Mollie McNutt explained

Mollie McNutt (23 March 1885 – 26 February 1919) was an Australian poet whose work appeared in many newspapers and who published one book.

Early life

Mollie was born Mary E. Shaw, to parents John A. and Margaret Shaw in 1885 in West Maitland, New South Wales.[1] In 1901 Mary became a pupil teacher at Hillgrove Public School, N.S.W.[2] and shortly afterwards was appointed teacher at West Armidale Infants Public School.[3] In 1911, she resigned from teaching to marry Andrew McNutt, who was teaching in Uralla,[4] [5] and who had also been a teacher at Hillgrove.[6] [7] Shortly after marriage they moved to Bismuth so Andrew could take up the position of teacher,[8] and within two years he was transferred to Torrington.[9]

Career and works

McNutt's writings won prizes or mentions in several competitions, including the Gould League of Bird Lovers (1912)[10] and 1913,[11] Bathurst Centenary Literary Competition,[12] and The Sydney Mail's Australian Remounts competition.[13] McNutt's poetry which appeared in newspapers included "The Quarrel",[14] poetry about nature, including "A Bush Home"[15] and "The Birds I Love",[16] and war poems "Australian Remounts"[17] and "The Boys Who Blazed The Track".[18] Some of Mary's poems were set to music, including "A Nook Of Bushland" (1922),[19] "Buttercups",[20] "The Birds I Love" (1925),[21] and "Silver Wattle" (1930).[22] McNutt's works were used by the Department of Education[23] [24] and McNutt was named by children[25] [26] and educators[27] among lists of prominent and favourite Australian writers. A list of at least 16 works can be found on AustLit[28] and over 80 works are included in a biography, Australia Song-bird: Mollie McNutt, Poetry And Prose.[29]

The book Songs Of Bushland was published in 1918 by Winn & Co. publishers[30] and sold out before it made it to book shops.[31] AustLit states Songs Of Bushland is "primarily not a children's book".[32]

Death and legacy

McNutt died of tuberculosis[33] on 26 February 1919,[34] aged 33. An unfortunate incident happened as the body was conveyed to be put on the train to Armidale for interment, when the wheel came off the horse-drawn hearse.[35] At the graveside, Brother Stephens, on behalf of the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows Lodge said of McNutt: "as the seasons come and go may wattle-time ever serve as a reminder of our Australian song-bird".[36]

The Inspector of Schools proposed a memorial to Mollie,[37] and a cot with an inscription was bought for the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children with over 800 pounds raised by donations from "Practically every public school in the state".[38]

Another book published about McNutt is The Road To Torrington: Remembering Mollie McNutt, and in it the author says McNutt was remembered in a school song in Torrington in the 1960s, and a trophy called the Mollie McNutt Memorial Shield.[39]

External links

Notes and References

  1. N.S.W. Births, Deaths and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/lifelink/familyhistory/search/result?10
  2. News: Government Gazette Appointments and Employment . . 810 . New South Wales, Australia . 27 September 1901 . 16 December 2020 . 7480 . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Local and General News . . 7765 . New South Wales, Australia . 21 September 1901 . 16 December 2020 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Local & General . . New South Wales, Australia . 14 April 1911 . 22 December 2020 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: The Late Mrs. McNutt . . New South Wales, Australia . 20 June 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: Government Gazette Appointments and Employment . . 209 . New South Wales, Australia . 24 April 1903 . 16 December 2020 . 3117 . National Library of Australia.
  7. Web site: Hillgrove Public School – Gymnasium – First Aid Class – Teacher Andrew McNutt . . 1 January 1907 . NSW State Archives & Records . 16 December 2020 .
  8. News: 1912-05-31. Events & Rumours. 4. Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser (NSW : 1856 - 1861; 1863 - 1889; 1891 - 1954). 2021-09-19.
  9. News: 1914-11-25. TRANSFERS AND APPOINTMENTS.. 7126. Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001). 2021-09-19.
  10. News: 1912-09-18. BIRD DAY.. 17. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 - 1930). 2021-09-19.
  11. News: 1913-10-22. The Birds of Australia.. 11. Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 - 1938). 2021-09-19.
  12. News: 1914-02-26. THE ANALYSIS.. 2. Bathurst Times (NSW : 1909 - 1925). 2021-09-19.
  13. News: 1916-08-19. Australian Remounts.. 9. Armidale Chronicle (NSW : 1894 - 1929). 2021-09-19.
  14. News: For Children. . . 28 . 41 . New South Wales, Australia . 16 October 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  15. News: A Bush Home. . . 23 . 17 . New South Wales, Australia . 23 April 1914 . 16 December 2020 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
  16. News: The Birds I Love. . . CVII . 14,983 . Tasmania, Australia . 27 October 1917 . 16 December 2020 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  17. News: Australian Remounts. . . IX . 228 . New South Wales, Australia . 9 August 1916 . 16 December 2020 . 24 . National Library of Australia.
  18. News: The Boys Who Blazed the Track. . . X . 255 . New South Wales, Australia . 14 February 1917 . 16 December 2020 . 30 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: SPECIAL SONG SERIES . . 1898 . New South Wales, Australia . 11 June 1922 . 19 September 2021 . 2 (SUPPLEMENT TO SUNDAY TIMES) . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: 1923-11-25. New School Songs. 3. Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1930). 2021-09-19.
  21. Web site: Australian song book. Songs for fourth class. Selection No.1 [music]]. 2021-09-19. Trove. en.
  22. News: Silver wattle [music] / words by M.E. McNutt; music by G.L. Talbot ]. 18 December 2020 .
  23. News: PERSONAL. . . IX . 55 . New South Wales, Australia . 5 March 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  24. News: M. E. McNutt . 18 December 2020 .
  25. News: My Favorite Australian Poets . . 1684 . New South Wales, Australia . 7 July 1935 . 16 December 2020 . 2 (Supplement to the Sunday Sun and Guardian) . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: The Letter Box. . . LXXI . 3671 . New South Wales, Australia . 31 July 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 31 . National Library of Australia.
  27. News: Austrian Poets. . . 735 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 April 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  28. News: M. E. McNutt . 18 December 2020 .
  29. Book: Lally, Jane. Australian song-bird: Mollie McNutt, poetry and prose. Jane Lally. 2021. 9780645059076. Armidale, NSW, Australia.
  30. McNutt, M. E. (1918). Songs of bushland. Sydney [N.S.W.] : Winn & Co, http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-724040631
  31. News: Northern Obituaries. . . IX . 54 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 March 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  32. News: M. E. McNutt . 18 December 2020 .
  33. News: History Matters – Torrington memories . . 24 March 2020 . 16 December 2020 .
  34. News: 1 March 1919. Family Notices. 8. The Daily Telegraph. 12420. New South Wales, Australia. 16 December 2020. National Library of Australia.
  35. News: Local and General News. . . New South Wales, Australia . 4 March 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  36. News: Oddfellowship. . . New South Wales, Australia . 25 April 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  37. News: School Notes . . New South Wales, Australia . 17 June 1919 . 16 December 2020 . 4 (Latest Edition) . National Library of Australia.
  38. News: The Molle McNutt Cot. . . New South Wales, Australia . 16 July 1920 . 16 December 2020 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  39. Book: Young, Rita. The road to Torrington : remembering Mollie McNutt. Rita Young. 2021. Ashfield, NSW, Australia.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mollie McNutt".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.