Jeannie Gunn
Encyclopedia
Jeannie Gunn OBE
(pen name, Mrs Aeneas Gunn) (5 June 1870–9 June 1961) was an Australia
n novelist, teacher
and Returned and Services League of Australia
(RSL) volunteer.
, Melbourne
, the last of five children of Thomas Johnstone Taylor, a Baptist
minister who went into business and later worked on the Melbourne Argus. Matriculating through Melbourne University after being educated at home, Gunn ran a school with her sisters between 1889 and 1896, after which she worked as a visiting teacher. In 1901 she married the explorer, pastoralist and journalist
Aeneas James Gunn in the Presbyterian Church. Together they travelled to Darwin
(then called Palmerston) and then onto an outlying station
at Mataranka
. Her husband died early in 1903 and Gunn returned to live in Melbourne.
In Melbourne, at the encouragement of friends, Jeannie Gunn began writing the books for which she would become famous. The Little Black Princess: a True Tale of life in the Never-Never Land, published in 1905 and revised in 1909, chronicled the childhood of an Indigenous Australian protagonist named Bett-Bett. Gunn's second book, We of the Never Never
(1908), was styled as a novel but was actually a recounting of her time in the Northern Territory
with only the names of people changed to obscure their identities. We of the Never Never sold more than 300,000 copies over thirty years, was translated into German
in the 1920s, and by 1931 its author was voted the third most popular Australian novelist after Marcus Clarke
and Rolf Boldrewood in a poll by The Herald
(Melbourne). By 1990 over a million copies of the book had been sold.
During the First World War Gunn became active in welfare work for Australian servicemen overseas. At the end of the conflict she began campaigning for the welfare of returned servicemen, liaising with government departments and becoming a patron of the Monbulk RSL
, attending every event they organised over two decades. Although she never completed another novel, she did publish further stories about the characters from her previous works. In 1939 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
for her writing and advocacy work.
Jeannie Gunn died at Hawthorn
, in 1961. The memoirs of her work with the RSL, My Boys: A book of remembrance, was published in 2000.
New Literary History of Australia.
In 1991 Elsey Land Claim No 132 was lodged by the Northern Land Council
covering all of the old Elsey cattle station, an area of 2062 square miles (5,340.6 km²). Judge Peter Gray, Aboriginal Land Commissioner, submitted his report on the Elsey claim to the Aboriginal Affairs Minister
, John Herron
, on 28 November 1997 and a copy to the Administrator of the Northern Territory
. Justice Gray's report referenced Gunn's work in trying to establish who were genuine traditional owners of the land under question, and who were not.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(pen name, Mrs Aeneas Gunn) (5 June 1870–9 June 1961) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n novelist, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and Returned and Services League of Australia
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
(RSL) volunteer.
Life
Jeannie Gunn was born in CarltonCarlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, the last of five children of Thomas Johnstone Taylor, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister who went into business and later worked on the Melbourne Argus. Matriculating through Melbourne University after being educated at home, Gunn ran a school with her sisters between 1889 and 1896, after which she worked as a visiting teacher. In 1901 she married the explorer, pastoralist and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
Aeneas James Gunn in the Presbyterian Church. Together they travelled to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
(then called Palmerston) and then onto an outlying station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
at Mataranka
Mataranka, Northern Territory
Mataranka is a community of about 400, in the Top End region of Australia's Northern Territory. The town is located about 420 km southeast of the territorial capital, Darwin, and 107 km south of Katherine. At the 2001 census, Mataranka had a population of 461.The town is located near...
. Her husband died early in 1903 and Gunn returned to live in Melbourne.
In Melbourne, at the encouragement of friends, Jeannie Gunn began writing the books for which she would become famous. The Little Black Princess: a True Tale of life in the Never-Never Land, published in 1905 and revised in 1909, chronicled the childhood of an Indigenous Australian protagonist named Bett-Bett. Gunn's second book, We of the Never Never
We of the Never Never
We of the Never Never is an autobiographical novel by Jeannie Gunn. Although published as a novel, it is an account of the author's experiences in 1902 at Elsey Station near Mataranka, Northern Territory in which she changed the names of people to obscure their identities. She published this book...
(1908), was styled as a novel but was actually a recounting of her time in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
with only the names of people changed to obscure their identities. We of the Never Never sold more than 300,000 copies over thirty years, was translated into German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in the 1920s, and by 1931 its author was voted the third most popular Australian novelist after Marcus Clarke
Marcus Clarke
Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke was an Australian novelist and poet, best known for his novel For the Term of his Natural Life.- Biography :...
and Rolf Boldrewood in a poll by The Herald
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
(Melbourne). By 1990 over a million copies of the book had been sold.
During the First World War Gunn became active in welfare work for Australian servicemen overseas. At the end of the conflict she began campaigning for the welfare of returned servicemen, liaising with government departments and becoming a patron of the Monbulk RSL
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
, attending every event they organised over two decades. Although she never completed another novel, she did publish further stories about the characters from her previous works. In 1939 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for her writing and advocacy work.
Jeannie Gunn died at Hawthorn
Hawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
, in 1961. The memoirs of her work with the RSL, My Boys: A book of remembrance, was published in 2000.
Significance of works
We of the Never Never is regarded as being significant as a precursor of the 1930s landscape writers. Already in 1908 Australia was a significantly urbanised country and the book was seen to provide symbols of things that made Australia different from anywhere else, underwriting an Australian legend of life and achievement in the outback, where "men and a few women still lived heroic lives in rhythm with the gallop of a horse" in "forbidding faraway places". In 1988 the book was referred to as a "minor masterpiece of Australian letters" by Penguin'sPenguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
New Literary History of Australia.
In 1991 Elsey Land Claim No 132 was lodged by the Northern Land Council
Northern Land Council
The Northern Land Council is in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. It has its origins in the struggle of Australian Aboriginal people for rights to fair wages and land. This included the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill, cattle station in 1966. The head...
covering all of the old Elsey cattle station, an area of 2062 square miles (5,340.6 km²). Judge Peter Gray, Aboriginal Land Commissioner, submitted his report on the Elsey claim to the Aboriginal Affairs Minister
Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Family, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has been Jenny Macklin since December 2007.-Portfolio:...
, John Herron
John Herron (Australian politician)
Dr. John Joseph Herron , Australian politician, ambassador and surgeon, was a Liberal member of the Australian Senate from 1 July 1990 to 5 September 2002, representing Queensland. From 2002 to 2006 he was the Australian Ambassador to Ireland and the Holy See.Dr...
, on 28 November 1997 and a copy to the Administrator of the Northern Territory
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
. Justice Gray's report referenced Gunn's work in trying to establish who were genuine traditional owners of the land under question, and who were not.