After the Faithful massacre, he took up a station on the Ovens River near present-day Wangaratta. He failed to make good relations with Indigenous people and Rev Joseph Docker noted that George Faithful was renowned for having his animals speared when his neighbours did not. George Faithful had a letter printed in Victorian Letters of Pioneers where he spoke of shooting a great many Indigenous people and proudly stated, ‘my name was a terror to them ever after.’
George Faithfull was born on 5th January 1814 in Canterbury, New South Wales and was the son of William Faithful, soldier and pastoralist and his wife Susannah, née Pitt. (1)
There is little record of George Faithful before he came to the Oxley plains and set up his station near present-day Wangaratta.
In 1838 his older brother William Pitt Faithful was buying stud rams and beginning his Springfield station near Goulburn NSW where he intended to breed fine wool sheep. (2) Like many others, the brothers heard the glowing reports of fertile land and abundant water in the Port Phillip district and set out to be among the first squatters. A drought was making itself felt in the north which no doubt fueled their desire to claim such well-watered country.
George Faithfull took a mob of cattle along with a flock of sheep belonging to his brother WP Faithful and set off into the wilderness beyond the Murrumbidgee River. WP Faithfull’s sheep were in the care of his overseer, James Crossley, a ticket of leave convict. (3)
Once the overlanding party crossed the Murray River they were on Waywurru lands and from the indigenous people of that country, there were protocols and laws to abide by. At some point between the Murray River and the Broken River, Faithful’s party acted in a manner contrary to their laws. The penalty was an attack on 18 of WP Faithful’s shepherds at the Broken River on the morning of 11th April 1838.
Whether the cause was depredations on indigenous women as put forward by George Rusden regarding a confession by one of the survivors fifteen years after the event (4) or the shooting of two indigenous men at the Ovens River as stated fifteen years after the massacre by one of the survivors, William Mackay. Who confessed to his then employer, John Bon of Wappin Station, that: ‘We had no trouble until we reached the Ovens River, when a party attacked us and speared two of the cattle. We fired at them and they disappeared into the scrub. They followed us at a considerable distance for two days afterwards. We then came to the Broken River.’ (5)
Official records reported the Faithful massacre was over the killing of sheep and the desire to plunder the drays for supplies. But a constable stationed at the Broken River one year after the attack contradicted that assertion by telling Lady Franklin, the Blacks never attacked large parties, only groups of 2 or 3. (6)
Historian George Rusden’s assertion that ‘The men with the sheep quarrelled with the natives at the Broken River. The cause was the usual one. The convict men had trafficked with the women.’ His information came from one of the surviving shepherds who only spoke about the matter many years later. (4)
There appears to have been trouble caused by liaisons with Indigenous women as well as the shooting of Indigenous people. What did the Waywurru make of such behaviour of visitors in their lands?
The attack at the Broken River was planned ahead of schedule because at some point the Blacks entered into competitions of skill with the shepherds pitting spear against gun. WP Faithful confided to Lady Franklin one year later saying that when the attack began the Blacks speared the best marksman first (7).
The Blacks had drawn out the shepherds to see who posed the greatest danger with a gun and duly took them out at the beginning of the attack.
Before the attack occurred one of the shepherds, a man named Bentley, found a bundle of spears among the reeds. The shepherds removed the spears thinking the Blacks might use them in an attack. But it is possible the shepherds misinterpreted the warning sign. According to JFH Mitchell, ‘bundles of spears are a sign of impending attack.’ (8)
The shepherds spoke of finding the spear bundle as though the Blacks had been careless in their hiding place. However, it is more likely the shepherds were the foolish ones for not recognising the clear message that they needed to make immediate reparation with the Blacks or else they would die.
Years ago Eddie Kneebone, Bangerang man, artist and educator told me the Faithful massacre was caused by the shepherds raping a group of Indigenous women whose men were away hunting. The women were preparing for a wedding and some of them were caught and raped. When the Indigenous men returned they demanded compensation from the shepherds and left stooks of spears near the shepherds camp so they would know the Blacks meant business. Research shows his version may well be correct.
Before sunrise on the morning of 11th April 1838 indigenous men with Merriman present (according to some accounts) attacked WP Faithful’s shepherds and killed seven men, the eighth man died while being taken for treatment to Yass. Overseer, James Crossley immediately made his way to Melbourne to alert authorities and Lieutenant GB Smyth then set off for the Faithful encampment which, according to JC Bourke was at Col Henry Whites on the Ovens river where the survivors had sought safety in numbers. (9)
Official statements report the attack on the shepherds at the Broken River was made by Blacks who numbered anything from 150 (James Crossley) to 600 (JC Bourke). Such overwhelming numbers make it impossible to imagine any of the shepherds could have survived. The correct number is closer to 20 and a fuller account of the faithful massacre can be found in Judith Bassets paper. (10)
George Faithful first learned of the attack when two of the survivors arrived at his camp which was situated halfway between the Ovens and Swampy River (Broken River). The next morning George Faithful viewed the site of the attack and brought back to his camp another survivor. He returned again the following day and buried the dead and rounded up what they could of the sheep and cattle. Bringing one of the drays loaded with what could be salvaged he returned that evening to the Ovens where he joined his men who, as per his orders, had retreated to Col White’s camp. (11)
Crown Commissioner EPS Sturt was camped some 10 miles from Col White’s as stated in his Letter published in Letters from Victorian Pioneers. So far no mention of CCL Sturt’s involvement in the days after the Faithful massacre has surfaced. Yet he must have been present. He was the highest form of law and order in the district so one would expect him to have made his way to Col White’s and speak with George Faithful and others and offer support. Particularly as one of the escaping shepherds had found his way to Sturt’s camp and told him of the killings. (12) What role did CCL Sturt play in the reprisal killings that were about to occur?
According to JC Bourke, about ten days after the Faithful massacre Peter Snodgrass arrived with his overlanding party to Col White’s and was appointed leader of a heavily armed group of 50 men who thirsted for vengeance. This well-armed posse took part in a slaughter of indigenous men, women and children. These poor people were surrounded on flat open ground near the King River and shot as they tried to escape by leaping into the water. (9)
George Faithful was not named as being present at the reprisal killings but at that time the government made it known that the murder of indigenous people was a crime punishable by hanging.
After the reprisal killing Col White moved to Sunday Creek near Tallarook and George Faithful set up his station on the Oxley Plains. A run which covered 36,800 ha [92,000 acres], including present-day Milawa. (13)
In 1841 George Faithful married Jane McKenzie. Both her parents arrived in Australia as convicts. Her mother died on 29th March 1864 and was buried at Wangaratta cemetery. – Geneanet website.
They had one child, a daughter, Alice Georgina. According to the Faithful family tree on the Geneanet website, Alice married her first Cousin Henry Pitt Faithful on 19th January 1857 at the Catholic Church, Beechworth, Victoria. She was 16 years old.
George Faithful failed to make good relations with the Indigenous people on whose lands he lived.
In Letter of Victorian Pioneers he wrote,
‘… the hostility of the blacks, which became so unbearable that I could not keep shepherds, although well armed, without employing a horseman, in addition to myself, to keep continually perambulating the woods lest the natives might cut them off…I and my men were kept for years in a perpetual state of alarm. We dared not move to supply our huts with wood or water without a gun, and many of my men absconded from my service… from sheer terror of the blacks.’
But George Faithful was not a man to take it lying down. He decided to put an end to his troubles and wipe out the indigenous people of whose land he was living. But he was not foolish enough to admit to it so made up a cover story saying he had acted in self-defence.
The inconsistencies in his version of events are telling suggesting much of his version was a fabrication. He begins by showing he and his men were surprised by a warlike group of men painted up and armed.
‘Riding with two of my stockmen one day quietly along the banks of the river… we were all at once met by some hundreds of painted warriors with the most dreadful yells I had ever heard… I ordered my men to take deliberate aim, and to fire only with certainty of destruction to the individual aimed at.’
Then he then tells us these people had fire pits heated and meat roasting, some of it cut up ready to serve and that women and children are present. But he is describing a ceremony where Indigenous people are painted up and are gathered to eat together. In no way is this a war like group of indigenous people – until they are set upon by armed men intent on killing them.
George Faithful wrote, ‘It was remarkable that the children, and many of the women likewise, had so little fear that they boldly ran forward, even under our horses’ legs, picked up the spears, and carried them back to the warrior men.’
It was well known by all white men of the day that if indigenous people had women and children in attendance they had no intention of hostilities. David Reid in his reminiscences stated this, as did John Scobie Mackay when Merriman held the hut where he was hiding at a siege. Indigenous Women and children were never present during planned conflict.
George Faithful wrote with pride, ‘my name was a terror to them ever after.’ and ‘I picked up a boy from under a log, took him home and tamed him, and he became very useful to me.’
To explain his actions in case anyone should think badly of him George Faithful wrote in his letter, ‘The Government during all this time gave no help, no assistance of any kind, and at last threatened to hang anyone who dared to shoot a black, even in the protection of his property, and appointed Protectors to search about the country for information as to the destruction of the natives. These gentlemen resorted to the most contemptible means to gain information against individuals, whom the trumpet-tongue of falsehood had branded as having destroyed many of these savages. This, instead of doing good, did much evil. People formed themselves into bands of alliance and allegiance to each other, and then it was the destruction of the natives really did take place.’
George ended his letter on a sour note complaining that after all the killings of indigenous people he had had to accomplish so he could have their land, now it was being taken from him by the government.
‘No sooner was all fear of the blacks dissipated than the whites became almost as great a nuisance, in edging in their applications and claims for portions of our runs.’
1844 George Faithful had a dispute with his neighbour, William Bowman. Faithful claimed that Bowman’s manager, Dr Arthur Huffington had knowingly placed Bowman’s brand on his cattle. Huffington and Bowman claimed innocence and invited George over to check the cattle himself. The matter grew into a slanderous affair with letters traded back and forth accusing the other of lies and deceit. Dr Huffinton became so enraged he printed his claims on paper and had them nailed to posts and trees all along the Sydney road. (14)
George Faithful died 22 October 1855 on Oxley Plains, Wangaratta, aged 41 years old and was buried at Wangaratta cemetery.
* The reference photo used which is believed to be George Faithful comes from genealogy sites
(a) Myheritage
(b) Geneanet
(c) More pictures and information on the Faithful family can be seen on the National Museum site Faithful family National Museum
THE REFERENCES;
(1) Australian Royalty, George Faithful, https://australianroyalty.net.au/tree/purnellmccord.ged/individual/I12677/George-Faithful
(2) Australian Dictionary of Biography, William Pitt Faithful
(3) See Profile on this site on James Crossley for further information
(4) In 1883, Historian George Rusden wrote, ‘The men with the sheep quarrelled with the natives at the Broken River. The cause was the usual one. The convict men had trafficked with the women.’ History of Australia, vol. 2 page 228. 1883.
(5) The North Eastern Ensign, Fri 30th Aug, 1907. Article titled ‘Further Information.’ testament by William Mackay, one of the surviving shepherds of the Faithful massacre.
(6) Lady Jane Franklin, The Errant Lady, pg 53, 15th April 1839. ‘They will attack 2 or 3 but not 5 or 6′. https://www.nla.gov.au/sites/default/files/this_errant_lady.pdf
(7) Lady Jane Franklin, The Errant Lady, pg 100, 6th May 1839. WP Faithful speaks of gun against spear. https://www.nla.gov.au/sites/default/files/this_errant_lady.pdf
(8) JFH Mitchell, Chapter titled: The Old People, page 47
(9) John Conway Bourke, letters 1886 & 1888 held at the Royal Historical Society Melbourne.
(10) statement by George Faithful, Historical Records of Victoria: Vol 2A, pg 318.
(11) Letters of Victorian Pioneers – EPS Sturt.
(12) The Faithful massacre at the Broken River, 1838 Judith Bassett Published online: 18 May 2009
