Sheet Music - W.E. Naunton & H.J.W. Gyles, 'White Australia', 1910

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Sheet Music - W.E. Naunton and H.J.W. Gyles, 'White Australia', 1910

Summary:: Sheet music for the 'White Australia' song, composed by W.E. Naunton with words by Naunton and H.J.W. Gyles, and performed at the Australian Natives' Association National Fete, 31 January 1910. The song consists of three verses and a chorus. Motifs on the sheet music include a white map of Australia. Naunton was a prolific composer who wrote music for many songs relating to Australian nationalism and other subjects. Naunton's College of Music was located at 145 Collins Steet, Melbourne.The sheet music was published by A.M. Dinsdale,105-107 Bourke Street, Melbourne.

This music is an unusual and evocative example of the popular promotion of the White Australia sentiment which dominated Australian immigration policy after Federation and which was promoted by organisations such as the Australian Natives' Association. The Australian Natives' Association was a Friendly Society which provided benefits to its Australian-born members. It was a staunch supporter of trade protection and immigration restriction, and Prime Minister Alfred Deakin was a member.
Description:: Six-page sheet music, with central spine fold and one loose central page. Cream paper with illustrated front cover in primarily blue, red and yellow. Includes Commonwealth of Australia coat of arms with words 'ADVANCE AUSTRALIA ANA' underneath; white map of Australia with song chorus; and images of Sir T. Gibson-Carmichael, K.C.B, State Governor of Victoria, His Excellency the Earl of Dudley, Governor-General of the Commonwealth and W.E.Naunton the composer.

Inside pages contain music and lyrics for 'White Australia'. Rear cover features advertisement for 'the Keyboard System of Music' by W.E. Naunton.

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	360 mm (Height), 260 mm (Width)

More information

Tagged with:	white australia policy
Themes this item is part of:	Australian Natives Association (ANA), Melbourne, Victoria, Cultural Diversity Collection, Migration Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection, Getting In, Immigration Museum Exhibition, 2003-2015
Primary Classification:	POLITICS & PUBLIC PROTEST
Secondary Classification:	Nationalism
Tertiary Classification:	music
Inscriptions:	Printed on front cover: 'THE GREAT NATIONAL POLICY SONG / WHITE AUSTRALIA / ADVANCE AUSTRALIA / ANA. / Australia! Australia! / Sunny south of Old Britannia's sons, / Australia, the white man's land, / Defended by the white man's guns, / Australia! Australia! / For Anglo Saxon race and Southern Cross, / God bless and help us to protect / Our glorious land Australia. / AUSTRALIA THE WHITE MAN'S LAND / Dedicated by the / composer / to / THE AUSTRALIAN NATION / FEATURED and SUNG AT THE A.N.A. NATIONAL FETE, JANUARY 31st 1910, / SIR THOMAS GIBSON - CARMICHAEL, Bart., K.C.M.G. / THE NATIONAL SONG / MUSIC BY W.E. NAUNTON / WORDS BY / THE COMPOSER & H.J.W. GYLES / NAUNTON / MELB. / COLLEGE. / W.E. NAUNTON / Published for the Composer by / A. M. DINSDALE, / 105 - 107 BOURKE ST. MELBOURNE / This Song is published in the Keyboard System of Music invented by - W.E. NAUNTON, and obtainable at 145 Collins St. Melb.' Reverse printed in blue ink: 'A GREAT AND SUCCESSFUL AUSTRALIAN / MUSICAL INVENTION / Naunton College of Music, / 145 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE / Established 1904' Extensive text follows.
Composer:	W. Naunton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1910
Composer:	H. Gyles, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1910
Issued By:	Australian Natives' Association (ANA), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1910

Comments

Jenny Gilard Posted on 27 Mar 2012 7:07 PM

That is Sooooooooooooooo racist you guys should be ashamed of your selfs! God what a selfish idiots.... You know what? if it wasn't for Asia and America especially China, you guys would have lived harder! you guys cant do much a lot without others around the world, you guys are not in charge! also you guys are one of the weakest countries! just live like others, I bet no other countries wrote this kind of crap! WTF.... I think you guys should be embarrassed by uploading this....

Discovery Centre Posted on 28 Mar 2012 10:54 AM

Hi Jenny, thanks for your response to this item in the Museum’s collection. Unfortunately the offence caused in terms of the Museum’s own position is perhaps misplaced. Museum Victoria develops collections which reflect the diversity of Australia’s history – which must include both positive and negative aspects of our past. Objects such as this White Australia sheet music demonstrates the racism which has existed in Australian society over time and enables the Museum to explore these issues in exhibitions at the Immigration Museum such as Getting In: Australia’s Immigration Policies Past and Present (in which this object is displayed) and Identity: yours, mine, ours where racism is tackled as a major theme. Please refer to the exhibition website to see other examples of how Museum collections can be used to discuss challenging topics, and without which, our representations of the past would be sanitised and incomplete.