Edward Dyson

Edward George Dyson (4 March 1865 – 22 August 1931) was an Australian journalist, poet, playwright and short story writer. He was the elder brother of talented illustrators Will Dyson and Ambrose Dyson.

He was born at Morrisons near Ballarat in March 1865. His father, George Dyson, arrived in Australia in 1852 and after working on various diggings became a mining engineer. His mother, Jane, née Mayall, came from 'a life of refinement in England'. The family led a roving life during Dyson's childhood, moving successively to Alfredton, Bendigo, Ballarat and Alfredton again.

At 12 he began to work as an assistant to a travelling draper, During his teens he worked in various jobs 'below and on top' at Ballarat, Clunes, Bungaree, Lefroy (Tasmania), Smeaton and Gordon. About 1883 the family settled in South Melbourne.

At 19, he began writing verse and, a few years later, embarked on a life of freelance journalism which lasted until his death. In 1896 he published a volume of poems, Rhymes from the Mines and, in 1898, the first collection of his short stories, Below and On Top.

His first real success came in 1889 when his short story A Golden Shanty was used as the title-piece in the Bulletin's Christmas anthology. His play, The Golden Shanty was first performed in Sydney on 30 August 1913.

In 1901, his first long story, The Gold-stealers, was published in London, which was followed by In the Roaring Fifties in 1906. In the same year appeared Fact'ry 'Ands, a series of more or less connected sketches dealing with factory life in Melbourne in a vein of humour. Various other stories and collections of stories were published in the Bookstall Series and will be found listed in Miller's bibliography of Australian Literature. Another volume of verse, Hello, Soldier!, appeared in 1919. Dyson did an enormous amount of work for many years until he broke down under the strain and died after a long illness on 22 August 1931. His wife Dorothy (née Boyes), whom he married in 1914, survived him with their one daughter aged 14.

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