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George Gibb as President -
Sir Hector Macdonald entertained - Society loses Lord Hopetoun - Great
Singer welcomed - Sir John Mclntyre's achievement - Formation of Scottish
Regiment - Burns Statue unveiled - "Scot at Hame an' Abroad" founded -
Fourteen new Scottish societies in four years.
With the coming of the new
century membership of the Society rose to a record number-almost 800. In
this period members appear to have decided that ordinary "Esquires" might
reasonably be given a share of Presidential honours. At any rate, whereas
eight of the ten Presidents who functioned between 1884 and 1901 were
either knights or members of Parliament, there has not since been a knight
in the Chair and there have been only two members of Parliament serving as
heads of the Society. (One M.L.A., in fact, was rejected when he stood for
the Council in 1902.)
First of the new batch of
"commoners" was George Gibb. This big Scot filled the position admirably,
so much so that he remained President for what was then a record term:
five years (1901-06). Earlier Presidents had reigned for only one or two
years in each instance, with a single exception of three years.
Son of an Aberdonian
bootmaker, George Gibb began life as a pupil teacher, turned to insurance,
and followed the same profession on reaching Australia in 1885. He
subsequently became manager of the Melbourne branch of the Norwich Union
Insurance Company, and he was occupying that position when (at the age of
rather less than 40 years) he took the Caledonians' Chair. He was, it is
recorded, a sociable and interesting man, with considerable literary
taste.
Within a few weeks of
taking office President Gibb carried through a most pleasant obligation-he
acted as host to a famous Scottish soldier, General Sir Hector Macdonald,
who was paying a brief visit to Australia.
The two immediate
Ex-Presidents, Sir Malcolm McEacharn, M.P., and Sir John McIntyre, M.L.A.,
together with other members of Council, joined Mr Gibb in entertaining
"Fighting Mac" at dinner at the Australian Club. Other guests included Sir
John Madden (Lieut.-Governor), Sir John Forrest, and officers of the
Scottish Regiment. The date of the function was 15th October 1901.
A day or two later members
as a whole had their turn -the Society arranged a smoke social for Sir
Hector Macdonald in the Town Hall, and practically everyone who had any
right to be present rallied to the occasion. Reports indicate that a very
stimulating evening was spent. The visiting General received a thoroughly
hearty reception and was accorded a special cheer when the President
handed him a badge conferring honorary membership of the Melbourne
Caledonian Society.
There was deep regret in
the Society, as well as throughout the Empire generally, when Sir Hector
Macdonald died less than two years later (March 1903) at the early age of
50 years.
During 1902 Australia had
the misfortune to lose her highly-esteemed Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun,
afterwards Marquess of Linlithgow. As Patron of the Caledonian Society,
and a distinctly active one, His Excellency had endeared himself to
members through his attendance at various gatherings, where he invariably
made speeches animated by pride of country, commonsense, and sparkling
humour. Accordingly, the Secretary of the Society (at that time Hector
MacLennan) wrote to him in the following terms in July of 1902:
Your Excellency - On the
eve of your departure from Australia I am directed by the Council of the
Caledonian Society of Melbourne to express to you their deep regret that
you are leaving our shores. As fellow-Scotsmen we have felt a pride in
recognizing your "pith o' sense and pride o' worth", both in your public
and private character, and as you are now departing from a sphere of
labour which you have pre-eminently ornamented, we desire to express to
you the hope that you will be spared to occupy a still higher position in
the affairs of our Empire. May every blessing attend you and yours
throughout the journey of life.
Lord Hopetoun returned warm thanks for the foregoing letter, which he said
had touched him deeply.
A bright idea on the part
of President Gibb, soon after taking office, was the donating of a
substantial prize, to be competed for by students of Melbourne University
Conservatorium, for the best rendering of a Scottish song, the only
proviso being that the winner would be called upon to sing the same song
at a concert given by the Caledonian Society.
The Society's concerts were
notable features of the musical life of Melbourne during that period. One
commentator described the Choir as "an important institution and a
splendid adjunct to the Caledonian Society".
Supporting artists included
Miss Maggie McCann ("Australia's Queen of Scottish Song"), Miss Cecil
Callander, Miss Marion Porritt, Miss Nellie McClelland, and Mr. J. Gregor
Wood. The last-named singer, of course, remained a leading figure in the
musical affairs of the Society for many years. He married Miss Allie
Mattinson late in '02, and subsequently he and his wife frequently
appeared together, as Scottish vocalists, in various parts of Australia.
Incidentally, it is on
record that Horace Gleeson was the accompanist at many of the Society's
concerts at the beginning of the century. That talented pianist and
composer is still living in Melbourne and is known to many present day
members of the Caledonian Society.
It was also in 1902 that
the Caledonians had the pleasure of welcoming back to Melbourne an old
friend who had become world-famous on the concert platform. There is no
documentary information available regarding this link, but old-timers say
that it dates back to the period, about 1872, when a sturdy Scot of
Richmond, named David Mitchell, used to bring along his small daughter,
Helen, to sing the songs he loved best. Later, as a woman of 23 or so (in
the early 1880's) Helen Mitchell returned from Queensland to air a
charming voice in "Comin' through the Rye" and other light Scottish songs.
And now, in 1902, here were Melbourne's Caledonians acclaiming their
former childartist, Davie Mitchell's daughter, on the world-wide renown
she had achieved-as Madame Nellie Melba.
Carrying on its good work,
the Society conducted singing and elocutionary competitions (of a Scottish
character) on two nights in June of '03, and then, waxing really
ambitious, members "let their heads go" to the extent of staging a
fulldress Scottish play, for three nights, in Melbourne's Princess
Theatre.
The play-presented in
October of '03-was a dramatic version of Scott's novel, Rob Roy. It was a
marked success in every way and returned a profit of £ 185 for the Charity
Fund of the Society.
Actually, this was not the
first presentation of the kind: Rob Roy had been staged by the Society for
two nights, in Her Majesty's Theatre, as early as April 1897. On that
occasion Miss Eloise Juno was producer and various parts were taken by J.
C. Rennie (Rob Roy), Sir John McIntyre (Bailie Nicol Jarvie), D. W. Ramsay
(Francis Osbaldstone ), Mrs Hugh Paterson (Diana Vernon ), and Miss Juno
(Helen McGregor ). Newspaper reports indicate that Mrs Paterson in
particular scored as a singer and that special interest was taken,
particularly by members of the Legislative Assembly, in the performance of
Sir John McIntyre.
Miss Juno again served as
producer in 1903, Mrs Paterson was again a player and singer, and the
whole of the costumes were designed and arranged by Hugh Paterson, a
member of the Society's Council, who at the time was the leading exponent
of decorative art in Australia. The Patersons were in fact a distinctly
gifted pair, and it may be noted here that their talents extended to their
two daughters: Esther (now Mrs G. H. Gill) was formerly a competent
pianiste and has long been a well-known artist, and Betty (Mrs Newman )
was once a notable violinist, later a leading concert singer, and later
again became noted, as she is still, for her charming drawings of
children.
Other members of the cast
of Rob Roy in 1903 included Hector MacLennan, J. T. Picken, J. Y.
Crawford, H. W. Skinner, W. P. Jarvie, T. Mackenzie Kirkwood, James
Williamson, W. C. Chessar, and Gregor Wood, together with Misses Maggie
McCann and Grace Cumming. According to reports of the day, the whole
performance was very good indeed, particularly on the musical side-Gregor
Wood was in magnificent form in "Macgregor's Gathering" and the singing of
the Society's Choir was admirable.
A feature of the acting was
the re-appearance of that veteran politician, Sir John McIntyre: on the
third night of the presentations he replaced Jim Picken in the part of
Bailie Nicol Jarvie and gave a spirited performance-this at the age of 71
and some 40 years after he had first played the part in the old Lyceum at
Bendigo. (He died a few months later.)
Newspapers acclaimed the
presentations as a whole. "It will be a long time," one critic wrote, "ere
Mr Williamson can rid his theatre of the strong Scotch accent that has
pervaded it during three nights. It is even stated that The Mikado will
appear tonight in a skene-dhu, or a pibroch, or something equally
startling! One thing is certain-no one present last night will ever forget
the triumphant success of `Rob Roy'."
In addition to all those
concerts, social gatherings, and dramatic enterprises, the turn of the
century was marked by several developments of outstanding significance in
Scottish affairs. One was the formation of the Scottish Regiment. Another
was the birth of the movement that led to the establishing of the Burns
Statue in St Kilda Road. A third was the launching of a monthly journal,
The Scot at Hame an' Abroad.
Indeed, the interest taken
in Scottish affairs in Australia generally, and Victoria and South
Australia in particular, was a feature of the period. In Melbourne alone
there were at least seven organizations-the Caledonian Society, the Burns
Club, and the Thistle Clubs of Victoria, South Melbourne, Port Melbourne,
Footscray and Williamstown. As for the country areas, those products of
the 1850's, Geelong's Commun Na Fienne and Maryborough's Highland Society,
were then more than forty years old and still. doing well; and in addition
there were thriving Caledonian Societies at Albury, Casterton, Drouin,
Terang, and Mansfield. Soon afterwards a Caledonian Society was formed at
Horsham (1902), another at Rushworth (1902), and another at Hamilton
(1903).
It was a committee from a
number of societies that laid the foundation of the Scottish Regiment.
Actually the Caledonian
Society of Melbourne had discussed the formation of a "Scottish Volunteer
Company" as early as 1885, and had again talked of the project-this time
as a "Highland Corps" in 1888. When, ten years later, the suggestion took
definite shape, it was largely through the influence and enthusiasm of Sir
John McIntyre (then the Society's President), that initial difficulties
were overcome. In recognition of his services Sir John was made Hon.
Colonel of the Regiment. Other sturdy pioneers in the enterprise were Sir
Malcolm McEacharn, William Jarvie, and Richard Linton, all of whom became
officers of the Regiment. Linton, in fact, rose from private when the
Regiment was raised in '98 to O.C. with the rank of Colonel some ten years
later. Sir Malcolm MacEacharn, it is said, "shouted" the Regiment 999
feather bonnets.
The Burns Statue had its
origin with George Gibb. When serving as Vice-President under Sir Malcolm
McEacharn he brought the matter up and persuaded the Society to make an
initial donation of £100 towards a statue. Then, during a visit to Britain
in 1902, he interviewed various sculptors and obtained drawings and
prices, which, as well as those of Australian artists, were duly submitted
to Council. A design by R. A. Lawson, R.S.A., sculptor of noble statues in
many parts of the world, was chosen, and the completed work was unveiled,
in the presence of a large crowd, on 23rd January 1904.
Sir John Madden,
Lieut.-Governor, performed the unveiling, and he was supported by the
President of the Caledonian Society (Mr Gibb), the Lord Mayor of Melbourne
(Sir Malcolm MacEacharn) and other leading citizens, including Mr Edward
Campbell (Vice-President of the Society), and Mr Hector MacLennan
(Secretary), both of whom had worked cordially with Mr Gibb for the
erection of the statue. Speeches were made, the statue was formally
presented by Mr Gibb to the City of Melbourne, and at the end company
singing was led by the band of the Scottish Regiment.
Incidentally, in the
pedestal of the statue there was placed a metal cylinder containing a
parchment upon which was recorded a history of the movement, a list of the
Presidents of the reconstructed Caledonian Society of Melbourne, and the
names of the men who were then holding office in the Society. So say the
records. But Mr H. J. MacLennan of South Yarra (a son of that admirable
Secretary of the period, Hector MacLennan, and one of the few people now
living who attended the unveiling ceremony) goes a little further: he says
that the articles placed under the statue also included copies of
newspapers of the day and a sample of every coin of the time, from a£2
piece to a farthing. Among the coins was a groat - a silver fourpenny
piece which the enterprising Alex. Laing, then hon. treasurer, obtained
through the Royal Bank of Scotland.
The cost of the whole
enterprise is stated to have been &1450 14s. 5d., of which the Caledonian
Society of Melbourne provided k277 9s 2d. (There is no record of who
contributed the 2d.!)
It is an odd coincidence
that Scots in both Adelaide and Sydney were also busy bestowing statues at
about the same time. A few months after the Melbourne event, the sturdy
Caledonian Society of South Australia (which had already presented a
statue of Burns to Adelaide) handed over to its City a statue of the
explorer John McDouall Stuart, the first man to cross the Continent from
south to north. Then, a few months later again (January 1905) Scottish
societies in Sydney rescued their City from ignominy by giving it a rival
to the Burns statues of Adelaide and Melbourne.
The third significant
development of the period, the launching of The Scot at Hame an' Abroad,
was born of the patriotism and enterprise of that good Scot and sound
printer, James T. Picken, later to be President of the Society. It first
appeared in June 1902.
Well written and admirably
produced, the new journal met with a cordial reception. Certainly it was
very cheap at threepence a copy, which fact was duly noted by Allan
McNeilage (that charming rhymer who was for many years a kind of
Scottish-Australian poet-laureate) in a salutation published in the second
issue of the journal. Here is the first of ten verses contained in Allan's
tribute:
The welcome "Scot" has come
tae haun';
My fegs! It's hard tae un'erstaun'
Hoo ye produce a treat sae graun'
For fee sae sma';
Oor hairts will be the closer drawn
Since licht it saw.
In later years Allan
McNeilage (who had reached Australia from Glasgow in 1870 as a lad of 19,
and had become a technician in the Mines Department) achieved a remarkable
quantity of verse, some of which was published in book form. But it was
chiefly through The Scot at Hame an' Abroad that he became known.
Moving along briskly, The
Scot soon became, within its limits, a potent force in the community. It
published interesting items from the Old Country, reports and comments on
happenings in Victoria and other States, amusing gossip, and illustrated
sketches of the careers of eminent Scottish-Australians. Lord Rosebery and
the Earl of Hopetoun were early subjects of illustration. Later, the
journal presented photographs of "the Federal Five" - Sir George Reid
(then Prime Minister) and four other Scottish members of the Commonwealth
Parliament. Again, a page was devoted to a series of photographs showing
George Gibb (President) and twenty-one other Councillors of the Caledonian
Society of Melbourne; and that in turn was followed by illustrations of
the officers of kindred bodies.
Other material in The Scot
included dialect gossip that became a popular feature-a series of amusing,
semi-philosophical Letters signed "Wullie Waggett", who was doubtless the
versatile Allan McNeilage.
Perhaps the chief service
rendered by the magazine was in the stimulus given to national
consciousness, largely through reports of meetings and other gatherings
conducted by various societies. It was the rising tide of Scottish
sentiment, promoted mainly by Melbourne's Caledonian Society, Geelong's
Commun Na Fienne, and a few similar bodies, that brought The Scot into
being, and the journal, on its part, fostered that sentiment very
strongly.
We have seen that
Caledonian Societies sprang up at Horsham, Rushworth, and Hamilton in
1902-3; and it is to be noted that within the next few years kindred
societies were established at Bendigo (reconstructed), Kerang, Charlton,
Colac, Beaufort, Warrnambool, Kyabram, Prahran, and Richmond, with a
Gaelic Society in Melbourne increasing the list.
Thus in the brief period
1902-6 no fewer than fourteen new Scottish societies developed in Victoria
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