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A tribute to influential Australian Christians - Arthur Phillip. Number 101 in our series.
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Produced by:
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ACL
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Date of Production:
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Monday, 30th July 2007
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Abstract:
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Governor Phillip based his policies, not on any particular religious creed, though he was a nominal member of the Church of England, but rather on a broad humanitarianism. Nevertheless, he believed that Christianity was good for the rehabilitation of the convicts, which included a large percentage of professional criminals.
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Arthur Phillip, admiral and governor, was born in London, of Jacob Phillip, a language teacher and Elizabeth nee Breach, the former wife of Captain Herbert, a relative of Lord Pembroke. His mother was instrumental in Phillip's choosing a seafaring career. From 1751-55 he was apprenticed in the mercantile service, which included two years at sea. He joined the navy and served in the Seven Years' War. In 1763 he retired on half-pay, and for the next fifteen years Phillip spent much of his time on his two farms in Hampshire. In 1763 he married Margaret Denison, the widow of a prosperous London merchant, but six years later they were separated. In 1774-78 Phillip served with distinction in South American waters with the Portuguese fleet. In 1778 he was made a post captain with the British navy and had command of two ships, which included service in India. He was engaged in survey work for the navy when he was appointed first Governor of New South Wales.
Phillip's navy background and his farming experience had prepared him for the task ahead. The Portuguese described him as "brave, honest, obedient and self-sacrificing".[4] He demonstrated maturity and ability in commanding men, and as yet, had not become hardened. The Southland had always held a fascination for the adventurer and Phillip was inspired by the vision of a new Empire growing up in the southern seas. He planned to encourage the emigration of free settlers. He had a better grasp than his supervisors of the degree of planning and administrative detail required in transplanting a civilisation to the other side of the world. Thus he took an active part in the planning, and in drawing up rules of conduct and discipline and job descriptions for all. He was also anxious to preserve harmonious relationships with the Aborigines, and used the wide governmental powers that he was granted to accomplish this end.
The distance from Britain and indifference of Parliament gave Phillip a free hand to paint his dream in the colony of New South Wales. Indeed, Phillip had absolute power over almost every area of the lives of the inhabitants. He had both legislative and executive functions, and could remit sentences. Only treason and murder were exempt.
When viewed within the context of his times, Phillip was a moderate and able governor. His administrative skills found expression in an organised and practical prison system. His discipline was firm; yet he refused to tolerate any ill-treatment of the Aborigines. He was quick to punish evil with the lash (a standard punishment in the army and navy), and to reward industry and good conduct of the convicts by shortening their prison sentences or by giving them grants of land. Some were selected for positions of authority such as supervisors and policemen, while others were assigned to posts which carried certain privileges. Phillip used great care in distributing the food rations, insisting on complete equality for all, regardless of their position. In face of an atmosphere of defeatism (and opposition at times), he always maintained an optimistic attitude which was reflected in the regular reports that were dispatched to Britain. Phillip's positive style of leadership was largely responsible for sustaining the morale of the colony.
Governor Phillip based his policies, not on any particular religious creed, though he was a nominal member of the Church of England, but rather on a broad humanitarianism. Nevertheless, he believed that Christianity was good for the rehabilitation of the convicts, which included a large percentage of professional criminals. Thus he was untiring in his efforts to attract emigrants, though this was sometimes difficult because of the stigma of convictism.
The settlement was at first confined to a restricted area around Sydney. Phillip encouraged exploration and took some trips himself, but opposed the settlement of the outlying Hawkesbury area because of the lack of "proper people to conduct it". He favoured Parramatta because of its good soil and water supply, and its accessibility to Sydney. A small town developed and it quickly became the centre of the colony's economy. Convict labour was used for the construction of buildings and public farming. The growth of private farming was slow due to a lack of resources, tools and experience. The governor was under much pressure from the military, who wanted grants of land. But Phillip had refused them because he felt farming could interfere with their duties. However, in Phillip's second Commission, dated April 1787, he was instructed to give grants of land to approved persons, including the military and ex-convicts (emancipists) to encourage the growth of the settlement.
In December 1792, Phillip returned to England because of some health problems. His work in New South Wales had been highly commended. By 1796, Phillip had sufficiently recovered his health to resume his naval duties. He successfully commanded several ships, and continued to receive promotions until his death in 1814, shortly after receiving his last promotion to Admiral of the Blue.[5]
There were several practices that started about this time that helped cast the structure of colonial society for years to come. After Governor Phillip returned to England, Major Francis Grose of the New South Wales Corps replaced him. He made grants of land to officers and encouraged them to work their land with the help of convict labour. They sold their surplus goods to the government stores with the result that the quantity of goods in the colony increased dramatically.[6] However, power became concentrated in the hands of a group of wealthy free settlers, mainly officers, known as the "exclusives".
It was from this class that John Macarthur, an officer in the New South Wales Corps, emerged. His wife, Elizabeth, was a devout Christian. Their family farm in Parramatta became a model for the colony. Macarthur was one of the early pioneers of the wool industry in Australia. Although he quarrelled with every governor, it was Macarthur's ability to convince the British government that Australian wool would be saleable to English mills that put Australia on the road to economic independence.[7] The "exclusives" tried to take over control of the colony, but the power of the officers was so entrenched that none of the next three governors--Hunter, King, Bligh--was able to break it.
Source with the references quoted above : http://www.chr.org.au/fpbooks/SL/slhs9.html
Refer also : http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020292b.htm
Other influential Australian Christians in our series (listed in presentation order) :
117 Gertrude Kumm - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17163
116 Una Porter - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17158
115 Fredrick Cato - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17093
114 David Unaipon - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16947
113 Lancelot Threlkeld - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16940
112 John Symons - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16786
111 John Blacket - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16767
110 John Blundstone - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16760
109 Mary Barlow - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16573
108 John Bradfield - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16523
107 Sir Richard Bourke - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16351
106 Sir George Gipps - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16152
105 John Hunter - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16126
104 B. A. Santamaria - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16095
103 Graham Staines - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16076
102 Patrick 'Paddy' Hannan - http://www.acl.org.au/nt/browse.stw?article_id=16076
101 Arthur Phillip - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16002
100 Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15978
092 Carl Strehlow - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16404
053 Johann Flierl - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16688
041 - 099 John Flynn's associates - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15822
040 Florence Young - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15814
039 Dr. Fred Schwarz - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15805
038 Major-General Lachlan Macquarie - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15778
037 Sir George James Coles - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15729
036 William Arnott - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15633
035 Sir Bruce Small - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15531
034 William Cooper - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15349
033 Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15346
032 Ethel Helyar - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15225
031 Marjorie Wilkinson - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15225
030 Maria Elizabeth Kirk - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15136
029 Robert Steel - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15027
028 Robert Cartwright - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14973
027 William Branwhite Clarke - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14899
026 Isabella Parry - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14747
025 William Guthrie Spence - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14712
024 Samuel Marsden - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14686
023 Tom Price - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14499
022 John Lang - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14414
021 John West - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14405
020 Edward John Eyre - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14252
019 Leon Morris - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14162
018 John Curtis - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14104
017 John Ridley - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14068
016 Joseph Orton - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13936
015 Thomas Gainford - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13891
014 Mary MacKillop - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13703
013 Charles La Trobe - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13591
012 Georgiana Molloy - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13491
011 Elizabeth Macarthur - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13291
010 HV McKay - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13223
009 Mary McConnel - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13077
008 Caroline Chisholm - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=12860
007 Arthur Stace - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10594
006 Rev Dr Sir Alan Walker - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10354
005 Captain Charles Sturt - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10068
004 Alfred Deakin - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9859
003 Pedro Fernánez de Quirós - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9758
002 Richard Johnson - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9696
001 John Flynn - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9511
Other influential Australian Christians in our series (listed in alphabetical order) :
036 William Arnott - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15633
109 Mary Barlow - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16573
111 John Blacket - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16767
110 John Blundstone - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16760
107 Sir Richard Bourke - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16351
108 John Bradfield - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16523
100 Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15978
028 Robert Cartwright - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14973
115 Fredrick Cato - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17093
008 Caroline Chisholm - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=12860
027 William Branwhite Clarke - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14899
037 Sir George James Coles - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15729
034 William Cooper - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15349
018 John Curtis - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14104
004 Alfred Deakin - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9859
003 Pedro Fernández de Quirós - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9758
020 Edward John Eyre - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14252
053 Johann Flierl - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16688
001 John Flynn - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9511
041 - 099 John Flynn's associates - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15822
015 Thomas Gainford - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13891
106 Sir George Gipps - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16152
102 Patrick 'Paddy' Hannan - http://www.acl.org.au/nt/browse.stw?article_id=16076
032 Ethel Helyar - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15225
105 John Hunter - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16126
002 Richard Johnson - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=9696
030 Maria Elizabeth Kirk - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15136
117 Gertrude Kumm - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17163
022 John Lang - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14414
013 Charles La Trobe - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13591
024 Samuel Marsden - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14686
011 Elizabeth Macarthur - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13291
009 Mary McConnel - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13077
010 HV McKay - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13223
014 Mary MacKillop - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13703
038 Major-General Lachlan Macquarie - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15778
012 Georgiana Molloy - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13491
019 Leon Morris - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14162
033 Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15346
016 Joseph Orton - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=13936
026 Isabella Parry - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14747
101 Arthur Phillip - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16002
116 Una Porter - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=17158
023 Tom Price - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14499
017 John Ridley - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14068
104 B. A. Santamaria - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16095
039 Dr. Fred Schwarz - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15805
035 Sir Bruce Small - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15531
025 William Guthrie Spence - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14712
007 Arthur Stace - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10594
103 Graham Staines - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16076
029 Robert Steel - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15027
005 Captain Charles Sturt - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10068
092 Carl Strehlow - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16404
112 John Symons - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16786
113 Lancelot Threlkeld - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16940
114 David Unaipon - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=16947
006 Rev Dr Sir Alan Walker - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=10354
021 John West - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=14405
031 Marjorie Wilkinson - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15225
040 Florence Young - http://www.acl.org.au/national/browse.stw?article_id=15814 |
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