The Autobiography of Sir William Topaz McGonagall
A long and detailed account of McGonagall’s life and adventures which has been divided into more manageable sections…
| Part 1 | Early days, his inspiration to become a poet and his first appearance on the stage. |
|---|---|
| Part 2 | The famous journey to Balmoral and the reception he got there. |
| Part 3 | A concert in the village of Fowlis and his adventures on the way home. |
| Part 4 | McGonagall’s trip to New York and the things he saw there. |
| Part 5 | He leaves Dundee for Perth, and receives a hearty highland welcome in Inverness. |
| Part 6 | A practical joke results in his visiting London. |
| Part 7 | Perth proves too small for a member of the Order of the White Elephant. |
Other Autobiographical Accounts
| A Summary History of Poet McGonagall | What appears to be an early account by McGonagall which concentrates on his family and his childhood in the Orkney islands. |
|---|---|
| Brief Autobiography | A short account principally taken up with the epic trip to Balmoral. |
| Reminiscences | A tirade against publicans – one of whom was “the first man to throw peas at me”, with some insights into the economics of being a working poet. |
| The Book of the Lamentations of the Poet Macgonagall | A false – almost libellous – autobiography, written by one John Willocks in 1885 that may nonetheless have some basis in truth. |
Official Documents
| Marriage Record | The record of William’s marriage in 1846. |
|---|---|
| McGonagall in the Census | Every ten years the population was recorded in an official census. The entries provide a fascinating series of snapshots of the changes in the poet’s life and circumstances. |
| McGonagall at Ellis Island | An official record of William’s transatlantic voyage in 1887. |
| Death Record | The record of William’s death on 26th September 1902. |
Newspaper Accounts
News of the Poet’s doings in and around the city was a regular feature of the Dundee newspapers. Often focusing on the near riotous disorder that generally ensued when the Poet attempted to display his talents in public, the following articles offer a vivid picture of his career:
| Recollections of “a Stage-Struck Hero” | An eye-witness recalls McGonagall's early stage appearances. | July 1872 |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday Evening Concerts Thistle and Victoria Halls | Pre-poetry McGonagall appears in a mixed concert and demonstrates "a style of acting peculiarly his own" | October 1876 |
| The First Poem | McGonagall's first ever poem, as it appeared in the Weekly News. | July 1877 |
| An Offended Poet | "Publish my poems or I'll stop sending them to you!" the offended poet threatens | January 1878 |
| Job’s Reflections on the “Great McGonagall” | A rave review of his first publication, where the writer has "no hesitation in declaring that Shakespeare never wrote, poetry like Mr McGonagall's" | May 1878 |
| “Her Majesty’s Poet” and his Grocer | Hard times for the poet, but his fame has spread as far as Leeds! | June 1878 |
| Rivals in Renown | McGonagall's fortunes are compared to Tennyson's | June 1878 |
| Extraordinary Freak of a Dundee “Poet” | A report of the famous trip to Balmoral | June 1878 |
| Rev. G Gilfillan and Poet McGonagall | A thank-you letter for his book of poems | July 1878 |
| Correspondence | McGonagall has written a drinking song! | March 1879 |
| Poet McGonagall at the Working Men’s Club | McGonagall's "manner and method" throws the efforts of all the other performers into the shade. | April 1879 |
| To Correspondents | A first glimpse of the Newport Railway | June 1879 |
| To Poet McGonagall | Poetic advice published in the People's Journal | June 1879 |
| Poet McGonagall’s Holiday Tour | An unsuccessful tramp out to Coupar Angus | June 1879 |
| Grand Entertainment by Mr McGonagall | The poet is the subject of a poem, for once | July 1879 |
| Entertainment by Mr McGonagall at Lochee | Another show, another riot | July 1879 |
| A Night with the “Poet” McGonagall | A brief report of another performance | October 1879 |
| Poet McGonagall’s Tour Through Fife | An account, written by the poet himself, of a typically frustrating reading tour. | October 1879 |
| Entertainment by “Poet” McGonagall | "Mr McGonagall's vocal powers are only equalled his elocutionary ability" | October 1879 |
| Grand Entertainment by Poet McGonagall | A few new poems are added to his usual repetoire | December 1879 |
| The Poet McGonagall Interviewed | A few words with the poet, before his going on stage in Newport. | April 1880 |
| A Bogus Boucicault | A meeting with a famous dramatist turns out to be a hoax | June 1880 |
| McGonagall’s Return from London | The Poet's friends seek to cheer him up after his misadventures in the capital. | July 1880 |
| Accident to McGonagall | McGonagall falls victim to the crowd's "enthusiasm" | August 1880 |
| McGonagall in the Thistle Hall | A typically riotous and unprofitable stage appearance. | October 1880 |
| McGonagall in Excelsis | A slightly more successful performance, financially if not artistically. | November 1880 |
| Hoaxing the Public | A "working man" is unimpressed by a McGonagall performance | December 1880 |
| McGonagall at Arbroath | For once it is the audience that is at risk of injury in this account. | February 1881 |
| A Dundee “Bard” at Brechin | Guess which one. | April 1881 |
| Montrose | Another venture into the surrounding towns for "The McGonagall". | May 1881 |
| McGonagall on the Tour | This time he's in Coupar Angus | June 1881 |
| Assault on the Police – The “Poet’s” Son in Trouble | Charles is in trouble after an affray at Step Row | August 1881 |
| “Poet” McGonagall at Lochee | Missiles thrown at the poet include a bag of treacle | September 1881 |
| Sir Garnet Wolseley and the Poet McGonagall | As if fighting off fourteen thousand Egyptians wasn't enough for Sir Garnet to deal with | November 1882 |
| Poet McGonagall’s Plaint | Quoting Shakespeare in the Police Court | February 1883 |
| A Specimen “Poem” | They're not impressed by McGonagall's gifts down in Liverpool | June 1884 |
| A Noisy Entertainment | McGonagall's son gets into the act | July 1884 |
| School Board Prosecutions in Dundee | William's granddaughter has been skipping school | February 1885 |
| The Domestic Troubles of a “Poet” | Overindulgence in the demon drink gets William's daughter five days in prison | May 1886 |
| Local Jottings | The first inkling of the trip to New York | February 1887 |
| Local Jottings | More threats to "take himself out of the country" from the poet | February 1887 |
| Poet McGonagall on the Atlantic | A poem-strewn diary of his journey to New York. He seems to spend most of the time eating! | April 1887 |
| Return of McGonagall, the Poet, to Scotland | "Inspiration seems to have seized him very often, especially after dinner" | May 1887 |
| An Extraordinary Poet | News of McGonagall's return from America | May 1887 |
| McGonagall’s Address to the New Tay Bridge | A new "McGonagallian masterpiece" is hailed | July 1887 |
| The Lorgnette | McGonagall "declines to be trammelled with the rules of poesy" | December 1887 |
| A Letter to the Editor | An anonymous correspondent seeks to defend the great man from snowballs | March 1888 |
| The Poet McGonagall in Tribulation | McGonagall ends up minus a tooth after a fracas in a shop | May 1888 |
| McGonagall Assaulted | When the poet loses a tooth in a scuffle, it makes the news as far south as Sheffield | May 1888 |
| Magnificent Gift to Poet McGonagall | McGonagall's American admirers send him some dubious shares. | August 1888 |
| The Great McGonagall | A performance in Arbroath leads to the usual chaos | December 1888 |
| McGonagall at the Circus | A plot among the city's publicans ruins his debut under the big top | December 1888 |
| McGonagal at the Nethergate Circus | McGonagall appears in the big top in this hair-raising account. | December 1888 |
| McGonagall in the Circus Again | A return visit to the big top is marginally more successful | December 1888 |
| The “Poet” McGonagall Denounces Football | Apparently all footballers are addicted to drinking, including the poet's son | December 1888 |
| McGonagall as Macbeth | The tragedian gets the same rough reception as the poet did from the circus crowd. | January 1889 |
| McGonagall at the Circus | McGonagall shows his audience "how Macbeth should be played" | February 1889 |
| McGonagall’s New Reading of “Macbeth” | If Henry Irving was there to pick up any tips, he was disappointed | February 1889 |
| McGonagall in Glasgow | Where a local journalist compares him with Walt Whitman! | April 1889 |
| Licence for Cooke’s Circus | McGonagall's removal from the bill was one of the conditions | August 1889 |
| McGonagall, Poet and Tragedian | The Piper o'Dundee greets the publication of William's first book. | May 1890 |
| Welcome to Stanley | A special prize is awarded to McGonagall | June 1890 |
| McGonagall in the Free Library | McGonagall presents a free copy of his magnum opus | September 1890 |
| City Gossip | An admirer from Zululand writes that McGonagall's poems "show a taste not to be met with in many of the writings of the present age." | March 1891 |
| A Night with McGonagall | The gift of a giant sausage offends the poet | March 1891 |
| “Poetic Gems” by William McGonagall | The Evening Telegraph greets the publication of the book | March 1891 |
| McGonagall in the Free Library | A second volume of Gems is donated to the library | March 1891 |
| Dundee’s Laureate McGonagall | A review of the second series of Poetic Gems | March 1891 |
| City Gossip | The second volume of Poetic Gems is out, "the greatest work ever issued from the Dundee press". | March 1891 |
| The Poet of Dundee | The latest gem sings the praises of Monikie | May 1891 |
| City Gossip | An unsuccessful manuscript sale, and fan mail from Brazil | June 1891 |
| The McGonagall on Tour | An interview with the poet as he passes through Brechin | August 1891 |
| City Gossip | McGonagall petitions for a state pension | September 1891 |
| Music and The Drama | A passing reference to the great man in a Manchester diary column | February 1892 |
| A Night with McGonagall | A night of poetry, tragedy and even literary criticism from the great man | February 1892 |
| The Bold McGonagall | Son John is in trouble with the law again | February 1892 |
| McGonagall Again | With "addresses pouring in on every hand" things are looking up for the poet | March 1892 |
| Dramatic Recital by McGonagall | A less successful return visit to the "Dundee, Lochee, and East of Scotland Poetical and Dramatical Society" | April 1892 |
| City Gossip | The Troubles of Matthew Mahoney is hot off the press | October 1892 |
| City Gossip | The Lifeboat Demonstration is described, even though the poet didn't see it. | October 1892 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | He pays tribute to the late Lord Tennyson | October 1892 |
| City Gossip | Tennyson is dead, but the English have the succession of the Laureateship sewn up. | October 1892 |
| Gossip from Truth | He might have a chance at the Laureateship, if only he can keep writing like Walt Whitman! | October 1892 |
| City Gossip | A rebuke from one nobleman is followed by an order from another | October 1892 |
| Gossip From Truth | The Marquis of Lorne does not appreciate the Poet's gifts | November 1892 |
| Literary News and Notes, etc | News of McGonagall's claims to the Laureateship reaches Australia | December 1892 |
| City Gossip | One of many appearances in the Weekly News' diary column, here the Poet tells us why he may leave Dundee, and how he could be persuaded to stay. | January 1893 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | News of the tweed suit, and the poets thanks for it | January 1893 |
| City Gossip | A rival greets the news of McGonagall's threatened departure. | January 1893 |
| City Gossip | McGonagall replies to his rival's poetic assault. | January 1893 |
| McGonagall and the Basket | A case for CSI Dundee | February 1893 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | The tweed suit is almost ready | February 1893 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | The tweed suit arrives, but not at Step Row | February 1893 |
| McGonagall’s New Tweed Suit | The much-awaited tweed suit arrives | March 1893 |
| A Correspondent Writes | A fund is being got up to help McGonagall | March 1893 |
| Presentations to Poet McGonagall | More backhanded gifts for the Poet, this time including a ridiculous hat. | March 1893 |
| Honour to McGonagall | A piano almost becomes a casualty of the battle of Bannockburn | April 1893 |
| The McGonagall Family in Trouble | The poet's son and daughter are accused of a serious assault | April 1893 |
| The Poet McGonagall In Court | McGonagall comes to the defence of his children | April 1893 |
| Poet McGonagall Disgusted with Dundee | McGonagall takes another step towards leaving Dundee | May 1893 |
| McGonagall in Arbroath | He's there to present the prizes at a football match | May 1893 |
| Poet McGonagall Returns Thanks | A kind reception from the Arbroath Oddfellows earns them an ode | May 1893 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | The poet is advised to put in a claim for the Laureateship | July 1894 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | McGonagall is introduced to Lord Grey. Next stop the Queen! | August 1894 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | Tayport is honoured with a visit and a poem | August 1894 |
| McGonagall and the Laureateship | McGonagall is ready, should Her Majesty require his services | August 1894 |
| Poet McGonagall’s “Modest Request” | The poet tries to get free transport across the silvery Tay | September 1894 |
| “Too Deep for Music” | The reason why there'll never be a McGonagall musical, apparently. | September 1894 |
| Poet McGonagall Evicted | An ignominious end to McGonagall's long residence in Dundee | October 1894 |
| City Gossip | McGonagall finally makes good his threat to leave Dundee. | October 1894 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | Can Sir Henry Irving compete with McGonagall? The reporter thinks not | November 1894 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | Four giants of nineteenth century literature and drama meet up in Edinburgh | November 1894 |
| Sons of the Great McGonagall | Two of the poet's sons are in court for fighting each other | December 1894 |
| Small Talk | A short review of the works of an "untutored genius" | December 1894 |
| A “Knighthood” for Poet McGonagall | The first news of his Burmese knighthood | February 1895 |
| Honours to Poet McGonagall | The poet is simultaneously honoured in Burma and Canada | February 1895 |
| McGonagall’s Departure from Perth | Perth's loss is Edinburgh's gain | May 1895 |
| McGonagall on Blackie | Posthumously, of course. | June 1895 |
| Poet McGonagall as Judge Colston’s Rival | McGonagall shows a rival how it's done. | October 1895 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | There's no chance of McGonagall coming back to Dundee | October 1895 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | This time he's entertaining the Edinburgh Volunteers | November 1895 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | Glasgow readies itself for an appearance by Sir William | February 1896 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | The sole surviving fragment of a missing "gem" | June 1896 |
| All Sorts and Conditions | A diary column entry admires his "Address to the Moon" | April 1897 |
| Here and There | A London publisher produces a jubilee edition of his works | June 1897 |
| “Poet” McGonagall On Bennet And His Bauble | An affront to Queen Victoria supposedly raises the poet's ire | October 1897 |
| Sir William Topaz McGonagall’s Poetic Recital | The pianist doesn't show up, but the show must go on! | December 1898 |
| Poet McGonagall at Crieff | Another boisterous McGonagall concert, but this time he's got police protection. | May 1899 |
| The One and Only | Two new poems from a unique writer | August 1900 |
| “Truth” on McGonagall | The things you have to deal with as a King. | March 1901 |
| Mixed Jute Yarns | McGonagall is spurned in the Dundee market. | August 1901 |
| Poet McGonagall in Perth | A return visit, for one night only, to the Fair City | December 1901 |
| McGonagall at Perth | Perth gives the Poet a warm welcome | December 1901 |
| Perth’s “Hundred Consummate Asses” | The Lyric Club is rebuked for their treatment of McGonagall | December 1901 |
| McGonagall in Perth – The Poet Kindly Treated | A correspondent comes to the defence of the Lyric Club | December 1901 |
| Poet’s Son in Trouble | One of William's sons gets 20 days in jail for theft. | September 1902 |
| Death of McGonagall, “The Poet” | The Edinburgh Evening News carries the sad tidings | September 1902 |
| Day by Day | A diary column carries news of the poet's death | September 1902 |
Obituaries
The passing of the great Poet and tragedian was marked in the following Dundee newspapers after his death on the 29th September 1902:
