Harry Lauder's Walking Stick

As I sit and look out at the cold January landscape and plot my return to gardening, one of the plants that will be added to the yard will be something called a "Harry Lauder's walking stick" (Corylus Avellana 'Contorta'). It looks like something that was a prop out of a Harry Potter movie or the result of a poorly-aimed bolt from Gandalf's staff. It is a twisted and gnarled little tree that is unremarkable when green but very interesting in winter.

I've liked the look of Harry Lauder's walking stick for some time as I want a garden that has interest to both an adult and a child. But as I can't do more than plan (at the moment), I thought I would try to find out a little more about this Harry Lauder. And -- through the wonders of the internet -- I found out quite a bit.

In most descriptions of the tree, Lauder is simply mentioned as a vaudevillian who would take the stage with a gnarled walking stick. He was quite a bit more than that. Lauder was born in Portobello, Scotland, into a family of eight. His father, a miner, died of pneumonia when he was 12. Harry, the eldest child, did what he could to help provide for his family by going into the mines but his call was to the stage. Even in the mines, Lauder found opportunities to perform.

Eventually, Lauder found a way out. His caricuture of a miserly old Scotsman walking with a crooked stick became (humorously but unfairly) a national icon. However, Lauder's fame found its way to shine his humanitarianism.

In 1917, while preparing for a show in London, his only son was killed in combat in France. Lauder cancelled the show and rushed home to grieve. Convinced by his wife that his grief was no reason to cost others much needed work, Lauder returned to London to perform for "the show must go on". His selflessness became a standard for actors around the world.

A few weeks later, he volunteered for service to take his son's place. Thwarted from this effort on account of his age, Lauder then volunteered to go overseas at his own expense and make the burden of the soldiers "a wee bit lighter" with a joke or a song. No one had ever done this before Lauder and it was his example that began the efforts of Bob Hope and other USO entertainers performing before the troops.

Upon his return, Lauder continued his extraordinary work by raising funds for the wounded soldiers who needed assistance. Lauder was knighted for life-long efforts and continued his work through World War II.

So at some point this spring, I look forward to planting a Harry Lauder's walking stick and recalling the selflessness and humanitarism of Harry Lauder.