eHive Object Details

Name/Title Adam Lindsay Gordon: Brighton General Cemetery, Melbourne, c.1930

About this objectPhotograph of memorial built over the remains of Adam Lindsay Gordon, poet and gentleman steeplechase rider, located at Brighton Cemetery, Caulfield South.

The memorial takes the form of a bluestone stepped square pedestal topped with a bluestone broken Doric column. A white stone wreath decorates the top of the column. White stone inserts on the faces of the pedestal are etched with details of his death, and the names of his poems.

THE POET GORDON (on face on right)
Died June 24 1870
Aged 37 Years.

SEA SPRAY and SMOKE DRIFT (on face on left)

The poet's grave became a popular pilgrimage site, thousands would gather annually, and a number of societies were formed devoted to his memory. Two free-standing commemoration plaques are at the base of the monument, possibly placed there at either the 50th or 60th anniversary of Gordon's death. The dark circular one, on the left, has been placed by members of the Australian Natives Association. The ANA was instrumental in organising the gatherings. The framed plaque on the right shows a picture of Gordon surrounded by a green wreath. This could be an image of the wreath brought from England and donated by his "first love".

Bushes and plants surround the monument, and other graves can be seen in the background. Wattle was known to be Gordon's favourite flower and wattle trees were planted around his grave by his followers according to newspaper reports. A trefoil shaped grave marker with the number 20 can be seen in the foreground.

Gordon was living in Brighton when he committed suicide by shooting himself at the nearby beach.

One of the many glass slides purchased from retailers or specifically made for illustrated lectures given by Isaac Selby between c. 1930 and c. 1955 to raise money for the Old Pioneers Memorial Fund. He numbered this slide 26.

For more information about this image contact Royal Historical Society of Victoria.

MakerT.W. Cameron (Firm)

Maker RoleSlide Maker

Measurements8.2 x 8.2 cm

Period1930-1940

Object TypePhotograph

Subject and Association KeywordsSelby, Isaac, 1859-1956

Subject and Association KeywordsMonuments and memorials

Subject and Association KeywordsGordon, Adam Lindsay, 1833-1870.

Subject and Association KeywordsBrighton General Cemetery

Subject and Association KeywordsAustralian Natives' Association (ANA)

Subject and Association KeywordsBrighton (Vic.)

Named CollectionImages collection

Object numberGS-TM-04

Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved