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Collection Summary

Creator: Macpherson, Christina Rutherford, 1864-1936.
Title: Waltzing Matilda manuscript notated by Christina Macpherson (the Bartlam-Roulston manuscript), circa 1895 [music].
Date Range: 1895
Collection number: MS 10086
Extent: 0.03 m. (1 fol. bag)

 

Introduction

Scope and Content

MS 10086 comprises the manuscript of the melody and verses of the song Waltzing Matilda, notated by Christina Macpherson, ca. 1895. The manuscript was loaned by the Bartlam-Roulston families to Richard Magoffin for display in his Waltzing Matilda Expo in Kynuna, Queensland, from 1994-2006 (1 fol. bag). A simultaneous draft by Macpherson of the Waltzing Matilda music and lyrics is held in the Christina Macpherson Papers (MS 9065), together with related papers.

Background

In 1895, whilst staying with her brother near Winton, Queensland, Christina Macpherson played a tune she had heard the previous year at the Warrnambool races. Banjo Paterson, who was listening, decided to make up some words to the music. In its various forms Waltzing Matilda has become Australia's best known folksong.

 

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as [manuscript item title], Waltzing Matilda manuscript notated by Christina Macpherson (the Bartlam-Roulston manuscript), circa 1895 [music]., National Library of Australia, MS 10086, [manuscript item number].

 

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