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The Two Great Scots
Father and Son both named - Hugh Stevenson Roberton
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Father
Sir Hugh Stevenson Roberton
(1874-1952)
Musician
Conductor of The Glasgow Orpheus Choir (1906-1951)
Hugh Stevenson Roberton was
born at 10.40 a.m. on the 23rd of February, 1874 in 2 Hallcroft Place,
Tradeston, Glasgow, to James Roberton (Funeral Undertaker and Carriage
Hirer) and Mary Sim, who had married in Glasgow on the 22nd June, 1860. By
1891, aged 17 years, and living with his parents and siblings at 60
Abbotsford Place in the civil parish of Govan, Glasgow, he was serving as an
assistant in the family undertaking and carriage hiring business.
On his marriage to Joan MacGillivray, daughter of Police Constable, Malcolm
MacGillivray and Isabella McBean, on the 4th of June, 1895 within 16
Cumberland Street, Gorbals, Glasgow, Hugh had become manager of the family
enterprise. They had a number of children before 1907, during which year,
not only did Hugh’s wife Joan die of pneumonia on the 25th of March, aged 34
years, but also did his mother, Mary Sim of influenza on the 2nd of April,
aged 77 years. Hugh’s father James, suffering from bronchitis, had
predeceased both Mary and Joan on the 20th May, 1905, aged 85 years.
However, the plight of the motherless family was eased when Hugh re-married
on the 25th of November, 1909 in 271 Eglinton Street, Gorbals, Glasgow. His
new wife was his then housekeeper at 952 Pollokshaws Road, a qualified
nurse, Ellen Jane Birkmyre, daughter of Hugh’s assistant undertaker, and
former fisherman of Tongland Village, Kirkcudbright, John Birkmyre, and
Margaret McGill. Ellen Jane had been born in Tongland on the 23rd of
November, 1881.
Hugh and Ellen (later to be listed in official documents as ’Helen’) had at
least one child, and he was born and named Kenneth Bantock Roberton in 1913.
To those who have some knowledge of famous musicians, this naming was
clearly a tribute to Hugh’s friend, fellow choir adjudicator and famous
composer, Sir Granville Bantock (1868-1946), whose father had been the
eminent physician Sir George Granville Bantock, M.D., F.R.C.S.Ed., born 1837
in Golspie, Sutherland, died 1913!
This musical context conveniently suggests at this point in a brief
biography of Hugh Stevenson Roberton that the reader should be moved away
from genealogy and business to other matters – namely - the Glasgow Orpheus
Choir, its development, recognition and eventual world-wide acclaim.
The book that supplies such information and entertainment is ‘ORPHEUS with
his lute – A Glasgow Orpheus Choir Anthology’ …. Selected and Edited by Hugh
S. Roberton and Kenneth Roberton, 1963, Pergamon Press Ltd. and J, Curwen
and Sons, Ltd. Although this book is still under copyright, it is here
assumed, for the purposes of non-profit-making historical research, that the
normal academic allowance for short quotations is permitted.
In 1962, Kenneth Bantock Roberton writes …
‘Under its own name, the
Glasgow Orpheus Choir held the stage from 1906 to 1951. However, it had five
years of pre-Orpheus existence under the conductorship of Hugh S. Roberton,
as the Toynbee Musical Association. …… The Glasgow Orpheus Choir was a
product of an era, of a place, and of a man. The era was the first half of
the twentieth century, a restless period of questioning and revaluation in
many fields; the place Glasgow, where Highland and Lowland Scot mingled with
lrish Celt to form a tightly-enclosed, self-assertive community,
laughter-loving but serious at heart, idealistic and highly articulate; the
man Hugh S. Roberton, born in the city in 1874, the choir’s founder and
conductor, pioneer of a new choralism and life-long exponent of the New
Jerusalem. A different alchemy might have produced a choir of equivalent
achievement and fame, but not one with the distinctive character which gave
the Orpheus so wide a following and made it, as well as a musical
phenomenon, the people’s choir and choristers’ choir par excellence.’
From what I, the writer here, listened to as a boy – the Orpheus Choir on
the wireless, or in the concert hall – what I heard my elders, lay people
and other choristers, say of Sir Hugh and his Choir – what I read about him
and the choir in the newspapers – and what I learned later from the
aforementioned book …. I feel able to write the following tribute ….
‘Sir Hugh Stevenson Roberton was a great and personable Glaswegian. He was
strong-willed, self-reliant, mostly self-educated, poised, warm of heart,
amiable, and sociable. He hated pretentiousness, social, artistic, or
academic; he was out-spoken and uncompromising in active support of what he
held to be true. Above all he had inimitable musical talent.
He was an all-rounder – in music - he was a sensitive teacher, an insightful
composer, a fair critic; - with the written word - he was an entertaining
poet, playwright, and essayist ; - with the spoken word - he was a fine
lecturer and public speaker; - in his life-style - he was a willing guide,
deep thinker, and ever a promoter of young folks’ worthwhile dreams of high
achievement; - to the world audience – he was ‘Roberton of the Orpheus’.
As an choral interpreter he always had major challenges to face. Before he
could offer the world a note of the music lying within his heart and soul,
he had to nurture and understand his own talents. He had to find potential
song-birds; he had to weed-out those unsuited to his purpose, and then, over
lengthy periods of time, he had to continually mould and re-mould those
remaining into the forms of musical expositors who would meet his choral
ideals. Thus by fertilising the essence of his music with the subtleties of
poetry, he caused choir singing as art to bud and flower as never before.
So, I gradually came to understand why in 1931, Hugh Stevenson Roberton had
been named in the New Year’s Honours’ List of those whom the King had been
delighted to knight. Typical of the man, Sir Hugh not only saw it as an
honour to himself, but also to all those privileged to be, or to have been,
members of the Orpheus Choir …. to Glasgow, and …. to Scotland.’
Compiled by John Henderson
When increasing ill-health forced Sir Hugh to retire from being conductor of
the choir in 1951, its members unanimously decided to disband the Glasgow
Orpheus Choir…. and most people understood why! The ‘Glasgow Orpheus Choir’
was ‘Sir Hugh Stevenson Roberton’ … no Sir Hugh … no Orpheus Choir!
Sir Hugh, aged 78 years, died at 3.25 p.m. on the 7th of October, 1952, in
his home in Cathcart, Glasgow, and music lovers world-wide greatly mourned
his passing.
Lady Helen (Birkmyre) Roberton died in Cathcart, Glasgow, in 1965 aged 83
years.
Son
Hugh Stevenson Roberton Jnr.
(1900 - 1987)
Hugh Stevenson Roberton Jnr. was born at 6.30 a.m. on the 18th of December,
1900 in 271 Eglinton Street, Gorbals, Glasgow to Hugh Stevenson Roberton
(Funeral Undertaker) and Joan MacGillivray, who had married on the 4th of
June, 1895 within 16 Cumberland Street, Gorbals, Glasgow.
It is learned from the records of emigration by sea from British Ports that
on the 25th of January, 1922, Hugh Stevenson Roberton (Student) left his
home at 10 Camphill Drive, Queens Park, Glasgow, Scotland and boarded the
7928 ton P. & O. Branch Service Ship BALLARAT in London bound for Sydney
Australia.
Abstracted from – ‘A History of Marrar and District, NSW, Australia,1979’
Researched and Compiled by Mr Alby Armstrong
Edited for accuracy by JH
“He came among us, the people
of Marrar, N.S.W., Australia, a humble young man, and during a span of forty
years with us he rose to great heights, and when he left us, he was still
humble to his fellow men. His full name was Hugh Stevenson Roberton, but
mention the name 'Scotty' and every man woman and child knew who was
referred to.
He first saw the light of day in the Gorbals, Glasgow, Scotland on 18th
December, 1900, the son of Sir Hugh S. Roberton and Miss Joan MacGillivray.
Remember the catchy tune, 'I Know Where I'm Going, and I Know Who's Going
With Me'. Also the film of the same name. The voices and music was by the
Glasgow Orpheus Choir, conducted by Sir Hugh Roberton. Hugh Roberton Junior
was educated at West of Scotland Agricultural College and Glasgow
University.
The call of the land was always in his blood and the distant horizons of
Australia continued to beckon him until the call was irresistible. He
arrived in Australia in 1922 and sought work as a jackeroo on stations in
the Riverina. From jackeroo he graduated to shearer and at one time shore on
Buckarginga Station near Henty. After a solid grounding in Australian
conditions he was able to put together a small farming plant and began share
farming on Murrulebale Station. It was the custom then for a farmer to
harvest his own wheat and then cart it to the nearest railhead. How well I
remember the young Scot, his dirty face streaked with sweat stains as he
trudged along beside his team and wagon load of wheat enroute to Marrar. The
red and white skewbald horse with saddle and bridle attached, tied to the
rear of the wagon completed the team. He was a successful farmer and his
hard work was rewarded with prosperity.
In 1924 he married Marjorie Wyllie a Sydney girl, whose father was Commodore
of the Huddart Parker Shipping Line. From this time on, the Robertons worked
as a team and much of his success came from the loyal support given to him
by Marjorie Roberton over a period of more than forty years.
He was elected to Coolarnon Shire Council in 1932 and remained a Councillor
till just before his enlistment in the A.I.F. in 1942. During the war he
served in the Middle East with the 2/3 Anti Tank Regiment, 9th Australian
Division.
In 1945, following his discharge from the Army, he was nominated for the
position of President of the Farmers and Settlers Association of N.S.W. and
became the first and only man ever to be elected President from the floor of
the Annual Conference. When he took up his new position as leader of this
strong and powerful farmers association, there were those who said he would
wreck it in two years. When he retired four years later the F.S.A. was in a
stronger position than it had ever been in its whole history.
At the end of his term as leader of the Farmers and Settlers Association he
was elected to the Federal Parliament as Member for Riverina, defeating the
Sitting A.L.P. Member J.I. 'Old Joe' Langtry a former Marrar identity. 'Old
Joe' was the former Publican, Farmer, Footballer and Club President of the
Football Club during the 1920's.
Following his election on December 10, 1949 he held the seat for the Country
Party until 1965. On the 28th of February 1956, he was appointed to the
Federal Cabinet, with the portfolio of Minister for Social Services, under
Prime Minister Robert G. Menzies. His parliamentary career ended in 1965
when he accepted the position of Australian Ambassador to Ireland, a
position he filled with distinction for a period of four years. These were
the years when he received so much support from his wife Marjorie, to whom
he was eternally grateful. Writing in the 'Riverina Advocate' of January
21,1965, Dorothy Farrell paid this tribute to Mrs. Roberton.
'She is a poised and gracious lady, yet a simple and loving person. These
qualities will make her as great a help to our new Ambassador to Ireland as
she has been to him over the many years he has been a struggling and later
successful farmer, a soldier and Federal Minister. They are a good team, and
will 'Do Australia Proud' in their new and important position. I hope they
enjoy their term of duty in Ireland as much as we are glad to have them as
Australia's Ambassadors.'
It was, however, as a local farmer that 'Scotty' Roberton will best be
remembered to the people of Marrar and Winchendon Vale. If any of his
neighbours had a problem, and during the great depression they had plenty,
they immediately sought him out for advice. When wheat prices tumbled to
around one shilling and sixpence a bushel, Bill Armstrong arrived one
morning at his back door and suggested he go to Canberra to see if he could
get a bit more for the farmers’ wheat. He had little hope but he cranked up
the Model T. single seater Ford car and, at his own expense headed for
Canberra. How he managed to secure an interview with Prime Minister Scullin
no one will ever know, but he returned home with the information that the
Federal Government would pay a bounty of four pence a bushel on all wheat
delivered that season. This small bounty immediately became known as the 'Cocky's
Dole'.
In the following year he put together the Roberton Wheat Stabilisation
Scheme, which became the policy of the Farmers and Settlers Association. The
scheme called for a payment of four shillings a bushel for the first 3000
bushels of wheat delivered on behalf of each individual grower. Any amount
over 3000 bushels to be sold on the open market at world parity prices. The
scheme was kicked around for a year or two, but was finally adopted by
Federal Minister for Agriculture Scully and became, known as the Scully
Wheat Plan. This was the beginning of the present day Wheat Stabilisation
Act.
In 1930 he was engaged to write a weekly article for the Coolamon 'Review'.
The Column was known as, 'A Farmers Point of View' by Peter Snodgrass and
had as a preface, 'Look Then Into Thine Heart and Write', (Longfellow). It
covered items of topical interest and with humour and pathos was a winner
from the start. He wrote on one occasion, 'The Mayor of Winchendon Vale is
in a dour mood these days because of the bra west wind whistling through the
breaks in his breeks which the wee wifie ha not the wool to mend'.
Transferring to 'The Land', he wrote a full page feature article each week
entitled the 'Epistles of Peter Snodgrass'. With these articles he
introduced a new format. Variety was now part of 'The Epistles' and ranged
from ancient English to the modern World. Sometimes, in sorrow, he paid
tribute to passing friends. When neighbouring farmer Bill Pattison died
during a busy harvest his headline was, 'We Said Farewell In a Field of
Wheat'. The Epistles were continued during war service and were often
treated with great suspicion by Army Censors. Even during his term as
Ambassador to Ireland they continued but now only on monthly occasions.
In 1970 his wife Marjorie, whom he always referred to as 'Calliope' in his
writings passed away. With his sight failing, and alone in the world except
for his daughter Janet, he married Miss Eileen MeLeod in 1972. At the time
of writing, 1979, the Robertons are residents of Curtin, A.C.T.
Electric Scotland Note: You can
listen to an audio account of his life recorded by the Australian library in
which it says... Mr
Roberton talks of his childhood in Scotland; the Australian Investment
Company; shearing; freelancing as Peter Snodgrass; Farmers and Settlers
Association; Riverina Movement; Charles Hardy; Nationalist Party;
Progressive Party; Farm Debt Relief Act; wheat stabilisation scheme;
arbitrary restriction of production; enlistment in the army; New England New
State Movement; Nicholas Committee; Mr P. Wright; concessional selling of
wheat; New Zealand Wheat Deal; Nelungaloo Ltd; nationalisation of banks;
Australian Wheat board; Riverina electorate; Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area;
Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority; Social Services; Menzies; social
service progress; pensions; child endowment; national insurance scheme;
Aborigines and social services; diplomatic representation in Ireland; Irish
question; Australian flag in Ireland; Abbey Lea; experiences in Ireland;
Irish Radio Singers; de Valera; Clare; Kildare Street Club; Lord Eldon
model; Colonel Butler; Banratty Castle; Dr Sensi; Monsignor Cassidy;
memorial services for Harold Holt; education in Australia; rural subsidies;
superphosphate bounty; Aboriginal land rights.
This is available at
http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/734689?lookfor=&offset=&max=3 |
