Caroline Carleton

Caroline Carleton (6 October 1811 – 10 July 1874) was an English-born South Australian poet who is best known for her prize-winning poem Song of Australia, which, put to a tune by Carl Linger was used as a patriotic song in South Australian schools and elsewhere, and one of four in a national plebiscite to select a National Song in 1977.

Caroline Baynes was born at Bonnar's Hall (also written Bonner's Hall), Middlesex near London, the youngest child of bookseller William Baynes (29 May 1760 – 7 January 1832) and his second wife Mary Ann (née Bailey) (1771–1862). Although her birthdate is generally given as 1820, this may have been a useful fiction, as baptism records give the 1811 date.

She was highly intelligent and received a good education. She could converse in French and Italian, as well as being well-versed in Latin; she played pianoforte and harp. In 1836, at West Hackney (perhaps on York Road near modern Dalston?), she married Charles James Carleton, a medical student working at Guy's Hospital and who could claim a family connection with the Earls of Dorchester. Together with their two young children (James Poole Carleton born 23 April 1839 and one other) they left for Australia in 1839, on the Prince Regent. It was a rough passage and both children died and were buried at sea. The passengers disembarked at Glenelg on 26 September 1839.