Jump to content

Matthew Moorhouse

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Matthew Moorhouse, c.1870

Matthew Moorhouse(1813 – 29 March 1876)[1]was an Englishpioneerin Australia,pastoralist,politician, andProtector of AboriginesinSouth Australia.He was in charge of the armed party that murdered 30-40Maraurapeople, which may have included women and children, now known as theRufus River massacre.[2][3]

Early life and arrival in Australia

[edit]

Moorhouse studied medicine and obtained the degree ofM.R.C.S.in 1836. He was practising medicine inHanley, Staffordshire,when the Crown appointed himProtector of AboriginesinSouth Australiafrom 20 June 1839, a position he held until 1856.[4][5]

He arrived in South Australia in June 1839, along with the Rev.Ridgway William Newland,onSir Charles Forbes.[6]

Career

[edit]

Piltawodli

[edit]

As Protector, he lived atPiltawodlimission and camp for some years, working closely with the Germanmissionaries,Christian TeichelmannandClamor Schürmann(and laterSamuel Klose), who learned and taught in theKaurna language.There is only one remaining page of Moorhouse's diary, containing several Kaurnasonglinesnot recorded elsewhere, but much information about theKaurna peoplehas been gleaned from his reports and official correspondence.[7]In July 1845, the whole site, including the school, was dismantled on the orders of GovernorGeorge Grey,[7]who thought it best totake the children awayfrom their parents, and a new "Native School"run by the government, which taught only in English, was established near what is nowKintore Avenue,[7]and designated "The Location". The Aboriginal students proved to be every bit as bright and teachable as their white contemporaries,[8]but their number remained small and Moorhouse re-purposed the schoolhouse as temporary accommodation for the Irish orphan girls who arrived in June 1849.[9]The Native School closed in 1851, and became the nucleus of theDestitute Asylum. The remaining children were taken toPoonindie MissionatPort Lincolnon theEyre Peninsula).[10]

The Rufus River Massacre

[edit]

In 1841, there was a dispute between Europeanoverlandersand the Mataura people, a sub–group of theBarkindji.[11]The overlanders had been engaging in sexual relations with Barkindji women without giving the Barkindji the food and clothing that was promised in return.[12]Moorhouse led a group of armed settlers to theRufus RivernearWentworthfollowing a report that about 150 Barkindji warriors appeared to be readying to attack. The settlers opened fire on the Barkindji before they were within spear-throwing range, claiming at least 35 killed and 16 injured, though Aboriginal oral tradition suggests this is a conservative figure.[11][12]Moorhouse's official account which was sent to theGovernor of South Australia,George Greyclaims that "the result was, to the natives, the death of nearly 30, about 10 wounded, and four (one adult male, one boy, and two females) taken prisoners". Most of the wounded would be expected to die from their wounds, because Aboriginal medicine was ill-equipped to deal with gunshot wounds.[12] The report of Protector Moorhouse was largely supported byJames Collins Hawker.[13]

Parliamentary career

[edit]

In January 1855 Moorhouse had the duties of comptroller of theDestitute Poor Establishment,and superintendent of theFemale Immigrant Depotadded to his responsibilities as Protector of Aborigines.[14]He retired on 31 March 1856,[4]and went to England, where he lectured on South Australia and promoted migration. He then visited North America, where he travelled extensively by railroad and investigated various systems of education.[citation needed]

He was a member of theSouth Australian House of Assemblyfor theCity of Adelaide(13 March 1860 – 9 November 1862).[1]In 1860 and for 10 days in October 1861, he was commissioner of Crown lands and immigration in the firstWaterhouseministry.

Later life

[edit]

He became a successful pastoralist in thenorthern districtfor several years, only practising medicine in emergencies. Moorhouse purchased shares in properties nearRivertonandSaddleworth,but soon sold out and withJoseph Fisherand others bought 27,700 acres (11,200 ha) nearthe Hummocks.Moorhouse managed the station untilRobert Barr Smithbought it in 1870.

Moorhouse died after a short illness on his stationBartagunyahnearMelrose, South Australiaon 29 March 1876, leaving a widow, two sons and a daughter.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ab"Mr Matthew Moorhouse".Former members of theParliament of South Australia.Retrieved19 August2022.
  2. ^"Friction between overlanders and Australian Aboriginals".State Library of South Australia.16 July 2007.Retrieved28 August2018.
  3. ^"Papers Relative To The Affairs Of South Australia—Aborigines",Accounts and Papers 1843,Volume 3(London:William Clowes and Sons), p. 267-310.
  4. ^abLane, Jo, ed. (January 2013)."Protector of Aborigines Out Letter-Book 7: December 8th, 1892 to September 4th, 1906: Including List of Addressees, and Subject Index"(PDF).Transcribed and indexed by Jo Lane.Retrieved24 November2019.
  5. ^Gara, Tom (2017). "5. The Aboriginal Presence in Adelaide, 1860s–1960s". In Brock, Peggy; Gara, Tom (eds.).Colonialism and its Aftermath: A history of Aboriginal South Australia.Wakefield Press.pp. 65–81.ISBN9781743054994.
  6. ^Barry Leadbeater."Shipping & Passenger Lists South Australia".FamilyHistorySA.Retrieved24 November2019.
  7. ^abcAmery, Rob."Piltawodli Native Location (1838-1845)".German missionaries in Australia.Griffith University.Retrieved9 December2019.
  8. ^"The Natives and the Native Location".The Southern Australian.South Australia. 29 October 1841. p. 3.Retrieved12 April2020– via Trove.
  9. ^"Local Intelligence".South Australian Register.South Australia. 13 June 1849. p. 2.Retrieved13 April2020– via Trove.
  10. ^Harris, Rhondda (6 February 2014)."Pirltawadli".SA History Hub(1 June 2017 (updated spelling) ed.).Retrieved7 December2019....revised version of an entry first published inThe Wakefield Companion to South Australian History,edited by Wilfrid Prest, Kerrie Round and Carol Fort (Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 2001)
  11. ^ab"Lake Victoria A special place".Murray Darling Basin Authority.Australian Government. 30 June 2016.Retrieved25 November2019.
  12. ^abcRufus River Massacre:
  13. ^"Early Experiences of Colonial Life.—No. XXXII".South Australian Chronicle And Weekly Mail.South Australia. 15 December 1877. p. 19.Retrieved21 March2020– via Trove.
  14. ^"The Government Gazette".South Australian Register.South Australia. 19 January 1855. p. 3.Retrieved20 March2020– via Trove.

Sources

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matthew_Moorhouse&oldid=1210980108"