27 Facts About George Gawler

Lieutenant-Colonel George Gawler, KH, was the second Governor of South Australia, at the same time serving as Resident Commissioner, from 17 October 1838 until 15 May 1841.

George Gawler's father was killed in battle in Mysore, India in December 1804.

George Gawler was educated by a tutor, then at a school in Cold Bath, Islington.

In October 1810, George Gawler obtained a commission as an ensign in the 52nd Regiment of Foot and in January 1812 went to the Peninsular War.

George Gawler was a member of a storming party at Badajoz, and was wounded and saved from death by a soldier who lost his own life.

George Gawler was in Spain until 1814, taking part in the advance on Madrid.

George Gawler remained in France with the army of occupation until 1818, and in 1820 married Maria Cox of Friar Gate, Derby who was the niece of Samuel Richardson.

George Gawler returned to England in 1826 and from 1830 to 1832 was engaged in recruiting.

George Gawler reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1834 and in 1837 received the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order, third class.

In 1838 George Gawler was appointed Governor of South Australia in succession to Captain John Hindmarsh, who had been recalled, as well as being appointed to the role of Resident Commissioner, taking over from the first incumbent, James Hurtle Fisher.

George Gawler found the colony had almost no public finances, underpaid officials and 4000 immigrants living in makeshift accommodation.

George Gawler persuaded Charles Sturt to come from New South Wales to work as surveyor-general, personally overseeing the surveys in the meantime, as Colonel William Light had resigned due to ailing health and the demands placed on him with insufficient staff.

George Gawler promptly increased and reorganised the fledgling police force, promoting its commander Henry Inman.

George Gawler appointed more colonial officials, took part in exploration, and improved the facilities at Port Adelaide during his tenure as governor.

George Gawler increased public expenditure to stave off collapse, which resulted in bankruptcy and changes to the way the colony was run.

In 1845, George Gawler wrote a memorandum, The Tranquillization of Syria and the East, in which he suggested that Jews be allowed to establish Jewish agricultural settlements in Palestine as compensation for their suffering under Turkish rule.

George Gawler spent his last years at Southsea, where he died of pneumonia on 7 May 1869.

George Gawler's work was long misjudged, largely because his successor Grey, in his dispatches, made the worst of his predecessor's acts, without suggesting the difficulties under which he had worked.

George Gawler was a gallant and energetic officer who, when he found the settlers faced with disaster, saw at once what it was necessary to do, and saved the colony.

Mills however, accepts the view that George Gawler had been guilty of carelessness and extravagance and cannot be wholly acquitted of blame, though the extraordinary difficulties with which he was faced are acknowledged.

Much of George Gawler's expenditure was on works of both immediate and long-lasting benefit to the Colony and the State, such as the Great Eastern Road.

The town of George Gawler was named after him, as well as the adjoining river.

George Gawler's reputation was somewhat tarnished by his involvement in the Maria massacre in 1840.

George Gawler had contributed a collection of minerals and exotic stuffed birds which included an albatross from his time as governor.

George Gawler's eldest surviving son, Henry, returned to South Australia in 1858.

George Gawler was a solicitor in the South Australian Land Titles Office from 1858 to 1884.

One of his grandsons, Douglas George Gawler, was a member of parliament in Western Australia.