Peter Dodds McCormick
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Peter Dodds McCormick (28 January 183330 October 1916) was an Australian schoolteacher and songwriter, known for composing the Australian
national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
, "
Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the national anthem of Australia. Written by Scottish-born Australian composer Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed as a patriotic song in Australia in 1878. It replaced "God Save the King, God Save th ...
". He published under the pseudonym Amicus, Latin for "friend".


Early life

Peter Dodds McCormick was born to Peter McCormick and Janet () at
Port Glasgow Port Glasgow (, ) is the second-largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19,426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16,617 persons. The most recent census in 2011 s ...
, Scotland in 1833.


Biography

Peter completed an apprenticeship as a
joiner Joinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining pieces of wood, engineered lumber, or synthetic substitutes (such as laminate), to produce more complex items. Some woodworking joints employ mechanical fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, ...
in Scotland before emigrating to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
(at that time the principal city of the British colony of
New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
) on 21 February 1855. He initially worked as a joiner for "some years". McCormick spent most of his work life employed by the NSW Education Department. In 1863 he was appointed teacher-in charge at St Mary's National School. McCormick married Emily Boucher, a sewing teacher, on 16 July 1863, who died on 11 March 1866, aged 22. He remarried, to Emma Elizabeth Dening, on 22 December 1866. He also taught at the Presbyterian Denominational school in the Sydney suburb of Woolloomooloo in 1867. McCormick then moved to Dowling Plunkett Street Public School in 1878 where he remained until 1885. McCormick was heavily involved in the Scottish Presbyterian Church and was active in a number of community and benevolent organisations. He began his involvement with Sydney's St Stephen's Church as a
stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
, working on the now demolished Phillip Street Church (where
Martin Place Martin Place is a pedestrian mall in the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia. Martin Place has been described as the "civic heart" of Sydney.
now stands). The Rev Hugh Darling was so impressed with his singing on the job he asked him to join the
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
. McCormick's musical ability led him to becoming the precentor of the Presbyterian Church of NSW, which gave him the opportunity to conduct very large massed choirs. He was also convenor of the Presbyterian Church Assembly's Committee on Psalmody. Also a talented composer, he published around 30 patriotic and Scottish songs, some of which became very popular. Included in his collected works was "Advance Australia Fair", which was first performed in public by Andrew Fairfax at the
St Andrew's Day Saint Andrew's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Andrew or Andermas, is the feast day of Andrew the Apostle. It is celebrated on 30 November, during Scotland's Winter Festival. Saint Andrew is the disciple in the New Testament who introduc ...
concert of the Highland Society on 30 November 1878. "Advance Australia Fair" became quite a popular patriotic song. The ''
Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...
'' described the music as bold and stirring, and the words "decidedly patriotic" – it was "likely to become a popular favourite". Later under the pseudonym ''Amicus'' (which means 'friend' in Latin), he had the music and four verses published by W. H. Paling & Co. Ltd. The song quickly gained popularity and an amended version was sung by a choir of 10,000 at the inauguration of the
Commonwealth of Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a total area of , making it the sixth-largest country in ...
on 1 January 1901. In 1907, the
New South Wales Government The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...
awarded McCormick £100 for his patriotic composition which he registered for
copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive legal right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, ...
in 1915. In a letter to R. B. Fuller Esq., dated 1 August 1913, McCormick described the circumstances that inspired him to pen the lyrics of his famous song:


Death

McCormick died in 1916, aged 83, at his home, Clydebank, in the Sydney suburb of Waverley and he was buried at
Rookwood Cemetery Rookwood Cemetery (officially named Rookwood Necropolis) is a heritage-listed cemetery in Rookwood, Sydney, Australia. It is the largest necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere and is the world's largest remaining operating cemetery from the ...
. He had no children; he was survived by his second wife Emma. His obituary in the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' stated: "Mr. McCormick established a reputation with the patriotic song, ''
Advance Australia Fair "Advance Australia Fair" is the national anthem of Australia. Written by Scottish-born Australian composer Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed as a patriotic song in Australia in 1878. It replaced "God Save the King, God Save th ...
'', which ... has come to be recognised as something in the nature of an Australian National Anthem". The song was performed by massed bands at the Federal capital celebrations in
Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
in 1927. In 1984 it was formally declared as the Australian national anthem, replacing God Save the Queen.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McCormick, Peter Dodds 1830s births 1916 deaths Scottish Presbyterians Scottish emigrants to colonial Australia Australian male composers Australian composers Australian Presbyterians National anthem writers Australian stonemasons Burials at Rookwood Cemetery