Henry Lawson

Henry Lawson, with his daughter Bertha Lawson, named after her Mother, Bertha Lawson.

I've just been to Mudgee. There was a museum in Mudgee for Henry Lawson, a great poet living at the end of the nineteenth century. Even though he was one of Australia's most famous poets he died poor because he made bad publishing deals. Its not good is it. He told the truth about how difficult Australian life was, not the rosy picture of Banjo Patterson. His mother was also a poet called Louisa Lawson. And a suffragette. I'm interested in the women in his life. His wife and daughter were both called Bertha, the same as his Mother in Law. They would have been in the same generation as my great great great Grandparents. My grandmother is loosing her memory. But we can keep the memory of these people from old people. Henry Lawson died in Abbotsford. Though he is buried in the Waverley Cemetary. I would like to go and visit his grave there and be inspired to write my poetry.