Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Tennyson
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Tennyson c. 1899-1902
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| 2nd Governor-General of Australia | |
| In office 9 January 1903 – 21 January 1904 Acting: 17 July 1902 – 9 January 1903 |
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| Monarch | Edward VII |
| Prime Minister | Sir Edmund Barton Alfred Deakin |
| Preceded by | Lord Hopetoun |
| Succeeded by | Lord Northcote |
| 14th Governor of South Australia | |
| In office 10 April 1899 – 17 July 1902 |
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| Monarch | Victoria Edward VII |
| Premier | Charles Kingston Vaiben Solomon Frederick Holder John Jenkins |
| Preceded by | Sir Thomas Buxton |
| Succeeded by | Sir George Le Hunte |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office 6 October 1892 – 2 December 1928 Hereditary Peerage |
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| Preceded by | Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson |
| Succeeded by | Lionel Tennyson, 3rd Baron Tennyson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 August 1852 Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 2 December 1928 (aged 76) Freshwater, Isle of Wight, England |
| Parents | Alfred, Lord Tennyson Emily Sellwood |
| Alma mater | |
Hallam Tennyson, 2nd Baron Tennyson (born 11 August 1852 – died 2 December 1928) was an important British figure. He served as the second Governor-General of Australia. This role is like a representative of the British monarch in Australia. He held this position from 1903 to 1904. Before that, he was the Governor of South Australia from 1899 to 1902.
Hallam Tennyson was born in Twickenham, England. He went to Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was the oldest son of the famous poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Hallam worked as his father's personal helper and wrote about his life. When his father passed away in 1892, Hallam inherited his father's title, becoming Baron Tennyson.
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Early Life and Family
Hallam Tennyson was born in a house called Chapel House in Twickenham. His parents were Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Emily Sellwood. He was named after his father's good friend, Arthur Hallam, who had passed away.
Hallam spent his early years at Farringford House on the Isle of Wight. His father rented this house in 1853 and later bought it. Hallam went to Marlborough College and then Trinity College, Cambridge. He wanted to have a career, but he had to leave college early. His parents were getting older and sick, so he became their personal secretary. This meant he helped them with their daily tasks and writings. He also gave up his dream of going into politics.
In 1884, Hallam married Audrey Boyle. This was partly why his father accepted a special title called a peerage. When his father died in 1892, Hallam became Baron Tennyson. He also took on the job of writing his father's official life story. His book, Tennyson: a Memoir, came out in 1897.
After Audrey passed away, Hallam married May Prinsep. She was the niece of an early photographer named Julia Margaret Cameron.
Serving as Governor of South Australia
Like his father, Hallam Tennyson strongly believed in the British Empire. In 1883, he joined a group called the Imperial Federation League. This group wanted to support and strengthen the British Empire.
Because of his connections and his famous family name, Hallam was offered an important job. In 1899, he became the Governor of South Australia. This role meant he was the Queen's representative in that part of Australia. He was still the Governor in May 1902. At that time, the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Hopetoun, suddenly said he would resign.
Becoming Governor-General of Australia
When Lord Hopetoun left Australia in July 1902, Hallam Tennyson was the longest-serving state governor. This meant he became the Administrator of the Government of Australia. This was a temporary role, like being in charge until a new Governor-General was chosen.
Some people wondered if he was experienced enough for the permanent job. But Hallam had made a good impression in Australia. He was modest and careful with money, unlike Lord Hopetoun, who seemed very grand. In December 1902, Hallam accepted the job of Governor-General. He suggested he only serve for one year.
The new Governor-General was well-liked by Australians. He got along with them much better than his predecessor. However, some problems came up because his role wasn't always clear. The Prime Minister of Australia, Alfred Deakin, believed that the Governor-General's main helper, the official secretary, should be paid by the Australian government. The British government disagreed. They thought this would stop the Governor-General from overseeing the Australian government. Hallam Tennyson agreed with the British view.
Because of this, the relationship between Prime Minister Deakin and Tennyson became difficult. Deakin suspected that Tennyson was reporting back to London about him. He also thought Tennyson was trying to get involved in Australian policies, like a naval agreement with Britain. For these reasons, Deakin did not ask Tennyson to stay longer than his one-year term. The public did not know about these disagreements. Hallam Tennyson left Australia in January 1904, and everyone praised his work.
Later Life and Passing
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Hallam Tennyson spent the rest of his life at Farringford, his family home. From 1913, he served as a deputy Governor of the Isle of Wight. His first wife passed away in 1916. In 1918, he married Mary Emily (May) Prinsep.
In 1924, Tennyson gave many of his father's old notebooks to Trinity College, Cambridge. These notebooks contained important writings and thoughts from the famous poet.
Hallam Tennyson died at Farringford on 2 December 1928.
Commemoration
- A large painting of Tennyson can be seen at Admiralty House, Kirribilli.
- Tennyson's family symbol, called a coat of arms, is painted in the entrance of Government House, Sydney.
Images for kids
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The coat of arms for Hallam Tennyson.
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Another view of the Tennyson coat of arms.
