Mary Gilmore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Gilmore
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Gilmore in 1916, by May Moore
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Mary Jean Cameron
16 August 1865 near Crookwell, New South Wales, Australia
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| Died | 3 December 1962 (aged 97) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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| Occupation | Writer |
| Spouse(s) | William Alexander Gilmore |
| Children | 1 |
Dame Mary Jean Gilmore (born Mary Jean Cameron; August 16, 1865 – December 3, 1962) was a very important Australian writer and journalist. She was known for her many contributions to Australian literature and for speaking up about important national topics. Mary Gilmore wrote both stories and poems throughout her long life.
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Who Was Dame Mary Gilmore?
Mary Gilmore was born in the countryside of New South Wales, Australia. She spent her childhood moving around the Riverina region. She lived in small country towns and larger places like Wagga Wagga. She became a schoolteacher when she was 16 years old.
After teaching in rural areas, Mary moved to Sydney. There, she became interested in the growing movement for workers' rights. She also explored new ideas about creating fair and equal communities. In 1893, Mary Gilmore joined a group of people who traveled to Paraguay. They wanted to start a new community there called the New Australia Colony. She started her family in Paraguay, but the colony did not turn out as everyone hoped. She returned to Australia in 1902.
Back in Sydney, Mary Gilmore found work as the editor of the women's section for The Australian Worker newspaper. She held this important job from 1908 to 1931. She also wrote for many other publications. These included The Bulletin and The Sydney Morning Herald. She became known for campaigning for the welfare of people who were struggling or disadvantaged.
Her first book of poetry was published in 1910. She continued to write and publish many books for the rest of her life. These were mostly poetry, but also memoirs and collections of essays. She wrote about many different subjects. People especially loved her vivid descriptions of country life in Australia. Her most famous work is the poem "No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest". This poem helped to boost morale during World War II.
Mary Gilmore received her greatest recognition later in her life. She became a leading figure in Sydney's literary world and a national icon. She often appeared on radio and television, which were new media at the time. Mary Gilmore continued her amazing writing output into old age. She published her last book of poetry in 1954, when she was 89 years old. She passed away in 1962 at the age of 97. She was honored with a state funeral, which is a very rare tribute for a writer. Since 1993, her image has been featured on the back of the Australian ten-dollar note.
Early Life and Learning
A Childhood on the Move
Mary Jean Cameron was born on August 16, 1865. Her birthplace was a small place called Cotta Walla, near Crookwell, New South Wales. When she was one year old, her parents, Donald Cameron and Mary Ann Beattie, moved to Wagga Wagga. They joined her grandparents who had moved there earlier.
Her father worked as a station manager and then as a carpenter. He built houses in many different towns. These included Wagga Wagga, Coolamon, Junee, Temora, and West Wyalong. Because her family moved so often, Mary's schooling was not always continuous. However, she did attend school during their frequent visits back to Wagga Wagga.
Eventually, her father bought land and built their own home at Brucedale. This gave them a permanent place to live. Mary briefly attended a private school and then the Wagga Wagga Public School.
Becoming a Teacher
At 14, Mary started preparing to become a teacher. She worked as an assistant at her uncle's school. She also had an uncle, Charles White, who was a journalist and wrote books. Her aunt, Jeannie Lockett, was also a teacher and writer.
After passing her teaching exams in 1882, she became a teacher at Wagga Wagga Public School. She taught there until 1885. After a short time teaching at Illabo, she took a job at Silverton. This town was near the mining town of Broken Hill. It was in Silverton that Mary Gilmore started to develop her ideas about social fairness and began writing poetry.
A New Life in a New World
The New Australia Colony
In 1890, Mary moved to Sydney. She became part of a group of writers and thinkers known as the "Bulletin School". This group was connected to a nationalist journal called The Bulletin. She was close to another famous writer, Henry Lawson, during this time.
Mary Gilmore was inspired by William Lane and other people who dreamed of creating a perfect society. In 1896, she followed them to Paraguay. They had started a communal settlement there called New Australia a few years earlier. Mary married William Gilmore in 1897 at a smaller settlement called Cosme.
By 1900, the idea of the socialist community had not worked out as planned. William left to work in Argentina. Mary and their young son, Billy, soon followed him. They lived in Patagonia for a while, saving money to return to Australia in 1902. They traveled back via England and then started farming near Casterton, Victoria.
Returning Home and Finding Her Voice
Mary Gilmore's first collection of poetry was published in 1910. For the next 50 years, she was considered one of Australia's most popular and widely read poets. In 1908, she became the women's editor for The Worker newspaper. This newspaper belonged to the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), which was a very large and powerful trade union in Australia. Mary was the first woman to become a member of this union.
The Worker gave her a platform to share her journalism. She used her writing to campaign for better working conditions for women, for children's welfare, and for a better deal for Indigenous Australians. In 1925, she helped found the Society of Women Writers. This society aimed to encourage other women to write.
A Powerful Writer and Advocate
Editor and Campaigner
By 1931, some of Mary Gilmore's ideas were considered too radical for the AWU. However, she quickly found other places to publish her writing. She later wrote a regular column for a newspaper called Tribune. This newspaper was connected to a political party, though she was not a member herself.
Despite her strong political views, Mary Gilmore accepted a special honor in 1937. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, becoming Dame Mary Gilmore. She was the first person to receive this award for her contributions to literature. During World War II, she wrote powerful patriotic poems, like No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest, to inspire Australians.
Her Most Famous Poem
"No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest" is one of Mary Gilmore's most beloved poems. It was written during a difficult time for Australia and the world. The poem speaks about protecting one's home and country. It became a symbol of strength and unity for many Australians during World War II. Its message of resilience continues to resonate today.
A National Treasure
Recognition and Awards
In her later years, Mary Gilmore moved to Sydney. She became an even more celebrated national literary icon. Before 1940, she had already published six books of poetry and three collections of prose. After the war, she published memoirs and stories about early colonial Australia. She also wrote about the famous writers of Sydney in the 1890s. These writings helped to shape how people remembered that important period in Australian history.
Dame Mary Gilmore passed away in 1962, at the impressive age of 97. She was given a state funeral, an honor rarely given to writers. Her portrait by Dobell in 1957 was a finalist for the Archibald Prize. It can be seen in the Art Gallery of NSW.
In 1973, she was honored on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post. Many places are named after her. These include a park in Sydney, the Canberra suburb of Gilmore, the Mary Gilmore Way highway, and a federal voting area called the Division of Gilmore.
Her Legacy Lives On
Mary Gilmore's image has been on the Australian ten-dollar note since 1993. The banknote also features an illustration inspired by her poem "No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest". The text of the poem itself is included as a tiny detail for security.
She was the great-great aunt of Scott Morrison, who later became Australia's Prime Minister. In 2012, on the 50th anniversary of her death, he spoke about her contributions in federal parliament. In September 2019, her poem "No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest" was even read aloud by United States President Donald Trump during a state dinner for Australia.
The Mary Gilmore Award
The Mary Gilmore Award was created in 1956. It is now given as a poetry prize by the Association for the Study of Australian Literature. This award celebrates new and emerging Australian poets, keeping Mary Gilmore's literary spirit alive.
Images for kids
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Dame Mary Gilmore in 1891
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Mary Gilmore in 1912
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Gilmore in 1948
See also
In Spanish: Mary Gilmore para niños
