The Missing Heir

by Kylie Tennant

  There was a report that amused me in a newspaper. At a bullfight in Spain the people who had paid for their seats, put on their bets and dressed for the fiesta were outraged by a gang of Australians. ‘Come on, bull!’ the Australians yelled. ‘Give it to him, bull! Thatsa good ole bull! We’re on your side!’ They were cheering and encouraging the bull. It was whispered that they were drunk — then it was explained: they were Australians!

  This action was something that aficionados of the bull-ring will never understand. Centuries of tradition were being flouted; the bull never wins, is never supposed to win. In high finance, in war, in all walks of civilisation, the people who run the bull-rings or the stock exchange, the levels of diplomacy, are powerful in the knowledge that the bull never wins. Yet here were Australians — a terrible and strange people — encouraging the bull. Outside the fences of the nuclear weapons base at Greenham Common Australian women and women from other parts as well were dragged off to gaol. They stood in cold and sleet, camped in tents in the bitter winter. They snipped the fences and planted flowers on the soil sacred to the military. They were outraging all military traditions. They thumbed their noses and were shocking.

  I have heirs all over the world — wherever someone gets up and barracks for the bull.

  Appendix:

  A Bibliography on the Works of Kylie Tennant

  Prepared by Jeanne Rudd, June 1985

  Published Works

  Novels

  Tiburon. Sydney: Bulletin Press, 1935. Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1981.

  Foveaux. London: Golancz, 1939. Sydney: Sirius, 1946. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1968, 1981.

  The Battlers. London: Gollancz and New York: Macmillan, 1941. Sydney: Sirius, 1946. London: Pan Books, 1961. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1965, 1967.

  Ride On Stranger. New York: Macmillan and London: Gollancz, 1943. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1943, 1979, 1980. Sydney: Sirius, 1945. London: Macmillan, 1945. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1968

  Time Enough Later. New York: Macmillan, 1943. London: Macmillan, 1945. Adelaide: Rigby, 1961.

  Lost Haven. New York and Melbourne: Macmillan. 1946. London: Macmillan, 1947. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1968.

  The Joyful Condemned. New York: St Martin’s Press and London: Macmillan, 1953.

  The Honey Flow. London: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press, 1956. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1974.

  Tell Morning This (complete version of The Joyful Condemned). Sydney and London: Angus and Robertson, 1968. Sydney: Pacific Books, 1970.

  Tantavallon. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1983.

  Short Stories

  Ma Jones and the Little White Cannibals. London: Macmillan, 1967.

  Uncollected Short Stories

  ‘A Bargain’ in Coast to Coast, 1941, edited by Cecil Mann. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1941.

  ‘Foster Child’ in Tales by Australians, edited by Edith M. Fry. London: British Authors Press, no date.

  The Face of Despair’ in Australia Writes, edited by T. Inglis Moore. Melbourne: Cheshire, 1953.

  ‘Eight Hour Day’ in Australian Idiom, edited by H.P. Heseltine. Melbourne: Cheshire, 1963.

  ‘The Antagonists’ in Summer’s Tales I, edited by Kylie Tennant. London: Macmillan, 1964.

  ‘No Family’ in Australian Pavements, edited by Bill Wannan. Melbourne: Lansdowne, 1965.

  ‘The Cool Man’ in The Cool Man and Other Contemporary Stories by Australian Authors. Sydney and London: Angus and Robertson, 1973.

  (‘Many of Kylie Tennant’s short stories are to be found in the Bulletin, 1935-45.’ Margaret Dick, The Novels of Kylie Tennant, 1966, p. 108.)

  Plays

  John o’ the Forest and Other Plays (juvenile). London: Macmillan, 1950.

  Tether a Dragon. Sydney: Associated General Publications, 1952.

  The Bells of the City and Other Plays (juvenile). London: Macmillan, 1955.

  The Bushranger’s Christmas Eve and Other Plays (juvenile). Melbourne: Macmillan, 1959.

  Other

  Australia Her Story: Notes on a Nation. London: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press, 1953; revised edition, London: Pan, 1964, 1971.

  Long John Silver: The Story of the Film. Sydney: Associated General Publications, 1953. London: Robertson and Mullens, 1954.

  The Development of the Australian Novel. Canberra: Commonwealth Literary Fund, 1958.

  All the Proud Tribesmen. (Juvenile.) London: Macmillan, 1959. New York: St Martin’s Press, 1960.

  Speak You So Gently. (Travel.) London: Gollancz, 1959.

  Trail Blazers of the Air. Melbourne: Macmillan, 1965. London: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press, 1966.

  The Australian Essay (with L.C. Rodd). Melbourne: Cheshire, 1968.

  Evatt: Politics and Justice. (Biography.) Sydney and London: Angus and Robertson, 1970.

  The Man on the Headland. (Biography.) Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1971, 1979. London: Angus and Robertson, 1973.

  Books Edited

  Great Stories of Australia 1-7. London: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press, 1963–1966.

  Summer’s Tales 1 and 2. London and Melbourne: Macmillan and New York: St Martin’s Press, 1964–1965.

  Articles

  Theatre: The One Day of the Year’ in Overland, No. 18, August 1960, p. 29. (A review of Alan Seymour’s play, The One Day of the Year.)

  ‘Short Story Chronicle’ in Meanjin 20(4), 1961.

  ‘Fiction Chronicle’ in Meanjin 21(3) and 21(4), 1962.

  ‘Literature and the Life Illusion’ in Meanjin 22(1), 1963.

  ‘John Cowper Powys — A Tribute’ in 20th Century Summer, 1965.

  ‘Giles, Ernest — Explorer and Traveller, 1835–1897 — Ericksen, R.’ (book review) in Overland, No. 74, 1979, pp. 57-9.

  Authors’ Considerations and Other Influences on Choice of Form and Matter in Literature (answers to a questionnaire). Australian Literary Studies 10(2) 1981, p. 233.

  Manuscripts

  An unabridged manuscript copy of Tell Morning This is lodged in the Australian National Library, Canberra.

  Peter Scriven’s Nex’town, a musical play by Iris Mason and Hal Saunders. With book by Kylie Tennant and Maurice Travers. Duplicated typescript. Held in the Rare Book Library, Fisher Library, Sydney University.

  Biographies and Bibliographies

  Contemporary Authors. Edited by Hal May. Detroil, Mich.: Gale Research, Vol. 5-8, first revision, 1969, p. 967.

  Contemporary Authors. Edited by Hal May. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, Vol. 8, New revision series, 1982, p. 451.

  Contemporary Novelists. 3rd ed. Edited by James Vinson. New York: St Martin’s Press, 1982, p. 634.

  Dick, Margaret. The Novels of Kylie Tennant. Adelaide: Rigby, 1966.

  Everyman’s Dictionary of Literary Biography: English and American. Compiled after John W. Cousin by D.C. Browning. London: Pan, 1969, p. 673.

  Miller, E. Morris. Australian Literature: A Bibliography to 1935. Extended to 1950 by F.T. Macartney. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1956, pp. 457-8.

  Miller, E. Morris. Australian Literature from its Beginnings to 1935. Melbourne: Oxford U.P., 1940, Vol. 2, p. 796.

  Who’s Who of Australian Women. Compiled by Andrea Loft-house; based on research by Vivian Smith. Sydney: Methuen Australia, 1982, p. 432.

  World Authors 1950–1970, edited by John Wakeman. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1975, pp. 1417-18.

  The Writers Directory 1984–1986. London: Macmillan, 1983, p. 960.

  Literary Criticism of the Works of Kylie Tennant

  (Arranged in chronological order of publication)

  Sydney University. Wentworth medal for undergraduates, 1946 (a criticism of a new or recent book of literary interest). ‘Lost Haven by Kylie Tennant’ by B.L. Wood. Held by Fisher Library.

  Auchterlonie, Dorothy. ‘The Novels of Kylie Tennant’s in Meanjin 12, 1953, p. 395.

  Inglis Moore, T. ‘The Tragi-comedies of Kylie Tennant’ in Southerly 1, 1957.

  Hewett, Dor
othy. ‘How Beautiful the Mountains’ in Westerly 1, 1960, pp. 4-7. (Review article covering Tiburon, The Battlers, Lost Haven and The Joyful Condemned.)

  Green, H.M. A History of Australian Literature: Pure and Applied. Vol. 2, 1923–1950. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1961, p. 849; p. 851; pp. 1010-20; p. 1406.

  Dick, Margaret. The Novels of Kylie Tennant. Adelaide: Rigby, 1966.

  Reid, Ian. ‘“The Woman Problem” in Some Australian and New Zealand Novels’ in Southern Review 7:3 November, 1974, pp. 187-204. (Refers to Ride On Stranger.)

  Pons, Xavier. ‘“The Battlers’: Kylie Tennant and the Australian Tradition’ in Australian Literary Studies 6, 1974, pp. 364-80.

  Matthews, Brian. ‘A Kind of Semi-sociological Literary Criticism: George Orwell, Kylie Tennant and Others’ in Westerly (2) 26 June 1981, pp. 65-72.

  Clancy, L. ‘Fathers and Lovers — Three Australian Novels’ in Australian Literary Studies 10(2), 1982, pp. 459-67. (Refers to Time Enough Later.)

  Dick, Margaret (review article) in Contemporary Novelists, 3rd ed. Edited by James Vinson, New York: St Martin’s Press, 1982, p. 635.

  Citations of Kylie Tennant’s Works

  (Arranged in chronological order of publication)

  McLachland, N.D. ‘Future America: Some Bicentennial Reflections’ in Historical Studies 17(68), 1977, pp. 361-83. (Cites Australia Her Story: Notes on a Nation.)

  Edwards, P.G. ‘Evatt and the Americans’ in Historical Studies 18(73), 1979, pp. 546-60. (Cites Evatt: Politics and Justice.)

  Warhurst, J. ‘Catholics, Communism and the Australian Party System — A Study of the Menzies Years’ in Politics 14(2), 1979, pp. 222-42. (Cites Evatt: Politics and Justice.)

  Selected Reviews of the Works of Kylie Tennant

  (Arranged in chronological order of publication)

  Foveaux. Spectator Vol. 162, 1939, p. 502, by F. Reid.

  The Battlers. Spectator Vol. 166, 1941, p. 72, by B. Dobree.

  Ride On Stranger. Punch Vol. 204, 1943, p. 299, no author given.

  The Joyful Condemned. Punch Vol. 224, 1953, p. 474, by C.C. Plumbe.

  Australia Her Story: Notes on a Nation. Historical Studies Vol. 6, 1953-55, p. 234, no author given.

  The Honey Flow. Meanjin Vol. 15, 1956, p. 215, no author given.

  Speak You So Gently. Overland Vol. 17, April 1960, pp. 43-4 by A.W. Sheppard.

  Summer’s Tales 1. Australian Book Review 4:57 February 1965 by J.K. Ewers

  Summer’s Tales 2. Age Literary Review 5 February 1966, p. 24, by N. Jillett.

  Trail Blazers of the Air. Australian Book Review 5:70 February 1966, by D.R. Hall.

  Ma Jones and the Little White Cannibals. Advertiser, 8 July 1967, p. 18, by S. Despoja.

  Tell Morning This. Age Literary Review, 11 November 1967, p. 23, by A.R. Chisholm.

  Lost Haven. Nation 258:21-2, 7 December 1968, by D. Green.

  Evatt: Politics and Justice. Australian Book Review 10:13 November 1970, by M. Harris.

  Evatt: Politics and Justice. Times Literary Supplement, 30 July 1971, p. 877, no author given.

  All the Proud Tribesmen. Australian Book Review 10:31 Winter 1971, by B. Buick.

  The Man on the Headland. Bulletin 93:48-49, 14 August 1971, by C. Tolchard.

  Tiburon. Reissues. Australian Book Review, 30:40 May 1981, no author.

  Sources

  Biographical and Bibliographical Sources

  Australian National Bibliography. 1966–1984.

  The Australian Novel: A Title Checklist 1900–1970. Compiled, edited and published by G.V. Hubble, Perth: 1970.

  Blyth Jones, D. Children’s Literature Awards and Winners: A Directory of Prizes, Authors and Illustrators. 1st ed. Detroit, Mich.: Neal-Schuman, 1983, p. 21 and p. 448.

  Contemporary Authors. Edited by Hal May. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1985. Vol. 112 — Index to Vols 1-112; Vols 5-8, 1969; Vol. 5 New revision series, 1982.

  Contemporary Novelists. 3rd ed. edited by James Vinson. New York: St Martin’s Press, 1982.

  Everyman’s Dictionary of Literary Biography: English and American. Compiled after John W. Cousin by D.C. Browning. London: Pan, 1969.

  Fisher Library, University of Sydney. Card and fiche catalogues.

  Miller, E. Morris. Australian Literature: A Bibliography (to 1935 by E. Morris Miller; extended to 1950 by Frederick T. Macartney). Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1956.

  Miller, E. Morris. Australian Literature from its Beginings to 1935. Melbourne: Oxford U.P., 1940, Vol. 2.

  Who’s Who of Australian Women. Compiled by Andrea Loft-house, based on research by Vivian Smith. Sydney: Methuen Australia, 1982.

  World Authors 1950–1970. Edited by John Wakeman. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1975.

  The Writers Directory 1984–1986. London: Macmillan, 1983.

  Reviews, Literary Criticism and Citations

  Abstracts of English Studies. Vol. 1, 1958-Vol. 27, 1984.

  Arts and Humanities Citation Index. Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information. 1977–1983.

  Book Review Index: A Master Cummulation 1969–1979. Edited by Gary C. Tarbet. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1981.

  Book Review Index: Cummulations. Edited by Gary C. Tarbet. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, Cummulations 1980–1983.

  A Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities Journals 1802–1974. Woodbridge, C.T.: Research Publications, 1983.

  A Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals 1886–1974. Woodbridge, C.T.: Research Publications, 1982.

  Contemporary Novelists. 3rd ed. edited by James Vinson. New York: St Martin’s Press, 1982.

  Green, H.K. A History of Australian Literature: Pure and Applied. Vol. 2, 1923–1950. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1961.

  Index to Australian Book Reviews. Adelaide: Libraries Board of South Australia. Vol. 1, 1965-Vol. 17, 1981.

  Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities. Michigan: Phillip Thompson. Vol. 15, 1974-Vol. 24, 1983.

  Meanjin Quarterly Index 1940–1965. Compiled by Marjorie Tipping. Melbourne: Meanjin, 1969.

  MLA Abstracts of Articles in Scholarly Journals. New York: Modern Languages Association. 1970–1975.

  MLA International Bibliography of Books and Articles on the Modern Languages and Literatures 1981. New York: Modern Languages Association, 1983.

  Notes

  Chapter 1: The Missing Heir

  The following passage about my grandfather appeared in his local newspaper.

  THE LATE DR TENNANT

  References from the pulpit

  A special memorial service with reference to the late Dr T.H. Tennant was held in the Hillston Presbyterian Church on Sunday evening last. The congregation was a fairly large one, embracing a number of the members of other denominations. The Pastor of the church (the Rev. J.J. Jennings) took his text from the First Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, chap. XIV, verse 26 — ‘And the last enemy that shall be overcome is death.’ And towards the conclusion of an able sermon on the surety of death to all animate things, Mr Jennings said: ‘I need hardly remind you of the sad event which has suggested this line of thought. Death has removed from us a kind and generous friend in the person of the late Dr Tennant. He was a member of this congregation and an office bearer in the church. And as a preacher and as a teacher he strove to extend the Kingdom of Christ and to promote His glory; and we shall miss him very much. I have always remarked that the late Dr Tennant was the best Greek scholar that I have met among medical men and I never met another so deeply versed in theology as he was. But the mystery is now explained. Dr Tennant was not only a medical man, but he died an ordained minister of religion. In the year 1857 he was recommended for the position of missionary and teacher by Dr Andrew Thompson of Edinburgh; and in the years 1859-60 and 61 while attending the University, Professor Blackie made special reference to the talents he displayed in mastering the Greek language. In 1864 he was appointed second master in Poplar College, England where Principal Telfer and Dr Brock
lehurst commended him very highly for his classical scholarship. Later on he became headmaster of the Burton Street Collegiate School, London. He subsequently entered upon the work of the Christian ministry and became the minister of the New Hall Street Church, Glasgow and was an intimate of Rev. Robert Gould, a prominent minister of that city.

  ‘In the year 1870 he re-visited Boston, America, and, at the instance of Dr Dorns Clarke, engaged in evangelistic work with Deacon Prescott of that city. He returned to Scotland the same year and became the minister of the Tylefield Street Church, Crown Port, Edinburgh. The late Sir George Harvey marked his appreciation of the work which Dr (then Mr) Tennant did in that parish by frequent contributions. Concurrent with his other studies, Dr Tennant studied medicine and in the year 1875 he went to Brazil as the medical officer on board the steamship Colina. Two years later he received the diploma from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the Glasgow University, and also the diploma from the Faculty Hall, Glasgow. He received a first-class departmental certificate for gynaeocology [sic], was licensed by the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons and was received into the membership of the British Medical Association. Dr Tennant subsequently practised for five years in London. In consequence of gout and asthma, to which he was subject, he sought the milder climate of Australia, and in 1882 visited Queensland as medical officer on board a government emigrant ship. He returned to England and in a year afterwards came again to Australia, and made his abode in New South Wales.’