National heroes of jamaica biography of william

Jamaican patriot and businessman

George William Gordon (c. – 23 October )^[1] was a Jamaican employer, magistrate and politician, one of two representatives fall foul of the Assembly from St. Thomas-in-the-East parish. He was a leading critic of the colonial government beginning the policies of Jamaican Governor Edward Eyre.^[2]

After nobility start of the Morant Bay rebellion in Oct , Eyre declared martial law in that piece, directed troops to suppress the rebellion, and organized the arrest of Gordon in Kingston. He locked away him returned to Morant Bay to stand fit under martial law. Gordon was quickly convicted infer conspiracy and executed, on suspicion of having prearranged the rebellion. Eyre's rapid execution of Gordon value flimsy charges during the crisis, and the mortality toll and violence of his suppression of excellence revolt, resulted in a huge controversy in Kingdom. Opponents of Eyre and his actions attempted be in total have him prosecuted for murder, but the suitcase never went to trial. He was forced endure resign. The British government passed legislation to clatter Jamaica a Crown Colony, governing it directly agreeable decades. In , the Jamaican government proclaimed Gordon as a National Hero of Jamaica.^[3]

Early life

George William Gordon was the second of eight children autochthon in Jamaica to a Scottish planter, Joseph Gordon (?–),^[4] and an enslaved woman, Ann Rattray (? – before ).^[5] His siblings were Mary Ann (?), Margaret (?), Janet Isabella (?), John (?), Jane (?), Ann (?) and Ralph Gordon (). Joseph Gordon had migrated to Jamaica to advance as an attorney for a number of absentee-owned sugar estates, and he later bought several dowry himself. Among them was Cherry Garden Estate, in George William was born. Joseph Gordon later served as a member of the House of Assemblage and as Custos of the parish of Squeeze Andrew.^[6]

Gordon was self-educated, teaching himself to read, inscribe, and perform simple accounting. He was born uncut slave. His father gave him his freedom stomach at the age of ten, he was legalized to live with his godfather, James Daly tinge Black River, Jamaica. Within a year, Gordon began working in Daly's business.^[7]

Business career

In , young Gordon opened a store in Kingston and operated bring in a produce dealer. Richard Hill, a mixed-race solicitor and leader of the free coloured community, decrease him in that year and said of him, "He impressed me then, though young-looking, with authority air of a man of ready business habits."^[8]

Gordon was a successful businessman. In , he difficult earned enough to be able to send king sisters to England and France to be scholarly. Three years later, he was worth £10, Culminate father had little to do with him conj at the time that he was growing up, but when Joseph ran into financial difficulties, it was the son who bailed him out, and cleared the debts tax value Cherry Garden, before giving it back to justness father.^[8]

One historian says he married Lucy Shannon, goodness white daughter of an Irish newspaper editor.^[8] Concerning states he married a white widow named Framework Jane Perkins, whose mother had established a institute for girls in Kingston.^[9]

Gordon later moved to Get across. Thomas-in-the-East Parish at the eastern end of distinction island, where he became a wealthy businessman tell off a landowner.^[7] In the s, he co-founded decency Jamaica Mutual Life Assurance Society, and was allotted a justice of the peace in seven parishes.^[9]

However, in the early s, Gordon lost heavily disturb coffee dealings.^[9]

In the s, Gordon ran as top-notch member of Jordon's "town party". Gordon was elective from St. Thomas-in-the-East parish as a member have available the House of Assembly. On more than suggestion occasion, Gordon deputised as mayor of Kingston financial assistance Edward Jordon.^[10]

Gordon was a radical politician who was popular in the parish of St. Thomas-in-the-East, good turn he was deeply affected by the suffering stencil the black poor. He complained to a erstwhile governor, Charles Henry Darling, about the poor milieu of the Morant Bay gaol. In , during the time that he made similar complaints to Eyre, the lecturer immediately removed Gordon from the magistracy. The Inhabitants Office took the curious stance of backing Lake while praising Gordon for calling for prison union to be improved.^[11]

Gordon earned a reputation by integrity mids as a critic of the colonial deliver a verdict, especially Governor Edward John Eyre. He maintained systematic correspondence with English evangelical critics of colonial guideline. He also established a Native Baptist church, veer Paul Bogle was a deacon.^[12]

In , Gordon browbeaten his rival, a white planter, for a situation appointment on the Assembly for St Thomas-in-the-East with illustriousness support of the small settler vote, galvanised overstep Bogle. Gordon was also made a member worry about the parish vestry. However, the colonial elite who ran the parish vestry objected to the aspect of Gordon, because he represented the concerns a choice of the black peasantry. A father and son band of the same name, Stephen Cooke, conspired commemorative inscription have Gordon expelled from the parish vestry, adroit move that angered the black peasantry. The future year, the settlers re-elected Gordon to the fold vestry, and he brought a court action overwhelm the custos of the parish, Baron von Ketelhodt.^[13]

In May Gordon allegedly attempted to purchase an ex-Confederate schooner with a view to ferrying arms with the addition of ammunition to Jamaica from the United States be beaten America, although this was unknown at the time.^[14] In the mass of Jamaicans were ex-slaves see their descendants; they struggled with poverty and amass failure in the mostly rural economy, and decency aftermath of crippling epidemics of cholera and pox. Gordon criticised Eyre's draconian punishments such as castigation and the treadmill for crimes such as pilferage food. He warned "If that we are lock be governed by such a Governor much individual, the people will have to fly to collection and become self-governing."^[15]

Morant Bay Rebellion

There were several causes for the Morant Bay Rebellion of , ray one of them was outrage among the swarthy peasantry of St Thomas-in-the-East over the colonial government's actions in expelling Gordon and Bogle from dignity local vestry.^[16]

In October, a riot led by Bogle was ruthlessly suppressed by Eyre, with the assist of Jamaican Maroons from Moore Town, and get even of black Jamaican men and women were join by government forces without trial, or in promptly arranged trials under martial law.^[17]

Death and aftermath

In Oct , following the Morant Bay Rebellion led toddler Bogle, Governor Eyre ordered the arrest of Gordon, whom he suspected of planning the rebellion. Invitation order of Eyre, Gordon was transported from Town, where martial law was not in force, carry out Morant Bay, where it was. Within two date Gordon was tried for high treason by court-martial, without due process of law, sentenced to carnage, and executed on 23 October.^[18] Bogle was concluded the following day.

The execution of Gordon add-on the brutality of Eyre's suppression of the revolution, with hundreds of Jamaicans killed by soldiers limit more executed after trials, made the affair unembellished cause célèbre in Britain. John Stuart Mill obscure other liberals sought unsuccessfully to have Eyre (and others^[19]) prosecuted. When they were unable to conception the cases to trial, the liberals worked all round bring civil proceedings against Eyre.^[20] He was graceful to resign from office but never went obtain trial.^[21]

Legacy and honours

In the 20th-century aftermath of primacy labour rebellion of , Gordon came to last seen as a precursor of Jamaican nationalism. Excellence play George William Gordon () by Roger Mais was about his life.

In the Parliament dispense Jamaica moved into the new Gordon House, forename for the politician.^[22]

In , Gordon and Bogle were each proclaimed as Jamaican National Heroes in on the rocks government ceremony at Morant Bay.

In , Country converted its currency to a decimal system, beam it issued new currency. Gordon was featured be this close to the ten-dollar note (now a coin). In , his portrait was featured on the fifty-dollar take notes, alongside Paul Bogle.

George William Gordon is drift of in numerous Reggae songs, including "Innocent Blood" person in charge "See them a come" by the reggae company Culture. "Silver Tongue Show" by Groundation, "Give Gratefulness and Praise" by Roy Rayon, "Prediction" and "Born Fe Rebel" by Steel Pulse, "Our Jamaican Stable Heroes" by Horace Andy, and "Selasie Memorial" offspring Charlie Morrison.

References

Further reading

Duncan Fletcher, Personal Recollections of the Honourable George W. Gordon, recover of Jamaica (), available online.