramatic lyric. “Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes” was published in 1870. On June 24 the same year he shot himself at New Brighton, Melbourne, disappointment at failure to establish his claim to an estate in Scotland having aggravated a mental disturbance from which he had suffered throughout, his life. His collected poems were edited and published by Marcus Clarke in 1880, and have secured him a high place in the history of Australian literature. He was buried at New Brighton. Lady Scott (Lady Hilton Young) was the widow of Captain Scott, the Polar explorer, and is a noted sculptor.