Trevor WholohanThe Poet Laureate and The Don
August 12th 2008 10:35
Did you know Lord Tennyson was Governor-General of Australia?
In1837, Victoria 1 became Queen of England. Some years later, in 1850, she appointed Alfred Tennyson to be her poet laureate. He was created Baron Tennyson in 1884. He was one of the great poets of the nineteenth century. Among his poetry, and towards the end of his life, he wrote a work entitled ‘Crossing the Bar’. The first four lines were:
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
May there be no moaning at the bar,
When I put out to sea.
Surely this is one of the finest expressions of the acceptance of mortality in the language.
Alfred never made it to Australia. His son, Hallam did. On Alfred’s death in 1892, Hallam inherited the title and became Hallam, 2nd Baron Tennyson. In 1899, Hallam accepted the offer to become Governor of the colony of South Australia.
In 1903 Lord Hopetoun resigned prematurely from the office of Governor-General of Australia, and Hallam was appointed acting Governor-General. Hallam and his wife Audrey were a very popular couple with the people of Australia in both Hallam’s roles as Colonial Governor and Governor-general. The Tennysons returned to England at the end of 1904.
Hallam and Audrey had 3 sons, Lionel, Aubrey and Harold. Sadly, Aubrey and Harold lost their lives in action in the First World War. Lionel was wounded in action, but survived. It is apparent that Audrey was deeply affected by the death of her youngest son, Harold. She herself died on December 7TH 1916.
After the war, Lionel resumed his career as a cricketer. He played for the county side Hampshire through until 1935. His first class average was 23.3, not a great performance, but the mark of a useful batsman. His highest score was 217 in a county match.
Probably his best performance was in 1921 against a strong and winning Australian side, when as captain he scored 74 not out in the test at Lords. His batting style was more the aggressive hitter than the technical craftsman.
In 1928, on the death of his father Hallam, Lionel inherited the title and became Lionel, 3rd Baron Tennyson.
In 1948, during the tour of Bradman’s invincibles, Lionel was in attendance at a match between the MCC and Australia at Lords. He dropped into the dressing rooms during the match and asked to speak to Don Bradman. By this time he was apparently a little the worse for wear from the hospitality, and Bradman felt it inappropriate under the circumstances to introduce him to the team. Lionel took this as a snub, but in reality Bradman was almost certainly trying to protect Lionel’s reputation.
There you have it. In a few paragraphs I have drawn a tenuous connection from Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate to Don Bradman’s cricket team.
In1837, Victoria 1 became Queen of England. Some years later, in 1850, she appointed Alfred Tennyson to be her poet laureate. He was created Baron Tennyson in 1884. He was one of the great poets of the nineteenth century. Among his poetry, and towards the end of his life, he wrote a work entitled ‘Crossing the Bar’. The first four lines were:
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
May there be no moaning at the bar,
When I put out to sea.
Surely this is one of the finest expressions of the acceptance of mortality in the language.
Alfred never made it to Australia. His son, Hallam did. On Alfred’s death in 1892, Hallam inherited the title and became Hallam, 2nd Baron Tennyson. In 1899, Hallam accepted the offer to become Governor of the colony of South Australia.
In 1903 Lord Hopetoun resigned prematurely from the office of Governor-General of Australia, and Hallam was appointed acting Governor-General. Hallam and his wife Audrey were a very popular couple with the people of Australia in both Hallam’s roles as Colonial Governor and Governor-general. The Tennysons returned to England at the end of 1904.
Hallam and Audrey had 3 sons, Lionel, Aubrey and Harold. Sadly, Aubrey and Harold lost their lives in action in the First World War. Lionel was wounded in action, but survived. It is apparent that Audrey was deeply affected by the death of her youngest son, Harold. She herself died on December 7TH 1916.
After the war, Lionel resumed his career as a cricketer. He played for the county side Hampshire through until 1935. His first class average was 23.3, not a great performance, but the mark of a useful batsman. His highest score was 217 in a county match.
Probably his best performance was in 1921 against a strong and winning Australian side, when as captain he scored 74 not out in the test at Lords. His batting style was more the aggressive hitter than the technical craftsman.
In 1928, on the death of his father Hallam, Lionel inherited the title and became Lionel, 3rd Baron Tennyson.
In 1948, during the tour of Bradman’s invincibles, Lionel was in attendance at a match between the MCC and Australia at Lords. He dropped into the dressing rooms during the match and asked to speak to Don Bradman. By this time he was apparently a little the worse for wear from the hospitality, and Bradman felt it inappropriate under the circumstances to introduce him to the team. Lionel took this as a snub, but in reality Bradman was almost certainly trying to protect Lionel’s reputation.
There you have it. In a few paragraphs I have drawn a tenuous connection from Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate to Don Bradman’s cricket team.
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