Mary Hannay Foott

Who was Mary Hannay Foott?

Mary Hannay Foott, was an Australian poet and editor who is best remembered for the poem Where the pelican builds.

Mary Hannay Foott was born at Glasgow to a merchant, James Black, and his wife Miss Grant. The family came to Australia in 1853. Mary lived for some years with her parents near Melbourne and went to Miss Harper's school. She was afterwards one of the first students at the Melbourne National Gallery Art School, and also studied painting under Louis Buvelot.

In 1874 Mary married Thomas Wade Foott and lived for three years in Bourke, New South Wales. In 1877 her husband took up country on the Paroo River in South West Queensland. One of her poems, "New Country", is descriptive of her own experience, and the next seven years in this country had a great influence on her writings. Her husband died in 1884 from over-work and exposure during the drought of that year, and the losses of stock were so great that Mrs Foott was obliged to sell her interest in the property and move to Toowoomba, Queensland.

In July 1885 Foott went to Rocklea, near Brisbane, and opened a private school which supported her family.