Paterson, Banjo

Banjo Paterson, original name Andrew Barton Paterson, (born February 17, 1864, Narrambla, New South Wales, Australia—died February 5, 1941, Sydney), Australian poet and journalist noted for his composition of the internationally famous song “Waltzing Matilda.” He achieved great popular success in Australia with The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses (1895), which sold more than 100,000 copies before his death, and Rio Grande’s Last Race and Other Verses (1902), which also went through many editions.

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Educated as a lawyer, Paterson practiced in Sydney until 1900 and then became a journalist, covering the South African (Boer) War and traveling on assignment to China and the Philippines. He became editor of the Sydney Evening News in 1904 but left this post two years later to edit the Sydney Town and Country Journal. He later took up ranching; but when World War I broke out, he traveled to Europe for the Sydney Morning Herald and later served with the armed forces in France and Egypt. After the war, he spent the rest of his life as a journalist. In 1905 Paterson published a collection of popular Australian songs, The Old Bush Songs: Composed and Sung in the Bushranging, and he also published Digging and Overlanding Days, another success. The famous “Waltzing Matilda” appeared in 1917 as part of a collection of verses entitled Saltbush Bill, J.P., and Other Verses. He also wrote a volume of verse for children (The Animals Noah Forgot, 1933) and some short stories.