Adam Lindsay Gordon
Adam Lindsay Gordon was a notable Australian poet and figure, born in 1833 into a distinguished but unconventional Scottish family. His early life was marked by a series of misadventures, including being sent to military and school institutions, which ultimately led to his relocation to Adelaide, Australia, due to his troublesome behavior. In Australia, Gordon engaged in various occupations but struggled with financial instability, despite receiving a significant inheritance from his mother's estate. He briefly ventured into politics by securing a seat in the South Australian Parliament but resigned shortly thereafter, acknowledging his lack of competence in that arena.
Gordon was also known for his daring equestrian feats, which earned him local fame and recognition, culminating in the erection of a statue to honor one of his impressive jumps. His literary career began to flourish as he published poetry, with his collection "Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes" notably released shortly before his tragic suicide. Despite his struggles during life, Gordon's work gained considerable acclaim posthumously, making him the first Australian poet to be commemorated with a bust at Westminster Abbey. His legacy endures, highlighting the complexities of his life as both a poet and an adventurous spirit.
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Subject Terms
Adam Lindsay Gordon
Poet
- Born: October 19, 1833
- Birthplace: Fayal, the Azores
- Died: June 24, 1870
Biography
Adam Lindsay Gordon was born into an extremely prominent but odd Scottish family in 1833. His father had hunted wild beasts without guns and his mother was known as an extraordinarily fatigued and passionless person. Although he was sent off to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and the Royal Worcester School to become virtuous, horseplay and a robbery charge frustrated Adam Gordon’s parents to the point that they shipped him off to the colony of Adelaide, Australia.
In Australia, Gordon held numerous unsuccessful occupations and even had a job with the South Australian Mounted Police, but he was bailed out by a large inheritance from his mother’s estate. In spite of the large sums he squandered in failed real estate ventures, this money allowed Gordon to marry Margaret Park, the daughter of a politician. Somehow he managed to secure election in the South Australian Parliament, but he quickly resigned after realizing his own incompetence. Gordon remained a rambunctious youth and experimented in horse riding around that time, soon earning a reputation as a fearless leaper. A statue was erected years later in commemoration of one of his daredevil jumps.
Later in life Gordon became a poet. He occasionally published his works, even though his career was more costly than profitable. A day after his poetry collection entitled Bush Ballads and Galloping Rhymes was published, Gordon, convinced of its doomed existence, committed suicide. Ironically, the collection became a best-seller, and most of his success and acclaim came posthumously. He was the very first Australian poet to be immortalized in a bust at Westminster Abbey.