Grenfell. This obelisk marks the birthplace of noted writer and poet Henry Lawson. Unveiled in 1924.
Among the early gold miners to rush the fields was a Norwegian digger Niels Larsen. On 17th June 1867 Larsen’s wife gave birth in their tent to a baby who they named Henry changing their surname to Lawson at the same time. WE do not know but Lawson built a slab hut so Henry could have been born in that. His mother Louisa made meals and sold them to the diggers for income. Niels Lawson soon moved his family to Mudgee and that is where Henry Lawson spent most of his childhood. For some years young Henry travelled the country out west doing sheep farming work with his father which gave him later inspiration for his outback stories. In 1883 Henry Lawson went to live in Sydney with his mother. Louisa established a suffragette paper for women called Dawn. She had her own printing press and Henry Lawson’s first short stories and prose were printed by his mother. His mother, with Peter Bell, printed the radical journal called the Republican. By this time she had separated from Henry’s father. Henry accepted a newspaper job in Brisbane in 1891. His first story in the Bulletin was published in 1888. By the mid-1890s Henry had taken up drinking. Despite travel and writing and several bouts of depression he persisted with life. After his wife Bertha separated from him in 1920 he took up drinking again and attempted suicide after which he entered a deep depression and downhill slide psychologically. He died alone in 1922. Although Henry Lawson did not spend much of his life in Grenfell the site where the slab hut was built was recorded and a plaque dedicated in 1924 with Lawson’s estranged wife and daughter attending the ceremony. A tree was planted at the site at that time. Grenfell was early in its recognition of Lawson’s contribution to Australian literature and folklore. The town also established the Henry Lawson Festival, which is still held annually, in 1957 when few towns were thinking about attracting tourists to their regions or honouring their prominent citizens. The festival covers music, singing, poetry photography, writing, theatre etc. Lawson is commemorated on our ten dollar note.
Grenfell. This obelisk marks the birthplace of noted writer and poet Henry Lawson. Unveiled in 1924.
Among the early gold miners to rush the fields was a Norwegian digger Niels Larsen. On 17th June 1867 Larsen’s wife gave birth in their tent to a baby who they named Henry changing their surname to Lawson at the same time. WE do not know but Lawson built a slab hut so Henry could have been born in that. His mother Louisa made meals and sold them to the diggers for income. Niels Lawson soon moved his family to Mudgee and that is where Henry Lawson spent most of his childhood. For some years young Henry travelled the country out west doing sheep farming work with his father which gave him later inspiration for his outback stories. In 1883 Henry Lawson went to live in Sydney with his mother. Louisa established a suffragette paper for women called Dawn. She had her own printing press and Henry Lawson’s first short stories and prose were printed by his mother. His mother, with Peter Bell, printed the radical journal called the Republican. By this time she had separated from Henry’s father. Henry accepted a newspaper job in Brisbane in 1891. His first story in the Bulletin was published in 1888. By the mid-1890s Henry had taken up drinking. Despite travel and writing and several bouts of depression he persisted with life. After his wife Bertha separated from him in 1920 he took up drinking again and attempted suicide after which he entered a deep depression and downhill slide psychologically. He died alone in 1922. Although Henry Lawson did not spend much of his life in Grenfell the site where the slab hut was built was recorded and a plaque dedicated in 1924 with Lawson’s estranged wife and daughter attending the ceremony. A tree was planted at the site at that time. Grenfell was early in its recognition of Lawson’s contribution to Australian literature and folklore. The town also established the Henry Lawson Festival, which is still held annually, in 1957 when few towns were thinking about attracting tourists to their regions or honouring their prominent citizens. The festival covers music, singing, poetry photography, writing, theatre etc. Lawson is commemorated on our ten dollar note.