William Henry Ogilvie

William Henry Ogilvie
William Henry Ogilvie
Born	Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age; Holefield near Kelso, Scotland
Died	30 January 1963 (aged 93)
Other names	Glenrowan, Swingle-Bar, Will Ogilvie
Occupation(s)	Poet, horseman, jackaroo, drover
Known for	Australian bush poetry, narrative verse

William Henry Ogilvie (21 August 1869 – 30 January 1963) was a Scottish-Australian poet renowned for his narrative verse, as well as a skilled horseman, jackaroo, and drover. Distinguished by his reserved nature and unique appearance, he was also known by the pen names 'Glenrowan' and 'Swingle-Bar', and commonly referred to as Will Ogilvie. Alongside Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, he stood as a prominent figure among Australian bush poets.

His 1896 publication, Fair girls and gray horses, was widely esteemed, considered second only to Paterson's 1895 classic The Man from Snowy River. In a 1914 public poll ranking Australia's foremost poets, Ogilvie placed seventh among the top twelve. Recognized as an eminent bush balladeer of the Outback, he composed over 1,100 poems, including well-known works such as A Scotch night, The Australian, Summer country, Kings of the earth, and Whaup o' the rede.

Personal life

Born on 21 August 1869 at Holefield near Kelso in the Borders region of Scotland, William Henry Ogilvie was the second child in a family of eight to George Ogilvie and Agnes Christie. His father managed farms on the Buccleuch Estates, while his mother, a talented pianist, was an orphan of the Indian Mutiny. Among his siblings, William was the only one to marry.

Ogilvie received a brief education at Kelso High School before tutoring in Yorkshire. Subsequently, he attended Fettes College, Edinburgh, where he distinguished himself in athletics such as running and rugby.

At twenty years old, Ogilvie journeyed from Scotland to Australia aboard the SS Arcadia, arriving in Sydney in November 1889. He gained experience working on sheep stations throughout New South Wales and South Australia, earning a reputation as both an accomplished horseman and bush poet.

After spending eleven years in Australia, he returned to England in 1901 on the SS Persic and settled in Edinburgh to pursue freelance journalism. Between 1905 and 1908, he held the position of professor of agricultural journalism at Iowa State University, USA; however, he found American ranch life less appealing compared to Australian properties.

In 1908 Ogilvie returned to Scotland and married Katharine Margaret 'Madge' Scott Anderson (1879–1965), who was descended from explorer Dr Alexander Anderson. The couple had two children while residing at 'Brundenlaws' in Bowden.

Australia continued to hold great importance for Ogilvie throughout his life. This connection was reflected in his treasured stockwhip crafted by Alexander Patton and his hospitality featuring traditional damper bread. The stockwhip is now preserved at the Cobb & Co. Museum in Toowoomba, Australia.

During the First World War, Ogilvie remained in Britain where he managed Canadian horses for military deployment within the Army Remount Service based in Wiltshire. Similarly, Australian poet Banjo Paterson served with the Australian Remount Service during this period.

In 1918 he leased and subsequently purchased 'Kirklea', a Presbyterian manse located at Ashkirk, Selkirkshire. At seventy-one years old during World War II, he took on duties as an Air Raid Precautions warden in Selkirk. Ogilvie lived at Kirklea until his passing in 1963; Madge survived him until 1965. His ashes were scattered near Roberton accompanied by Australian wattle leaves.

His son George authored a biography titled Balladist of Borders & Bush published in 1994.

Influences

Ogilvie openly credited the Australian poet Adam Lindsay Gordon (1833–1870) as a significant inspiration:

Our Lindsay Gordon! From the northernmost cape

To Otway’s shadowed land he’s cherished and known.

The branches that shade and dust that drape

His horse and rider—aren’t they ours alone?

Each bronzed, sunburnt bushman in the east,

And every miner in the western veins,

Has learned at least one lilting line at least,

And treasured it for the heart beneath the strains.

He was linked to the Whyte-Melville tradition, named after Scottish novelist George Whyte-Melville (1821–1878), reflected in poems such as Galloping shoes (1922) and Scattered scarlet (1923).

Ogilvie’s poetic style, romantic and lyrical with a ballad-like rhythm, vividly portrayed life and characters from the Australian Outback. He also explored English and Scottish subjects extensively, often publishing early works in Australia under pseudonyms like 'Glenrowan' and 'Swingle-Bar'. The name 'Glenrowan' likely alludes to Glenrowan, Victoria, a town he passed while traveling to Gunningbland station in 1894. 'Swinglebar' refers to a wooden bar placed between draught horses and wagons. Additional pen names included 'Free Lance', 'Fourth Mate', and 'Freebooter' during his time in Scotland.

Events in eastern Australia during the late 19th century influenced Ogilvie’s poetry, reflecting social and economic challenges:

The 1891 Australian shearers' strike, with continuing unrest through 1894 on stations such as Belalie where Ogilvie was employed
The Australian banking crisis of 1893, which rendered banknotes from failed banks worthless
The Federation Drought (1896–1902), causing destocking on properties like Belalie by 1899

He poignantly depicted the severity of drought in poems including The outlaw, The pack horse, The team bullock, and notably Back o' Bourke.

By 1898, Australia's bush poets each represented different facets of life: Lawson embodied the swagman, Dyson the miner, Daley the literary figure, Paterson the humorist, and Ogilvie the horseman. That year Victor Daley was recognized as Ogilvie’s sole living competitor.

His close associate Harry 'Breaker' Morant also penned horse-themed verse. Ogilvie drew inspiration from poets such as John Greenleaf Whittier (Memory town), Rudyard Kipling (Black sheep), Henry Lawson, Robert Burns, Robert Browning, James Hogg, and John Keats. In A song of the poets, he mentions Robert Bridges, Abercrombie, Davies, W. B. Yeats, Noyes, Watson, Henry Newbolt, and John Masefield.

Ogilvie’s enthusiasm for the Australian Outback, dogs, and horses is evident in works like My Life in the Open, Kelpies, and The Australian. His focus on equestrian themes earned both admiration and parody:

For endless days and weeks we've heard Adam Lindsay Gordon. 'Banjo' Paterson, Will Ogilvie, Harry Morant and others recited... verses dedicated to Horse!

A posthumous anthology titled Saddle for a throne (1952), dedicated to comrades of camp-fire and muster life, features a foreword by R. M. Williams who assisted in publishing Ogilvie’s writings. Alongside Adam Lindsay Gordon and R. B. Cunninghame Graham, he is regarded as part of a celebrated 'triumvirate of horsemen poets'.

Ogilvie also created tributes honoring soldiers such as The Australian: The bravest thing God ever made!, which was set to music by 1918. During World War I he contributed poetry to London’s Punch magazine; his poem The Australian was reprinted during World War II—the only piece ever republished by that publication.

Themes involving women frequently appeared in his poetry (e.g., His Gippsland girl), although his affection for them was often compared to his love for horses.

By the 1920s he was counted among 'sun-browned muses' who preferred structured metre over free verse:

I assert that my old friends the Bush poets are exactly what the Empire requires – workers, sportsmen, fighters... whereas pale-faced free verse writers should be taken out and drowned!

He occasionally reused or altered titles of his poems—for instance:

Adam Lindsay Gordon
- 'Ah! sad, proud Gordon! Crossing swords with Care...' (from Hearts of gold, 1903)
- 'Our Lindsay Gordon! From the north-most cape...' (1919 newspaper)
- 'Two things stand like stone... Courage and Kindness.' (from Galloping shoes, 1922)
Australia
- 'I have gathered verse-gold from her glory...' (1899 newspaper)
- 'She has hidden each footprint of mine.' (1932 collection)
- 'Arrayed against the Triple Powers.' (1946)

As late as 1950 Ogilvie remained celebrated as 'one of Australia's greatest and most beloved poets' and among the final eminent poets of his generation.

His influence extended to individuals such as Australian architect Mary Turner Shaw (1906–1990), inspired by his depictions of stock movements across the Outback; and artist Hugh Sawrey (1919–1999), who drew upon Paterson’s and Ogilvie’s shared passion for horses and droving culture.

Australian period

Following his education, Ogilvie was dispatched to Australia in 1889 by his father as a form of practical experience, returning to Scotland after spending ten years there. During this time, he honed his skills as a station hand, drover, and horse breaker across multiple pastoral properties, including:

'Belalie', located north of Enngonia along the Warrego River in north-west New South Wales (beginning in 1891 for approximately two and a half years);
'Maaoupe', near Penola in South Australia, where he served as overseer (1893);
'Gunningbland', close to Parkes, New South Wales (1894);
'Nelungaloo' and 'Genangie', both near Parkes; and
'Brindinyabba', situated near Belalie between Enngonia and Hungerford (circa 1900).

A letter introducing him to the family of Robert Scott led Ogilvie to Belalie station, where he found inspiration for his poem Fair girls and gray horses. This work was influenced by Scott’s daughter Lynette and a grey horse he acquired locally. The poem’s initial conception occurred along the stock route between Forbes and Bogan Gate before being polished at Maaoupe station. It was later revealed that the horse had been stolen from the pioneering Durack family.

Ogilvie fondly reminisced about Belalie station in several poems such as Back to the border, Comrades, and After the horses, making reference to Belalie’s distinctive "R-S-bar" cattle brand.

At Maaoupe station, owned by Dr James Dickson’s family in South Australia, Ogilvie held the position of overseer and contributed poetry under the pseudonym 'Glenrowan' to The Border Watch. His works included pieces like A draft from Tringadee and Unsung heroes. Subsequently, he journeyed overland back towards the Bourke and Forbes regions, undertaking roles as drover, horse-breaker, rouseabout, and gentleman.

In 1894, Ogilvie worked as a roustabout at Gunningbland station near Parkes. He also spent time at Nelungaloo and Genangie stations, where he formed a friendship with Harry 'Breaker' Morant. After Morant suffered an accident, Ogilvie composed Ode to 'The Breaker' in bandages. Their mutual acquaintance Gordon Tidy was editor of the Western Champion. Following Morant’s execution during the Second Boer War in 1902, Ogilvie wrote several commemorative poems including one titled Harry Morant.

His 1897 poem For the honor of Old England and the glory of the game depicted an actual polo match near Parkes featuring both Morant and himself—distinct from Banjo Paterson’s earlier work on polo.

One of Ogilvie’s final Australian assignments was at Brindinyabba near Belalie. Around 1900, he expressed early environmental concerns by condemning the clearing of mulga trees amid the Federation Drought.

While Ogilvie composed poems about bushranger Ben Hall such as Ben Hall's stirrup irons, authorship of The death of Ben Hall remains contested.

His collection Fair girls and gray horses, assembled from five years’ worth of Australian newspaper publications, was released by The Bulletin in November 1898. It received high praise as "the most charming book of Australian verse" and saw four reprints by 1901 due to strong demand. Different editions varied in poem selection and included photographs of Ogilvie.

Scottish-Australian booksellers Angus & Robertson actively supported bush ballad poets like Ogilvie. Their Scottish roots influenced their publishing choices and promotion of Australian poetry as a reflection of cultural identity, an approach encouraged by Rudyard Kipling. Ogilvie became one of their authors.

Although some critics accused him of idealizing outback life—often contrasting his style with Henry Lawson’s grittier realism—his poetry captured the essence of horsemen and rural existence with an appealing charm appreciated by many readers.

His well-known poem A Scotch night, initially published in The Bulletin, was once pirated in Scotland but vigorously defended by Ogilvie. Despite its popularity, he preferred recognition for his more serious literary contributions.

Several of his poems were adapted into songs, including Bells along Macquarie (1901) and The barefoot maid, which featured music composed by Donald Crichton. In 1900, Sydney composer George Ernest Vincent won a ten guinea prize for setting Ogilvie’s poem Hearts of gold to music.

It remains uncertain whether Ogilvie’s poem At the back o' Bourke popularized the phrase "back of Bourke" or if it was already widely used.

By January 1901, as he prepared to return to Scotland after eleven years abroad, Ogilvie had established himself not merely as a colonial visitor but as a recognized Australian poet. His farewell bohemian banquet at Sydney’s Hotel Australia was hosted by poets Louise Mack and Victor Daley, with notable attendees including Banjo Paterson and Roderic Quinn.

Scottish period

Following his return from Australia in 1901 aboard the SS Persic, and later in 1908 after spending two years in the United States, Ogilvie established himself near the border between Scotland and England, earning recognition as a 'Border poet'. In 1908, he wrote Whaup o' the rede, a lengthy poem that echoes the style of Sir Walter Scott. His profound attachment to this region is reflected in pieces such as Bowmont Water, far away, composed during his time in Australia, and 1909’s The land we love, which includes the lines:

When all sounds else are silent.

when all songs else depart,

The brown burns of the Border

Shall sing within my heart.

Ogilvie also crafted delicate lullabies and songs for children. His daily writing habit began with jotting down a couplet inspired by recent reflections, preferring handwritten verses over typed drafts. Remembered locally as a relaxed bushman, he was known to hand over crumpled manuscripts and invite newspaper staff for a drink before returning to his poetry. His fascination with horses persisted, evident in works such as Galloping shoes, Over the grass, and Handful of leather.

A number of his poems were transformed into songs, including Ettrick, which became a staple at the Selkirk common riding festivities. In 1935, Ogilvie played an active role on the Selkirk Pageant committee, contributing both its prologue and epilogue.

His Border-themed poetry vividly depicted rural existence. Beyond literature, he shared expert insights on sheep and sheep dog breeding through opinion articles published in Australian outlets. This practical knowledge is exemplified by To a champion dead, a tribute to 'Old Kep', a celebrated champion Scotch collie. Ogilvie maintained correspondence with Tony Parsons, a noted authority on the Australian kelpie breed. Photographs from later years frequently show him accompanied by one of his dogs.

By 1961, Ogilvie had produced sixteen poetry collections, two comprehensive anthologies, and contributed extensively to magazines. Since his passing, previously unknown poems have been uncovered through archival research and personal letters.

His most frequently recited works include A Scotch night, Bowmont Water, Ho for the blades of Harden, The barefoot maid, The comfort of the Hills, The land we love, The Raiders, and The road to Roberton.

Similar names

During Will H. Ogilvie's lifetime, another poet and Edinburgh-based architect named William Ogilvie (1891–1939) published collections such as The witch and other verses (1923) and My mither's aunt and other verses (1926) through Porpoise Press in Edinburgh. His poetic style and language are notably different from those of Will H. Ogilvie.

Will H. Ogilvie is also distinct from Trooper William Hedley Blair Ogilvie (1880–1901) of Parkside, South Australia, who perished during the Second Boer War. Occasional clerical mistakes have led to confusion between these individuals’ identities.

Legacy

'Poets Trek', an event held each September for over two decades in Bourke, New South Wales as part of the Festival of a Thousand Stories, offers a two-day literary journey across mulga plains once explored by Lawson, Morant, Ogilvie, and Paterson.

Several of Ogilvie's poems were set to music while he was still alive; among these is Graham Peel’s 1920 composition 'The challenge'. Slim Dusty’s 1980 album The man who steadies the lead features two settings of Ogilvie’s poetry. In 2005, bush poet Gary Fogarty released The Tartan Saddlecloth, which includes thirteen musical adaptations of Ogilvie’s verses. Additionally, Scotland’s Hawick-based folk group Scocha and its successor Harden Blades have incorporated his poetry into their musical repertoire.

In 1959, Hazel de Berg recorded sixteen of Ogilvie’s poems recited by the poet himself; these audio recordings are preserved by the National Library of Australia.

A portrait painted by Mary Lindsay-Oliver depicting Will Ogilvie is housed at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery; it was donated by Madge Ogilvie following her husband's death in 1963. The Lionel Lindsay Gallery and Library’s Bolton Reading Room holds several of Ogilvie’s published works. This gallery and library were established in 1959 by philanthropist William Robert Fossey Bolton MBE (1905–1973), an admirer of Australian pioneering spirit who corresponded with Ogilvie.

Ogilvie’s stockwhip and related memorabilia are part of Bolton’s collection at the Cobb & Co Museum, which also exhibits horse-drawn wagons and stagecoaches.

A memorial committee formed in Scotland in 1991 actively promotes Ogilvie’s heritage. The Will H. Ogilvie Memorial Trust coordinated extensive commemorative activities for his 150th birthday anniversary in 2019.

On 20 July 2019, 'Will H. Ogilvie Way' was officially opened along the B6352 road near Kelso in the Scottish Borders; this route leads to Holefield Farm, where he was born.

Additional resources concerning Ogilvie’s life are preserved within:

The Geoffrey Cains Collection of Australian manuscripts (MS 15500) at the State Library of Victoria—acquired in 2014 after many years of private collection; and
The John Meredith Papers at the National Library of Australia. Meredith (1920–2001), author of Breaker's mate: Will Ogilvie in Australia (1996), provided critical commentary on Ogilvie’s oeuvre including analysis of the unpublished manuscript 'Scottish jackaroo'.

Cairns

In 1993, a cairn honoring poet Will H. Ogilvie was established between the villages of Ashkirk and Roberton in Scotland (GPS ), complemented by further tributes in Australia. This cairn included a bronze sculpture of an open book created by Hawick artist Bill Landles. The monument was unveiled in August 1993; however, the bronze was stolen for scrap metal in 2016 and has not been recovered since. Although the original casting mould was lost, a 3D scan from a matching Australian cairn facilitated the creation of a smaller replacement bronze, which was unveiled on 17 August 2019 in Harden (GPS ).

Additional significant cairns are located at:

Bourke, New South Wales, featuring an exact replica of Landles' bronze at Poets' Corner in Central Park on Mitchell Street (GPS );
Kelso, Scottish Borders, where the Will H. Ogilvie Stone stands opposite Holefield Farm at Lempitlaw, unveiled in July 2019;
Longreach, Queensland, situated within the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame;
Penola, South Australia, a National Trust roadside cairn near the former Maaoupe station, initially unveiled in 1995 and later moved beside the CFA shed to ensure visitor safety (GPS ).

A bust of Ogilvie sculpted by Judith Rolevink was revealed on 2 December 2018 as part of Penola’s Poet's Corner alongside John Shaw Neilson and close to his inspiration Adam Lindsay Gordon. Penola also features a commemorative footpath plaque dedicated to Ogilvie.

Poetry collections

Fair Girls and Gray Horses: With Other Verses (1898) comprises 170 pages with three illustrations by G. W. Lambert, published by The Bulletin Newspaper and later reissued by Angus & Robertson. The editions vary between 74, 85, and 99 poems. This work is dedicated to Hugh Gordon (1857–1910) of Adavale Station, Parkes, New South Wales.
Hearts of gold, and other verses (1903) contains 176 pages; initially printed in a run of 3000 copies by The Bulletin Newspaper. Illustrators include Howard Ashton, G. W. Lambert, among others. The 1913 edition from Angus & Robertson featured 84 poems and omitted illustrations; a later expanded edition in 1930 adjusted the poem count to 79.
Rainbows and witches (1907), published by Elkin Matthews in London, includes 40 poems across 88 pages; it saw its fourth reprint in 1911.
Whaup o' the rede (1909), a seven-part ballad spanning 118 pages, was published by Thomas Fraser in Dalbeattie, Scotland; it was reissued in 2019 to mark the 150th anniversary.
The land we love (1910) features 76 poems over 157 pages, also published by Thomas Fraser in Dalbeattie; a second edition appeared in 1913.
The overlander, and other verses (1913) comprises 45 poems across 127 pages, published by Fraser, Asher and Company Limited in Glasgow.
Fair girls (1914) includes 43 poems over 136 pages, published by Angus & Robertson. Alongside Gray horses (1914), these form volumes one and two of the principal work Fair girls and gray horses.
Gray horses (1914) contains 53 poems with pagination continuing from Fair girls.
The Australian and Other Verses (1916) presents 81 poems illustrated by Hal Gye, issued by Angus & Robertson in two sizes; it was reprinted in 1982 and republished as a WWI trench edition by HarperCollins Australia in 2018.
Galloping shoes: Hunting and polo poems (1922) holds 46 poems with artwork by Lionel Edwards, published by Constable and Co. Limited, London.
Scattered scarlet (1923), containing 40 poems over 83 pages with Lionel Edwards’ illustrations; published by Constable and Co., London.
Over the grass (1925) encompasses 43 poems with five color illustrations by Lionel Edwards across 82 pages; Constable and Co., London.
A handful of leather (1928), featuring 40 poems over 96 pages with Lionel Edwards' artwork; published by Constable and Co., London.
A clean wind blowing : Songs of the out-of-doors (1930), containing 68 poems illustrated by John Morton Sale; Constable and Co., London.
The collected sporting verse of Will H. Ogilvie (1932), includes 181 poems spanning 396 pages with thirty-two color illustrations by Lionel Edwards; released by Constable and Co., London. This volume comprises selections from prior anthologies along with sixteen previously unpublished poems.
Saddles again (1937) features 53 poems accompanied by plates from American equestrian artist Olive Whitmore; published by Duckworth, London.
From sunset to dawn (1946), consisting of 78 poems over 100 pages; issued by Angus & Robertson.
Saddle for a throne (1952) contains 206 poems within 332 pages; published by R. M. Williams, Adelaide. A second expanded edition was printed in 1982.
The Border poems of Will H. Ogilvie (1959), spans 77 pages; produced by John Murray Hood, Hawick, Scotland. It was reprinted in 1992 including two additional poems.

Posthumous compilations:

Balladist of Borders & Bush (1994), comprising 42 poems included within a biography authored by Ogilvie’s son.
The Hill Road to Roberton (2009), presenting 60 poems over 96 pages; produced under the auspices of the Memorial Trust.
Bits of fun (2013), containing 59 poems across 104 pages; assembled following discovery of a long-lost workbook, produced by the Memorial Trust.
Belalie and beyond (2021), an extensive collection featuring 275 poems across 393 pages; compiled by the Memorial Trust.

Collections of Short Stories

My Life in the Open (1908) comprises 30 short tales exploring themes such as 'In the Australian Bush' and 'On the Scottish Border'; it spans 303 pages and was released by T. Fisher Unwin, London
The Honour of the Station (1914) is a paperback featuring 22 short stories across 122 pages, published by Holding and Hardingham, London, as part of their 'sixpenny novels' series
Horse Laughter (1938), co-edited alongside George Denholm Armour, contains 87 pages with illustrations by Armour, published by Duckworth, London; this volume gathers true humorous anecdotes related to horses

Frequent Poetic Subjects

Australiana

Abandoned Selections
The Bush, My Lover
From the Gulf, portraying droving routes in northern Queensland
Queensland Opal, celebrating the distinctive boulder opal found in the state

Dogs

A Champion Runs
Kelpies
Old Kep, focusing on the Australian kelpie breed
Tweed, depicting an Australian kelpie variant known as barb

Droving

"From the Gulf" (1895)

Horses

How the Fire Queen Crossed the Swamp
"How We Won the Ribbon" (1898)
Kings of the Earth
The Nearside Leader
"Off the Grass" (1897)
An 'Orsetralian Alphabet
Out of the Chains
Saddles Again, referencing horses 'Gato' and 'Mancha', owned by friend and admirer Aimé Félix Tschiffely, who journeyed from Buenos Aires to Washington, D.C.

Scottish Themes

Bowmont Water, Far Away, conveying a longing for Scotland while residing in Australia
The Land We Love
The Scotch Fir
A Scotch Night
Whaup o' the Rede (1908), a ballad recounting Border raiders

Shearing

"Northward to the Sheds" (1895)

War and Soldiers

The Real Mackays! (1898), concerning military units led by Australian colonel Kenneth Mackay (1859–1935)
Your Chance, Mackays! (1899)
The Australian (1916), inspired by a British officer’s perspective on ANZAC troops
"Canadians" (1917)
"Queenslanders" (1917)

Women

Fair Girls and Gray Horses
My Gippsland Girl

External links

Entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography
Person profile at the National Library of Australia
Old master singer -- The poems of Will Ogilvie, featured in Westerly, Journal of the Arts Union of the University of Western Australia, Issue 1, 1961: [1]
Official website of the Will H Ogilvie Memorial Trust (Scottish Registered Charity No. SC044713)