Lennie Gwyther

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Lennie (Len) Gwyther
Statue of Lennie on Ginger Mick's back in Leongatha
Memorial statue in Leongatha
Born18 April 1922
Leongatha, Victoria, Australia
Died18 June 1992 (aged 70)
Other namesLennie the Legend
Known forSolo horse journey at age 9, to watch the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Lennie Gwyther (18 April 1922 – 18 June 1992) was an Australian figure of significance due to his 1932 solo horseback journey, as a nine-year-old boy, from Leongatha, Victoria, to Sydney, New South Wales. Accompanied by his horse, Ginger Mick, Gwyther undertook a 1,000-kilometre (620 mi) journey to watch the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.[1]

Early life[edit]

Charles James Leonard "Lennie" Gwyther was born in Leongatha, on 18 April 1922 to parents Captain Leo Tennyson Gwyther and Clara Amelia Gwyther (née Simon).[2]

On his second birthday, Lennie's grandfather gave him a chestnut pony named Ginger Mick[2][3][4] who shared his birthday.[5] Ginger Mick was named after Lenny's father's favourite character from C.J Dennis' book The Moods of Ginger Mick.[6]

When Lennie was nine, his father broke his leg while working on the farm.[7] While his father was in hospital, Lennie took over the responsibilities on the farm.

Offered a reward for this work, Lennie asked to attend the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. That was largely because of his interest with the engineering and construction of the bridge.[8] His mother, Clara (Clare) Gwyther, was unsure of this arrangement but, due to the fulfilment of his duties, communication with those in Sydney, and the map Lennie and Captain Leo Tennyson Gwyther created, she allowed Lennie to go.[2][6]

Lennie photographed on his journey with Ginger Mick

Journey to Sydney[edit]

On 3 February 1932, Lennie and Ginger Mick left Leongatha on the expedition to Sydney. He carried a haversack that included his toothbrush, silk pyjamas, spare clothes and a water bottle.[9]

Lennie alongside Ginger Mick before he departed

His journey was widely publicised in the media, particularly newspapers.[2] Frequent updates regarding his whereabouts led Lennie to encounter experiences that were unprecedented on his departure. For example, outside of Parliament House in Canberra he met, shook the hand of, and had tea with Prime Minister Joseph Lyons'.[1][10] Other instances include being "attacked by vagabonds" and being met with a bushfire.[10] In Sydney, he met with Lord Mayor, Sir Samuel Walder, while also looking at Circular Quay, Bondi Beach and Taronga Zoo, where he rode an elephant.[1][11]

As he arrived in Martin Place, accompanied by 25 police, Gwyther was met by 10,000 cheering citizens.[12][9] The Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society, Colonel Somerville, also greeted him.[12] He was wearing "khaki breeches, boots, and leggings, and a thick coat, and [was] carrying a cloth sun hat in his hand."

Taking part in the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge parade

On 19 March 1932, Gwyther, with Ginger Mick, participated in the Royal Easter Show and paraded across the Sydney Harbour bridge in its opening.[1][9] Following that, on 21 March, Lennie met cricketer Don Bradman at the Sydney Cricket Ground where he was given a signed cricket bat.

His journey home involved talking to children at Gunning Public School about his experience as well as celebrating his tenth birthday with shire councillors, being given one Australian pound.[13] As he passed through Urana, he attended a children's ball as well as a reception organised by the local shire president.[14] He also spent a couple of days in Widgiewa with councillor Otway McLaurin Falkiner.[14]

Upon his arrival back to Leongatha, Lennie was met by 800 citizens.[15] He also delivered a return letter from Sydney's Lord Mayor to the president of the Woorayl Shire Council.[15]

Gwyther was also recorded in the Guilds Records as the "youngest known person to make a solo equestrian journey."[16] In Leongatha, Victoria, Gwyther Siding Road was named after him.[17]

On 10 June, after his tenth birthday, Lennie Gwyther returned home and resumed with his family commitments on the Leongatha 'Flers' farm.[1]

Later life and death[edit]

At the age of 19, Lennie enlisted in the army for World War II where he served in the Morotai Islands[18] in the Pacific.

He worked as an engineer with General Motors' Holden at Fishermans Bend, Victoria and lived in the Melbourne suburb of Hampton.[1][2][18][19]

In later life, Lennie's passion for fishing and sailing was reflected in the fact that he built a yacht, with the intention of sailing to Tasmania and then to New Zealand.[1][20] His granddaughter commented in 2015 that "he had a lathe in the shed and he was always turning wood or making tools or tables. There wasn't really anything he couldn't do. I'm sure he would have attempted sailing around the world, that's how adventurous he was."

Lennie Gwyther died of cancer in 1992, at the age of 70.[2][20]

Popular culture[edit]

Lennie Gwyther has been commemorated and referenced in popular culture, indicating his ongoing legacy into the 21st century.

Books[edit]

On 1 February 2015, NLA Publishing published Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony by Stephanie Owen Reeder.[6] It is a children's book which follows Gwyther and Ginger Mick on their journey to New South Wales from Victoria while also referencing Lennie and his family history.[21] In 2016, this book won Children's Book Council of Australia's (CBCA's) Eve Pownall Award for Information Books.[22]

Peter Lalor's book The Bridge: An Epic Story of an Australian Icon - the Sydney Harbour Bridge (2006) also commemorates Lennie Gwyther in chapter 11.[8]

Mary Small's book Lennie's Ride (2010), published by Small Endeavour Publishing, also references Lennie Gwyther and his story.[23] The illustrator of the pictures is Marion Wilcocks.[23] It includes a chapter that was written with assistance from Beryl Ferrier, Lennie's sister, regarding their family and the farm.[5]

Lennie's sister, Beryl Ferrier, also wrote a book Lennie Rides on and Reflections which was published in 2016.[24]

Corinne Fenton's To The Bridge (illustrated by Andrew McLean) is a children's book which tells the story of Lennie's ride.[25]

Radio[edit]

In February 2018, on the ABC radio program "Conversations", Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, with guest Peter Lalor, spoke about Lennie Gwyther and his journey in the "depression-era Australia".[26]

On 17 April 2018, the ABC program "History Listen", produced by Lyn Gallacher, included a "Lennie the Legend" episode, featuring Lennie's family members, Julie Campbell and Beryl Ferrier, author Stephanie Owen Reeder, and music teachers Roz Girvan from Clifton Hill and Jess Stein from Leongatha Primary School.[27][28]

Commemorative statue[edit]

A statue to commemorate Lennie and Ginger Mick's journey was unveiled in Leongatha in 2017.[29]

Funded through a Federal Government community grant and community fundraising,[17] the statue is located next to a public rest stop.[30]

The statue was designed in-house and manufactured at Arrow Bronze of Dandenong, Victoria.[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Webb, Carolyn (22 January 2015). "The nine-year-old who rode a pony 1000km to Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "THE STORY". lenniegwyther. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  3. ^ "LENNIE GWYTHER Long Ride Ended". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 June 1932. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. ^ "THE BOY WITH THE PONY". Sydney Morning Herald. 12 March 1932. p. 9. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Lennie's famous ride adds a new bronzed chapter". Queensland Times. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Reeder, Stephanie Owen (1 February 2015). Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony. National Library of Australia. ISBN 9780642278654.
  7. ^ "Signing into eresources, The University of Sydney Library". login.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au. Retrieved 7 May 2019.[full citation needed]
  8. ^ a b Lalor, Peter (2006). The Bridge: An Epic Story of an Australian Icon - the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. pp. 255–280.
  9. ^ a b c "On Pony". Mullumbimby Star. 17 March 1932. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Lennie Gwyther statue | Russell Broadbent". Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  11. ^ Technologies (www.eruditetechnologies.com.au), Erudite. "National Library of Australia Bookshop". bookshop.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  12. ^ a b "550-MILE PONY RIDE Thousands Greet Boy". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 March 1932. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Lennie Gwyther's Return Journey". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 April 1932. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  14. ^ a b "LENNIE GWYTHER". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 May 1932. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  15. ^ a b "LENNIE GWYTHER". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 June 1932. p. 18. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  16. ^ "News 2015". www.thelongridersguild.com. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Immortalising Lennie". South Gippsland Sentinel-Times. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  18. ^ a b Sophie Dixon (7 August 2016), Lennie Gwyther and Ginger Mick, retrieved 11 May 2019
  19. ^ Lucas, Rachael (19 October 2017). "Leongatha's legendary 9yo Lennie Gwyther remembered for epic pony ride". ABC News. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Amazing boy and his horse case in bronze". weeklytimesnow.com.au. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  21. ^ Reeder, Stephanie Owen (1 February 2015). Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony. National Library of Australia. ISBN 9780642278654.
  22. ^ Morris, Linda (18 August 2016). "The Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year Awards: the winners your kids must read". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  23. ^ a b Small, Mary; Wilcocks, illustrator.), Mario (2018). Lennie's ride (Reprinted 2018 ed.). Sydney : Small Endeavour Publishing. ISBN 9780646531946.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ "Lennie's famous ride adds a new bronzed chapter". Morning Bulletin. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  25. ^ "Review: To The Bridge: The Journey of Lennie and Ginger Mick". Kids Book Review. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  26. ^ "A boy, his pony and the Sydney Harbour Bridge". ABC Radio. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  27. ^ "The History Listen - ABC RN – Lennie the legend – 28:22". radiopublic.com. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Lennie the legend". Radio National. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Lennie's statue to be revealed | The Star". thestar.com.au. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  30. ^ "Lennie Gwyther Statue (Leongatha) - 2019 All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)". TripAdvisor. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  31. ^ Giles, Michael (2021). Re: Lennie Gwyther statue. (Pers. Comm.).
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