William Goldwyer
Encyclopedia
William Goldwyer was a police officer and explorer in colonial
Western Australia
. While exploring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
in 1864, he was killed by Australian Aborigines.
Born in England
in August 1829, William Goldwyer emigrated to Western Australia
and was appointed a night warder to the Convict Establishment
in March 1853. From 1855 to 1857 he was a mounted constable at Dandaragan
, and later became Sergeant of Police there. Fluent in Aboriginal language
s and renowned for his bushcraft
, he often undertook the dangerous task of carrying the monthly mail from Perth
to Champion Bay. In November 1859 Goldwyer married Marie Antonia Kellam. At the time of his marriage he was described as a master mariner.
In 1864 Goldwyer was selected to assist members of a private venture, the Roebuck Bay Association, in establishing a new settlement in the Roebuck Bay
area. Shortly after arriving in the area, Goldwyer set out with Frederick Panter
and James Harding
to explore around La Grange
. The Panter, Harding and Goldwyer expedition of 1864 did not return, and eventually a search party under Maitland Brown
was sent to find them. Brown's La Grange expedition
party eventually found the three men dead, having been clubbed and speared to death by natives. Panter and Harding were apparently killed in their sleep. Goldwyer's death was harder to interpret; some sources claim that all three men were killed in their sleep, while others assert that Goldwyer was keeping watch. The date of death of the men was determined from the date of the last entries in the men's journals.
The bodies of Panter, Harding and Goldwyer were returned to Perth, where thousands of spectators attended their public funeral
. In February 1913, a monument to Brown and the three killed men, the Explorers' Monument
, was unveiled in Fremantle
.
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. While exploring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Kimberley region of Western Australia
The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...
in 1864, he was killed by Australian Aborigines.
Born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in August 1829, William Goldwyer emigrated to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and was appointed a night warder to the Convict Establishment
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art...
in March 1853. From 1855 to 1857 he was a mounted constable at Dandaragan
Dandaragan, Western Australia
Dandaragan is a small town in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia.The name of Dandaragan was first recorded in 1850 as the name of a nearby gulley and spring or watering hole known as Dandaraga spring...
, and later became Sergeant of Police there. Fluent in Aboriginal language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
s and renowned for his bushcraft
Bushcraft
Bushcraft is a long-term extension of survival skills. A popular term for wilderness skills in Canada, The UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term was popularised in the southern hemisphere by Les Hiddins in Australia as well as in the northern hemisphere by Mors Kochanski and...
, he often undertook the dangerous task of carrying the monthly mail from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to Champion Bay. In November 1859 Goldwyer married Marie Antonia Kellam. At the time of his marriage he was described as a master mariner.
In 1864 Goldwyer was selected to assist members of a private venture, the Roebuck Bay Association, in establishing a new settlement in the Roebuck Bay
Roebuck Bay
Roebuck Bay is a bay on the coast of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Its entrance is bounded in the north by the town of Broome, and in the south by Bush Point and Sandy Point. It is named after HMS Roebuck, the ship captained by William Dampier when he explored the coast of...
area. Shortly after arriving in the area, Goldwyer set out with Frederick Panter
Frederick Panter
Frederick Kennedy Panter was a police officer, pastoralist and explorer in colonial Western Australia. While exploring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in 1864, he was murdered by Australian Aborigines....
and James Harding
James Harding
James Harding was a pastoralist and explorer in colonial Western Australia. While exploring in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in 1864, he was murdered by Australian Aborigines....
to explore around La Grange
La Grange Bay, Western Australia
Lagrange Bay is located south of Broome, Western Australia in the Kimberley region. It is the site of the Catholic Pallotine ‘’’La Grange Mission’’, and the Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga...
. The Panter, Harding and Goldwyer expedition of 1864 did not return, and eventually a search party under Maitland Brown
Maitland Brown
Maitland Brown was an explorer, politician and pastoralist in colonial Western Australia. He is best remembered as the leader of the La Grange expedition, which searched for and recovered the bodies of three white settlers murdered by Indigenous Australians, and subsequently killed a number of...
was sent to find them. Brown's La Grange expedition
La Grange expedition
The La Grange expedition was a search expedition carried out in the vicinity of Lagrange Bay in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in 1865. Led by Maitland Brown, the expedition searched for three settlers who had failed to return from an earlier exploring expedition...
party eventually found the three men dead, having been clubbed and speared to death by natives. Panter and Harding were apparently killed in their sleep. Goldwyer's death was harder to interpret; some sources claim that all three men were killed in their sleep, while others assert that Goldwyer was keeping watch. The date of death of the men was determined from the date of the last entries in the men's journals.
The bodies of Panter, Harding and Goldwyer were returned to Perth, where thousands of spectators attended their public funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
. In February 1913, a monument to Brown and the three killed men, the Explorers' Monument
Explorers' Monument
The Explorers' Monument is a monument located on The Esplanade in Fremantle, Western Australia. It is approximately six metres high, and consists of a head and shoulders statue of Maitland Brown, sitting on granite pedestals on a granite base inset with plaques honouring three explorers, Frederick...
, was unveiled in Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
.