John Shaw Neilson: A biography

John Shaw Neilson (1872-1942) was a major Australian poet. Neilson’s poetry appeared in a range of magazines and newspapers, including The Australasian, The Bookfellow, The Bulletin, The Weekly Times, and The Worker. During his lifetime, five books of his poetry were published. A. G. Stephens, the prominent literary critic and publisher, declared that “Neilson … is entitled to be called one of the foremost Australian writers in verse, and more, since his best verse is poetry of a quality fine and rare”.[1]

Early life
John Shaw Neilson, known as “Jock” to friends and family, was born in Penola, South Australia, on 22 February 1872. His parents were John Neilson (born in Scotland), who was a farmer, and Margaret Neilson (née McKinnon, born in Victoria). His father, born in 1844, came out to Australia in 1853 with his stepfather, John Shaw, and his mother, Jessie Shaw (born Jessie MacFarlane, who had previously been married to William Neilson, with whom she had two children). John Shaw Neilson was named after his step-grandfather (John Shaw).[2]

In 1881, when Jock was 9 years old, the family moved to Minimay (in eastern Victoria, not far from the South Australian border). His father was prominent in the campaign for a government school to be established in the area, and one was opened in 1885; it was there that Jock went to school for 15 months. Unfortunately, the family’s bush selection could not keep them financially afloat, so they moved north-west to Dow Well (south-west of Nhill) in June 1889, where he went to school, for another 15 months, when one was later established in that district. Between the two schools, the young Neilson lad only received an education of approximately two and a half years’ duration. In 1893, the Neilsons moved to Nhill; then, in 1894, the family moved to a farm at Sea Lake (near Lake Tyrell, and a fair distance north-east of Nhill).[3]

Jock’s father, John Neilson, was a poet, who had some of his poems published in newspapers; although regard for his literary work never reached the heights that his son was to eventually achieve. Nonetheless, two books of the older Neilson’s poetry were published some years after his death (in 1922): The Men of the Fifties (1938) and John Neilson: Poet and Songwriter: An Anthology of Poems (2009).[4]

Jock Neilson, the poet
Following in his father’s footsteps, Jock became a poet. He won the junior prize for poetry in the Australian Natives’ Association literary competition of 1893 (his father also won a prize for poetry in the same competition, in the senior category); Jock thought that his prize-winning poem was okay, but later grew to dislike it, as he came to view it as being “too priggish”. He had several poems published in various newspapers in the 1890s, including in his local paper (the Nhill and Tatiara Mail), and then many more were printed in the following decades. He also tried his hand at writing stories, but decided that prose was not his forte, and therefore stuck to writing poetry instead. Having two poets named “John Neilson” could get a bit confusing, and therefore the younger poet published his works under the names of “Shaw Neilson” and “John Shaw Neilson”.[5]

John Shaw Neilson’s big break in the literary scene came when he was recognised as a poet of note by A. G. Stephens (sometimes referred to as “AGS”), who published many of Neilson’s poems in his magazine The Bookfellow. Neilson’s poem “Heart of Spring!” dominated the front cover of the 15 April 1915 issue of the magazine, which was a great boost for the struggling poet. AGS often pushed Neilson’s works in his “Bookfellow” columns, which appeared in various newspapers around the country. As an editor, Stephens would sometimes advise Neilson to make changes to his poetry, attempting to improve it. Neilson, in his autobiographical notes, tells the story of how AGS once changed a particular stanza in one of his poems without permission; then, some years afterwards, he told Neilson that he didn’t really like that particular stanza — and the poet then reminded him that he was the one who changed it (it was an “oops, mea culpa” moment). Randolph Bedford was another great supporter; Neilson said “Mr Randolph Bedford when he was running the Clarion printed everything I sent. He joyfully published some of my worst limericks and [if] I was in a tearful or religious mood he did not turn me down.”[6]

On the other hand, Neilson was very happy with a change made by AGS to the poem “The Birds Go By”. The editor had asked the poet to rework the poem several times, but was still unsatisfied with the result. In the end, Stephens put in a line himself, “Lifting the eyes of the heart to the height of the sky”. Neilson said “It is by far the best line he ever made me a present of.” The poet noted that it was an unusual occurrence for Stephens to do this: “He very rarely attempted to put a line in my verse. He might put in a line or an odd phrase. When he attempted a line, he usually failed but he had a fine instinct for a good word or a phrase.”[7]

A. G. Stephens had intended to bring out a book of Neilson’s poetry in 1914, which was advertised in The Bookfellow as Green Days and Cherries; however, it never got past the proof stage. The advent of the First World War (1914-1918) may have been a factor in the book’s non-appearance. Not to be deterred, after the end of the war, Stephens published a collection of Neilson’s poetry, Heart of Spring, in 1919. Two more collections of his poetry were published by Stephens in the 1920s: Ballad and Lyrical Poems (1923) and New Poems (1927). The 1923 book was financed by Mrs. Louise Dyer, who was a fan of Neilson’s work; it was intended that the volume would be dedicated to Mrs. Dyer, but the necessary arrangements (presumably obtaining her permission) were unable to be made before she left for a trip overseas (although later books were dedicated to her, in 1927 and 1934).[8]

In the 1930s two more collections of his works were published: Collected Poems of John Shaw Neilson (1934) and Beauty Imposes: Some Recent Verse (1938). With his poor eyesight, Neilson relied upon others to write down his poetry for him, whether it be done by family, friends, or fellow-workers; although a lot of the transcription work was carried out by his sister, Annie McKimm, and, to a lesser extent, his step-sister, Lisette Neilson. His sister Jessie also did a lot of writing work for him, but she died of tuberculosis in 1907. It has been suggested by Margaret Roberts that, whilst Neilson did suffer from eyesight problems, he actually preferred dictation as his main mode of writing.[9]

In the literary scene
Neilson received a letter from the poet Mary Gilmore in 1912, who praised his work. In his memoirs, Neilson said “This encouragement from a total stranger gave me new confidence. I think rhymers are like actors, [they] don’t get on too well without some applause.” In Gilmore’s later tribute to Neilson, she recollects that she first wrote to him in about 1904-1905. The two poets corresponded on a regular basis. They finally met in June 1924 at a literary function held in honour of them both.[10]

Being a published poet put Neilson firmly in the Australian literary scene; although he rarely met with the city-based literary folk as he was usually out working in the country. However, he did meet several well-known literary figures. In Melbourne, he met Kate Baker (the great promoter of Joseph Furphy and his works), artists Blamire Young and Will Dyson, writers Nettie and Vance Palmer, and the literary scholar Percival Serle. When he was in Sydney, in December 1924, Neilson caught up with A.G. Stephens, Mary Gilmore, John le Gay Brereton, and Christopher Brennan; as well as the poet Robert Crawford and the writer Michael Sawtell. He also met James Devaney and Victor Kennedy.[11]

Hard worker and unionist
He worked alongside his father doing various labouring jobs; although his father often arranged contract work for them, as he didn’t like working for bosses. Jock was versatile and worked in a wide range of labouring occupations; he was a bush worker, a farm-hand, a quarryman, a road worker, a trench digger, a timber worker, a fencer, a fruit picker, and a shearer. Like his father, he was a unionist, both being members of the Australian Workers’ Union. In his autobiographical writings Jock said “We both belonged to the AWU and we were anxious to be loyal to it in every way.” However, he disagreed with W. G. Spence’s decision to call a shearers’ strike in support of the maritime workers’ strike; but, despite his opposition to the strike, he was a loyal unionist and didn’t take on work as a strike-breaker. Jock spent much of his life travelling in country areas, getting labouring work in many different places.[12]

In his memoirs, Neilson said that there were appalling conditions for workers on some jobs. He mentions the “disgraceful” housing conditions that some live-in workers had to put up with. Neilson also relates the time when he and some of the other men went on strike due to a boss unfairly picking on one of the blokes. Another time, whilst haymaking, he left a job in order to support the workers going on strike at that property. Unlike modern times, there was not a lot of emphasis on health and safety in the workplace. Without fail-safes in place, someone could easily be killed on a heavy labouring job, which almost happened to Neilson once, due to the action (or, rather, the inaction) of a careless worker. Neilson quit one job in a quarry after almost being killed, due to the boss hiring key employees who were untrained (who would be the cause of big boulders rolling downhill, too close to the other workers). Deaths on the job were not uncommon. Working conditions could be quite bad, and often unfair. During his time working as a navvy (labourer), he had heard of men having to walk four miles from their billets to the site, without being paid for their travel time; navvies were even charged for their shovels.[13]

Immigration and White Australia
Neilson was not impressed with the assisted immigration scheme of the 1920s, saying that “The assisted immigrants that had been coming in for several years past had completely swamped the labour market as far as rural work was concerned.” Unfortunately for Jock, many of the assisted immigrants were seeking the same type of labouring jobs that he was after. Speaking of his time in the Lockhart district, working at pea-picking and cherry-picking, he said “One pleasing thing about Lockhart District, there seemed to be no immigrants there.”[14]

On a related topic, Neilson wrote a poem called “White Australia” in 1906, which contains the lines “Child of the white man — welcome to thy place … Traitors are they who say fling wide the gates, Let us have people — God has given soil. … And it is ours to guard — the white child.” That poem was not published during his lifetime (indeed, about two-thirds of Neilson’s poems were unpublished when he died); he could be quite harsh in his self-criticism, and thus put aside many poems; although, it may be that he wanted to keep his published poetry on a non-political footing (a path followed by C. J. Dennis) — indeed, a search through his published poems reveals that it would be hard to pick out any poem in his books that was overtly political, so perhaps avoiding politics was his intention in not publishing the poem. He also made various “white people” references in his poetry, although they did not seem to be of a political nature; for example, “But white folk then were stout of heart” (in “Old Granny Sullivan”), “They had flaxen hair, they were white and fair” (in “The Land Where I Was Born”), “And the white frocks of white girls” (in “Old Nell Dickerson”), “You are the one thing white and clean … Little white girl so pale and pretty!” (in “Little White Girl”), “Little white kinsman of mine!” (in “The Luckless Bard to the Flying Blossom”), “A thin white widow woman” (in “The White Flowers Came”), and “White is the world, the weather warm and sweet” (in “It is the Last”). The use of any colour in those lines might seem superfluous; however, Neilson was known to make unusual references to colours in his poems.[15]

Colours and poetry
Jock Neilson often made use of colours in his poetry, sometimes in apparently disconnected, non-standard, and unusual ways, using an “outside of the box” poetic writing style. He especially seemed to like the colour green, as can be seen in the titles of several of his poems: “Green Lover”, “Green Singer”, “Out to the Green Fields”, and “Petticoat Green”. However, it was not just the colours green and white that Neilson used a lot; he employed the imagery of a range of colours in his poetry. Neilson used synaesthesia as a literary device (describing things with a different sense of experience, in an unusual way, especially not related to the sense usually associated with the subject matter) in various poems, for example: “In his blue famine” (in “For a Little Girl’s Birthday”); “The blue smoke of the mind” (in “The Hour of the Parting”); “You were of Love’s own colour” and “red lovers” (in “You, and Yellow Air”); “Love in the yellowing” (in “In the Dim Counties”); and “the yellow had not left his head” (in “The Lad Who Started Out”). However, it would not be surprising if Neilson actually had the neurological condition of synaesthesia, perceiving certain words, ideas, or emotions as colours (if he had this condition, if would likely have influenced his writings).[16]

Neilson believed that the green of nature helped him physically; for example, in his memoirs he says “the mass of green foliage seemed to benefit my eyes very much”, “I think my eyes must have got a good deal better because I had been carting grapes … The green foliage is a great cure”, and “I got on grape picking … and my eyes soon seemed to recover amongst the heavy green foliage of the vines.” His poem “You, and Yellow Air” is a good example of his use of colour. A distant diagnosis of clinical synaesthesia certainly cannot be ascribed with any great degree of reliability, but it is an interesting possibility.[17]

A war-time incident
During the First World War (1914-1918) he went to Melbourne to see an eye doctor, who told him that there wasn’t much wrong with his eyes at all. As Neilson had very poor eyesight, the diagnosis seemed ridiculous; although, later on, he figured out that the doctor must have thought he was a malingerer who was trying to avoid being conscripted. In Neilson’s memoirs, with reference to the conscription referendum, he said that the pro-conscriptionists “although they used every unfair means possible were badly beaten”, which indicates that he was against conscription. On a related note, he also referred to the wartime activities of a healthy young clergyman, “He went round advising every young fellow to go to the war yet he never volunteered himself not even as a chaplain. Such hypocrisy one cannot forget.”[18]

A poor man’s life
Despite travelling around and doing many jobs, Neilson struggled to make ends meet. It was hard-going for poor people in the 1920s, including for the hard-working poet. Neilson has described the shame he felt at appearing so down-and-out. His benefactor, Louise Dyer, wrote to him in December 1923, asking him to visit her (a request reinforced by a similar suggestion from A.G. Stephens), but Neilson admits in his memoirs “I very much disliked the idea. I was very hard up & I was very badly dressed. I had on a grey coat and vest, the remains of a rather decent suit; but my trousers were unspeakable. They were slops of the worst kind. … I would have got out of that trip if I could possibly have done so, but there didn’t seem to be any option.” A similar situation arose when he arrived in the Victorian capital in August 1925; of which time he later said “As I was very poorly dressed I did not tell my writing friends that I was in Melbourne. I led them to believe I was still in Merbein.”[19]

As a labourer, John Shaw Neilson’s life was quite a strenuous one, and his health suffered for it. Therefore, it is not surprising that his health began to deteriorate in his fifties. His physical well-being was of concern to others. Mary Gilmore later wrote “He was quarrying near Nowra … when I saw his work-swollen hands, with the finger-nails worn to the quick by the abrading stone, I felt a stone in my heart.” Thanks to lobbying by his friends and admirers, Neilson received a Commonwealth Literary Fund pension, from 15 November 1922 onwards, of £1 a week, which was a great help. His friends (including Frank Wilmot and Randolph Bedford) had been trying to get him a non-labouring job, and finally they succeeded. On 15 May 1928 Neilson started an easier job, as an attendant and lift-driver at the Melbourne office of the Country Roads Board. Along with his pension, this brought his weekly income to approximately £7 (which was enough to live on). He was living with his sister Annie (and her family) in Footscray, so he was a lot better off than many others during the hard times of the 1920s and 1930s. Unfortunately, his job at the CRB was not a permanent position, being one that was renewed each year; so, whilst his lot in life was far better than it had been, he had the anxiety of never knowing if his job would be axed (a far greater worry for someone in the sunset years of life).[20]

When the Great Depression started in 1928, the financial mess hit lots of people extremely hard, and the numbers of the unemployed rose dramatically. In his memoirs, Neilson recalled those hard times “I can remember hundreds of hungry-looking men coming to the office looking for work & women sometimes in tears, begging for jobs for their husbands.” The poet was lucky that he had already been given a government job in Melbourne before the financial crisis hit.[21]

Many of Neilson’s poems touched on the subject of love. However, despite having a romantic side, he never married.[22]

John Shaw Neilson died at the Epworth Private Hospital, in Richmond (Melbourne, Vic.), of heart disease, on 12 May 1942. He was buried in the Footscray Cemetery, where a memorial was later added to his grave, courtesy of the Bread and Cheese Club, a prominent Melbourne literary group (of which Neilson had been a founding member; although he never went to any other meetings, he did keep in touch with various of its members).[23]

Tributes through the years
A. G. Stephens thought highly of John Shaw Neilson, and publicly praised him for his talent. In 1910 Stephens wrote “Shaw Neilson has written verses that are quaint and merry, others thrilled with emotion, and some with so delicate a fragrance, so rare a beauty of sentiment and imagery, that they remain in the highest rank of Australian poetry.”[24]

Stephens also said of Neilson, in 1919, “Some of his work, magnificent in pathos perfectly expressed, is unsurpassed in the range of English lyrics. First of Australian poets, he reflects lasting honour on the land that bred him.”[25]

In yet another endorsement of Neilson’s talent, in 1926, A. G. Stephens declared “What I admire in Neilson’s poetry — as well as his humanity and sympathy and insight — is his wonderful gift of melody. His words play a beautiful tune in time; they seem to fall exactly right.”[26]

The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.), wrote in 1923 that “it is our deliberate and considered opinion that better poetry had never been written in Australia than the poetry in “Heart of Spring.” … A. G. Stephens, in a preface, calls Mr. Neilson “first of Australian poets,” and we cannot disagree with him. There is in the poems a freshness, a clarity, a lightness like the air of early dawn, and the blessedness of simplicity is in all their beauty.”[27]

A few years later, when New Poems was released (1927), The Australasian gave further praise: “There are 22 poems in the volume, all characteristic, all lyrical, all beautiful. The outstanding positive quality of Mr. Neilson is that he is a lyrist in whom there is thought, a singer in whose music and words there is significance.”[28]

A review by “S.R.” in The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW) praised Neilson in 1926, saying “His verse is the poetry of a natural or born poet. He has a gift of melody which among the better known Australian poets is approached only by Kendall. His lyrics are exquisite in their sweetness and delicacy.”[29]

Another review in The Sydney Morning Herald, in 1928, agreed that Neilson’s New Poems was a great piece of work; its review of the book stated “Mr. Shaw Neilson is not a prolific writer, but his poems are pure gold. They have an elusive quality which almost defies definition. Grace and charm, delicacy of imagination, wistfulness, a limpid stream of melody, a passionate feeling for beauty, and a warm sympathy for those whom life has bruised — these are among their characteristics … Mr. Neilson is to be congratulated upon a noteworthy contribution to Australian poetry.”[30]

Neilson’s work was acclaimed by ordinary Australians as well as by the literary world. In 1934 The Daily News (Perth, WA) wrote “He is of the people, and he writes for the people, as well as for the critics.”[31]

The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld) described him as one of “the sweetest simple lyrists that Australia has produced”.[32]

When he died, The Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld.) stated that Neilson was “Australia’s premier lyric poet … those qualified to judge entertained a profound respect for his lyric gift.”[33]

An obituary in The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), said: “As author of “Heart of Spring” (published in 1910), Ballard and Lyrical Poems (1923), and other exquisite works, he has won a high place in the esteem and affection of lovers of literature in this part of the world.”[34]

A. H. Chisholm sang his praises in The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.), “Shaw Neilson has left to his country a legacy beyond price. For that gift, and for the courage that bore suffering with nobility, Australia salutes his memory.”[35]

An editorial in The Record (Emerald Hill, Vic.) declared “he was a great poet … As a stimulus to courage and beauty, a copy of his works should be in every Australian home”.[36]

The poetry of John Shaw Neilson has stood the test of time; he is still regarded as one of Australia’s finest poets.

References:
[1] A. G. Stephens, “Bookfellow’s competitions: Coffin voices”, The Golden Gate (Fremantle, WA), 2 September 1911, p. 9

[2] Hugh Anderson, “Neilson, John Shaw (1872–1942)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
L. J. Blake, “In the Neilson country”, Walkabout (Melbourne, Vic.), June 1965, p. 19
Nancy Keesing, “Introduction”, in The Autobiography of John Shaw Neilson, [Canberra]: National Library of Australia, 1978, pp. 24-25
Margaret Roberts (editor), “John Shaw Neilson: The Collected Verse: A Variorum Edition, Canberra: Australian Scholarly Editions Centre (UNSW at ADFA), 2003, p. 20

[3] Hugh Anderson, op. cit.
L. J. Blake, 1965, op. cit., p. 20
Robert Henderson Croll, “A biographical note”, in: John Shaw Neilson: A Memorial, Melbourne: Bread and Cheese Club, 1942, pp. 8-9
Nancy Keesing, 1978, op. cit., p. 26
John Shaw Neilson, “The Autobiography of John Shaw Neilson, [Canberra]: National Library of Australia, 1978, p. 31
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 66 [Sea Lake]

[4] Hugh Anderson, op. cit.
“John Neilson : poet and songwriter : an anthology of poems / edited by Andrew G. Peake”, National Library of Australia [catalogue entry for the 2009 book]
“The men of the fifties / by John Neilson”, National Library of Australia [catalogue entry for the 1938 book]

[5] “Awards for literary competitions”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 7 March 1893, p. 3
“[The following are the prizetakers]” [untitled article], The Mount Alexander Mail (Castlemaine, Vic.), 7 March 1893, p. 2
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 33-34, 38
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 27
“Shaw Neilson”, The Bookfellow: The Australasian Review (Sydney, NSW), 1 October 1912 (trade edition), p. 254
“Works of John Shaw Neilson (1872-1942)”, InstituteOfAustralianCulture [list on Trove]

[6] Shaw Neilson, “O Heart of Spring!”, The Bookfellow: The Australasian Review (Sydney, NSW), 15 April 1915 (NSW edition), p. 73 (the front cover of that issue)
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 55 (stanza change), 69, 71, 78, 81, 120-121, 149, 151
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., pp. 6 [Bedford], 22-23, 36-42
“John Shaw Neilson in The Bookfellow”, InstituteOfAustralianCulture [list on Trove]

[7] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 135-136

[8] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 120-121, 124, 158, 168 [dedication]
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., pp. 20, 29, 41, 61-62 (re Green Days and Cherries)

[9] Nancy Keesing, 1978, op. cit., pp. 17, 20
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., p. 70, 72-73, 77, 79-80, 130, 157
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 24

[10] Mary Gilmore, “[Tribute]”, in: John Shaw Neilson: A Memorial, Melbourne: Bread and Cheese Club, 1942, p. 22
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 80 [Gilmore letter], 86, 128-129, 158
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 67

[11] Kate Baker, “[Tribute]”, in: John Shaw Neilson: A Memorial, Melbourne: Bread and Cheese Club, 1942, p. 29
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., p. 126-127, 138-139, 141, 159
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., pp. 69

[12] Hugh Anderson, op. cit.
Nancy Keesing, 1978, op. cit., pp. 26-27
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 33-36
A. G. Stephens, “Preface”, in Heart of Spring (1919), pp. v-vii (see p. v)
“Death of famous lyric poet: John Shaw Neilson”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 13 May 1942, p. 3
“Memorial to an Australian poet”, The Record (Emerald Hill, Vic.), 19 September 1942, p. 2

[13] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 97-98, 99, 101, 109, 134, 136

[14] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 132, 133

[15] John Shaw Neilson, “White Australia” (1906), in: Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., pp. 54, 282
“White Australia [poem by John Shaw Neilson, 1906]”, The Institute of Australian Culture

[16] Peter Kirkpatrick, “‘New words came tripping slowly’: Poetry, popular culture and modernity, 1890-1950”, in: Peter Pierce (editor), The Cambridge History of Australian Literature, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009, p. 206 [refers to literary synesthesia used by John Shaw Neilson]
Ivor Indyk, “The place of desire” (in: Crossing Lines: Formations of Australian Culture: Proceedings of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature Conference, Adelaide, 1995, [Adelaide]: Association for the Study of Australian Literature, 1995, pp. 71-77), The University of Sydney [see: Contents (for Crossing Lines), article abstract, and Auslit entry] [the article refers to literary synesthesia used by John Shaw Neilson]
“Synesthesia”, Literary Terms
“Synaesthesia (rhetorical device)”, Wikipedia
Angela Nelson, “Synesthesia”, WebMD
“Synesthesia”, Wikipedia

[17] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 92-93, 96, 130

[18] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., p. 92

[19] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 122, 142

[20] Hugh Anderson, op. cit.
Mary Gilmore, 1923, op. cit., p. 23
R. G. Howarth, “Mystic poet had life of toil: Shaw Neilson’s work”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 23 May 1942, p. 7 [lift-driver]
Nancy Keesing, 1978, op. cit., pp. 21 [CRB a temporary position], 23 [pension]
John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., pp. 36-37, 46-47, 49-50, 52, 65, 67-68, 82, 91, 145 [CRB], 147 [CRB]
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 68 [Footscray]
“Death of famous lyric poet: John Shaw Neilson”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 13 May 1942, p. 3 [re the Country Roads Board (CRB)]
“It is notified for general information” [untitled item], Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (Melbourne, Vic.), 4 January 1923, p. 5 [approval of a Commonwealth Literary Fund pension for Neilson]

[21] John Shaw Neilson, 1978, op. cit., p. 146

[22] Hugh Anderson, op. cit.
“Death of famous lyric poet: John Shaw Neilson”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 13 May 1942, p. 3

[23] “Deaths”, The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), 13 May 1942, p. 6 [death notice for John Shaw Neilson]
“Worker and poet”, Labor Call (Melbourne, Vic.), 21 May 1942, p. 8 [died in Richmond]
J. K. Moir, “Foreword”, in: John Shaw Neilson: A Memorial, Melbourne: Bread and Cheese Club, 1942, [p. 1]
“Tribute to poet Neilson: Memorial unveiled”, The Age (Melbourne, Vic.), 25 October 1943, p. 2
Margaret Roberts, 2003, op. cit., p. 69 [Bread and Cheese Club]
“John Shaw Neilson (Poet)”, eGDIREVEB (account on Flickr) [photo of Neilson’s grave, taken on 26 January 2007]

[24] A. G. Stephens, ““The Pioneers”: John Neilson’s patriotic poem: Correct version supplied”, The Sun (Kalgoorlie, WA), 4 December 1910, p. 15 [an article about John Shaw Neilson’s father, with a comment about the son in the last paragraph]

[25] A. G. Stephens, “Preface”, in Heart of Spring (1919), pp. v-vii (see p. vii)

[26] A. G. Stephens, “Shaw Neilson’s humour”, The Sydney Mail (Sydney, NSW), 10 March 1926, p. 25

[27] “Poems by J. Shaw Neilson”, The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.), 22 December 1923, p. 1368

[28] “Shaw Neilson’s new book”, The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.), 10 December 1927, p. 8

[29] “Mr. Shaw Neilson’s Poems”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 29 May 1926, p. 11

[30] “Mr. Shaw Neilson’s Poems”, The Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney, NSW), 3 March 1928, p. 12

[31] “John Shaw Neilson”, The Daily News (Perth, WA), 8 September 1924, p. 7

[32] “The poetry of Shaw Neilson”, The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld.), 16 June 1934, p. 20

[33] “Shaw Neilson”, The Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld.), 6 June 1942, p. 4

[34] “Death of famous lyric poet: John Shaw Neilson”, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.), 13 May 1942, p. 3

[35] A. H. Chisholm, “Death of a poet”, The Herald (Melbourne, Vic.), 12 May 1942, p. 4

[36] “Memorial to an Australian poet”, The Record (Emerald Hill, Vic.), 19 September 1942, p. 2

Further information:
Hugh Anderson, “Neilson, John Shaw (1872–1942)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
Shaw Neilson, Wikipedia