[Editor: A national anthem for the colony of Tasmania (published circa 1879-1890), by Frederick Augustus Gow Packer (1839-1902).]
The Tasmanian National Anthem,
by
F. A. Packer.
Tasmanian National Anthem.
F. A. Packer.
1. All hail the land we love so well,
Bright jewel of the sea,
Fair home of England’s stalwart sons,
The brave, the bold and free!
Where bright-eyed maidens gaily sing,
And peace and plenty reign,
And beauty smiles on ev’ry side,
O’er mountain, vale and plain.
Tasmania! land of joy and peace,
whose sons are true and brave,
No scornful foe shall lay thee low,
While England rules the wave!
2. May love and joy around thee watch,
And God thy ways defend,
Thy children walk in honour’s paths,
Until their journey’s end.
May right prevail and might assist,
When foes assail thy cause,
And rulers true with wisdom frame
Thy people’s ways and laws.
Tasmania! land of joy and peace,
whose sons are true and brave,
No scornful foe shall lay thee low,
While England rules the wave!
Source:
Tasmanian national anthem, by F.A. Packer [music sheets], J. Walch & Sons, Hobart, [ca. 1879-1890]
Also published in:
William H. Smith (editor), The Empire Songster, Renouf Publishing Co., Montreal, [1900], pp. 41-42
Editor’s notes:
The music sheets held by the State Library of Tasmania are date stamped “24 May 90” (i.e. 1890); the information on the stamp is “Harry White, Mining Agent, St. John St., Launceston, 24 May 90”; however, no date of publication is included.
The earliest mention found of the music being published was in an advertisement placed by J. Walch & Sons in The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.), 11 October 1879, p. 2 (column 4)
The Empire Songster gives the location of the author, F. A. Packer, as “Hobart Town”.
Publishing details of the sheet music were sourced from the State Library of Tasmania catalogue and the University of Alberta library catalogue.
The start of the line beginning “whose sons” was in lower case in the original.
ev’ry = (vernacular) every
o’er = (archaic) over (pronounced the same as “oar”, “or”, and “ore”)
thee = (archaic) you
thy = (archaic) your
vale = valley
The Mercury carried a report of the performance of Packer’s Tasmanian National Anthem in 1879 which can be accessed via Trove http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8982052 Packer was the organist at St David’s Cathedral and father of Robert Clyde Packer (Founder of the Packer media dynasty)
Apologies for a slight error in the previous comment. Robert Clyde was Frederick’s brother. Their father (also Frederick) was also organist at St David’s like Frederick jnr, hence the confusion.
This is still incorrect. R C Packer was the son of Arthur Howard Packer who was a younger brother of F A Packer. F A P came to Hobart in 1852 with his parents Frederick Alexander Packer and Augusta Packer (nee Gow). They were Royal Academy musicians and Augusta was the grandaughter of Scotland’s famous fiddler of antiquity, Niel Gow of Dunkeld.
R C was Kerry Packer’s Grandfather.
The Tasmanian National Anthem is now played every year at the annual BOER WAR COMMEMORATIVE DAY both in Hobart and Launceston.
Wonderful to read and hear the composition – such great musical talent and history – not to be lost