The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn

by Henry Kingsley

"Kingsley's first novel, 'The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn', was published in mid-1859 and was immediately successful... It traces the adventures of the Buckles and Brentwoods, Devonshire county families whose dwindling incomes could not sustain their position, leading them to seek better fortune in Australia. According to W. K. Hancock, Kingsley probably saw Tubbutt station near Delegate for it strongly resembles the setting in which Major Buckley made his elegant home. Bushfires, bushrangers and cattle-branding scenes provide drama, and the more sympathetic characters marry beautiful and wealthy brides."--Australian Dictionary of Biography.

Genres: Literature, Fiction, Australia

471 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1859

About the author

Henry Kingsley (2 January 1830 – 24 May 1876) was an English novelist, brother of the better-known Charles Kingsley. He was an early exponent of Muscular Christianity in his 1859 work The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn.

Kingsley was born at Barnack rectory, Northamptonshire, son of the Rev. Charles Kingsley the elder and Mary, née Lucas. Charles Kingsley came of a long line of clergymen and soldiers, and there were several writers in the family besides Henry and Charles, including Mary Kingsley, who was an explorer and writer, Charlotte Kingsely Chanter, a botanical writer and novelist, and George Kingsley, a traveller and writer.

Henry Kingsley's boyhood was spent at Clovelly and Chelsea, before attending King's College School, King's College London, and Worcester College, Oxford, which he left without graduating. An opportune legacy from a relation enabled him to leave Oxford free of debt and emigrate to Australia, arriving at Melbourne in the Gauntlet in December 1853 with Henry Venables. He became involved in gold-digging, and later joined the mounted police.

For some time Kingsley had little or no money and carried his swag from station to station. Philip Russell stated in 1887 that he employed Kingsley at his station Langa-Willi, and that Geoffry Hamlyn was begun there. Miss Rose Browne, the daughter of "Rolf Boldrewood", has stated that it was on her father's suggestion that Kingsley began to write. Russell's story is confirmed by her further statement that her father gave Kingsley a letter to Mr Mitchell of Langa-Willi station, that he stayed with Mitchell, and there wrote Geoffry Hamlyn.

On his return to the UK in 1857, Kingsley devoted himself to literature, and wrote several well-regarded novels, including Geoffry Hamlyn (1859), set in Colebrooke, Devon, and Australia, The Hillyars and the Burtons (1865), Ravenshoe (1861), and Austin Elliot (1863). Ravenshoe is generally regarded as the best. Henry Kingsley married Sarah Maria Haselwood on 19 July 1864. In 1869, he went to Edinburgh to edit the Daily Review, but he soon gave this up, and in 1870 became war correspondent for the paper during the Franco-German War.

Kingsley also published Leighton Court (1866), Mademoiselle Mathilde (1868), Tales of Old Travel re-narrated (1869), Stretton (1869), The Boy in Grey (1871), Hetty and other Stories (1871), Old Margaret (1871), Hornby Mills and other Stories (1872), Valentine (1872), The Harveys (1872), Oakshott Castle (1873), Reginald Hetherege (1874), Number Seventeen (1875), The Grange Garden (1876), Fireside Studies (Essays) (1876), The Mystery of the Island (1877).[6]

Kingsley and his wife moved to Cuckfield, Sussex late in 1874, where Kingsley died of cancer of the tongue on 24 May 1876.

Reviews

[Andrew Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.

"While I was learning the Latin grammar, I learnt other things besides, of more use than the construction of any languages, living or dead. First, I learnt that there were certain things in this world that MUST be done. Next, that there were people in this world, of whom the Masters of Eton were a sample, whose orders must be obeyed without question. Third, I found that it was pleasanter in all ways to do one's duty than to leave it undone. And last, I found out how to bear a moderate amount of birching without any indecent outcry."

The Wikipedia page for Henry Kingsley says he was an early exponent of Muscular Christianity. Yeah, you don't say.

Actually there isn't a great deal of Muscular Christianity in The Recollections of Geoffrey Hamlyn, or a great deal of much else. Despite moving from Devon to New South Wales, it manages to not really go anywhere or say or mean anything. It's like listening to the Archers, and it's wonderful.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is like a collection of short stories involving the same characters rather than a novel. It is almost like it was written for children (except for the violence and racism of course) in how simplistic the storyline is - with those that are 'good' mostly being rewarded with young, beautiful and wealthy wives and those that are 'bad' finally getting their comeuppance.
The storyline follows a few families from England as they decide to emigrate to Australia - this takes the first half of the book.
The rest of the book is about their adventures in Australia and does not age well - with extreme racism involved - apologies to any indigenous readers of this book.
This story is like biting into fairy floss - it looks good, but has no substance and can make you feel a bit ill afterwards.

[John Bowis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry was the brother of the better known Charles Kingsley. He lived a challenging life in Australia, where he is better known. This experience is the dramatic background to this book, where we meet the pioneers of life in the country and their relationship with both aboriginal people and the violent and lawless gangs that preyed on settlers and farmers and who were often escaped from the restricted life of those transported by British courts. His attitudes to the native peoples jars but is of its time and his representation of all the individuals highlights their qualities as well as where they dwelt in the social hierarchy. Allow for this and one finds a well written book of adventures, relationships, love and sometimes tragedy.

[Christopher Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drags.