Linger, Carl

Carl Ferdinand August Linger was born in Berlin in 1810 and enjoyed a successful career as a composer before leaving Hamburg for Port Adelaide in 1848 during a time of political unrest in Europe. During the voyage his wife gave birth to their daughter and the family arrived at Port Adelaide on 7 August 1849.

On their arrival Carl offered music lessons, but finding students was difficult partly because his English was poor. Taking advice that the way to make money was by owning and working the land, he acquired 80 acres of land at Munno Para. His partner turned out to be lazy and Carl had soon spent his savings and was in debt. He severed the partnership, kept half the land, the house, the agricultural tools and a large part of the debt.

He and his wife found life on the land difficult; his wife was overworked and his child sick. He decided to try his luck in the city on his own, leaving with only two shillings in his pocket.

He soon gained employment in Adelaide as a piano tuner and music teacher and was able to send for his wife and child. He was recommended as a music teacher to the best English families. After a short time, he was able to cease piano-tuning work and playing at dances. After 14 months in the city Carl was able to sell his property at Munno Para, pay off all his debts, buy a house and new furniture. He lived on North Terrace near the Governor’s residence. His wife was no longer weak and his daughter grew into a pretty girl chattering in English as well as German.

By 1859, when Carl Linger entered the competition to compose the music to The Song of Australia, he was well-known in Adelaide. He won first prize and 10 guineas (£10 and 10 shillings) in the competition.

Carl’s health declined after his wife’s death in 1860, at the age of 39 years. Before he died on 16 February 1862 at the age of 52, he arranged with friend Christiane Cranz to take his daughter to his mother in Germany. It is believed that Carl married Christiane in 1861. Married or not, a child, Carl Otto August Linger, was born on 6 May 1861 to Carl Linger and Mathilde Christiane Hogrefe.