Henry Hamilton Blackham


Henry Hamilton Blackham was an Irish–Australian writer, poet and pioneer.

Biography

Blackham was born in Newry, Northern Ireland on 14 January 1817. In 1840, along with his parents Richard and Sarah and his five younger siblings, he emigrated to Australia. Travelling on board the 'Birman' for 108 days they arrived in Port Adelaide. They settled in the One Tree Hill area of South Australia and purchased land for farming which they called Trevilla. In 1851 Blackham married Elizabeth Kathleen Lynch, they had five children and were both involved in building a local church and schoolhouse. Blackham was the uncle of Australian cricketer Jack Blackham.

Writings

Blackham's poems were frequently featured in newspapers, magazines and anthologies of Australian poetry. His poetry featured various themes including homesickness, nature and travel. In the poem 'Forsaken Homes and Graves' Blackham describes his thoughts while walking through the Australian countryside. It was published in "Australian Ballads and Rhymes".
:These mountains wilds that rest so still,

Blackham wrote a popular novella set during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 called "Reminiscences of Father Looney" which was serialised in the South Australian magazine from 1841 to 1842.
In 1932 Blackham's cousin Aodh de Blácam published a collection of his poems called 'Bard of Clanrye', this publication was financed by another of Blackham's cousins Robert J. Blackham. One poem featured in 'Bard of Clanrye' called 'Homeland' expresses Blackham's feelings of being so far away from the land he grew up in.
:The autumn sunshine golden lay

Death

Blackham died on 2 February 1900 and is buried in the cemetery at the One Tree Hill Wesleyan Church.