3 minute read
Adam Lindsay Gordon
from Southern Ocean Road
by PHIL GIBSON
Adam Lindsay Gordon of Dingley Dell Cottage
Adam Lindsay Gordon was an Australian poet and his horsemanship is legendary. Lines of his poetry have gone into folklore. He is known as the first of the Australian poets, however his books were not particularly successful in his lifetime. He is the only Australian to have his bust in Westminster Abbey. He won three famous steeplechase races in Melbourne in one day and jumped his horse onto a small ledge around the Blue Lake. A monument was later built there.
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Adam was born in 1833, the son of Captain Adam Durnford Gordon and Harriet Gordon, both descendants of the famous Gordon family. He was sent away to boarding school at age 7 and attended military college when a teenager. Having a sensitive nature like his mother, he had no interest in anything military. He had a love of horses and won steeplechase events. Adam was headstrong, had debts and considered “wild”. His father was at a loss to help the young Gordon into a career, so arranged for him to come to Australia.
Gordon, aged 20 arrived in Adelaide in 1853. He joined the South Australian mounted police and was stationed at Mount Gambier and Penola where he developed his love of the Australian bush. Two years later Gordon resigned and took up horse-breaking. He associated with Revered Julian Tenison Woods, who lent him books and discussed poetry. Wealthy pastoralist John Riddoch was also a friend. Gordon represented the district in Parliament for a time, but had no love for politics and left 18 months later. His reputation as a rider over hurdles grew. He often won, but also had bad accidents.
In October 1862, he married young Margaret Park and two years later bought a small acreage with a cottage he named Dingley Dell. Gordon had a number of articles and poems published. One of his most famous poems “The Wreck” is about the desperate gallop
to summons help after the Admella was shipwrecked. It has the rollicking rythem of the galloping horse. A pastoral venture in Western Australia failed because his flock ate poison weed and an unsuccessful business partnership in Ballarat, saw them move to Melbourne. Gordon was now almost blind and had constant pain from his old injuries. He suffered all his life from depression and when his only child Annie died, aged 10 months, it almost broke his heart. He had debts and limited prospects for income and was endeavouring to prove he was heir to Esselmont Estate in Scotland. His new book Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes was just published with a wonderful review from fellow poet Kendall, but he had no money to pay the publishers. Next morning he rose early, walked to the tea tree scrub by the beach and shot himself. He was not yet 37. He was buried in the Brighten Cemetery. After the funeral, as friends gathered at his house to celebrate his life, a telegram arrived. It said Gordon’s inheritance had been approved. He was to receive £34,000, a fortune.
What cruel irony! A few days earlier would have made all the difference. And his wife would received nothing, as it was only for male members of the family.
Margaret later remarried and had 7 children.
Friends and admirers collected subscriptions for a statue to Gordon which was unveiled in Melbourne in 1931. Dingley Dell Cottage is situated at Port MacDonnell.
ADAM LINDSAY GORDON STATUE in Melbourne erected by public subscription in 1931
