Frederic Urquhart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederic Charles Urquhart
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Frederick Charles Urquhart
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| Administrator of the Northern Territory | |
| In office 17 January 1921 – 16 January 1926 |
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| Preceded by | Henry Ernest Carey |
| Succeeded by | Robert Weddell (as Government Resident of North Australia) John C. Cawood (as Government Resident of Central Australia) |
| Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service | |
| In office 1 January 1917 – 16 January 1921 |
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| Preceded by | William Geoffrey Cahill |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Short |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 October 1858 St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, England |
| Died | 2 December 1935 (aged 77) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
Frederic Charles Urquhart (born 27 October 1858 – died 2 December 1935) was an important figure in Australian history. He served as an officer in the Native Police, became the Queensland Police Commissioner, and later the Administrator of the Northern Territory.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Frederic Charles Urquhart was born in St Leonards-on-Sea, England, on 27 October 1858. His father was an officer in the army, and his uncle was also a high-ranking military officer. Frederic went to schools in England, including Bloxham School and Felsted School.
At just 14 years old, he decided to work at sea. He earned a certificate to be a second officer in the merchant navy, which means he helped sail trading ships. He also served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy, learning how to be a naval officer.
In 1875, Frederic moved to Queensland, Australia. There, he worked in the sugar and cattle industries. In 1878, he became a telegraph linesman in Normanton, Queensland, helping to set up communication lines.
Native Police Role
In 1882, Urquhart joined the Native Police, a special police force at the time. He quickly rose through the ranks. He was first stationed near Georgetown, Queensland and then at Carl Creek. While there, he was asked to move Aboriginal people from Burketown. He gathered them and marched them to the Leichhardt River.
In March 1884, Urquhart moved to the Cloncurry area. He took over from another Native Police officer who had been killed in conflicts with local Indigenous groups. Urquhart and his troopers soon had serious encounters with the Kalkadoon and Maithakari peoples. He set up a police camp outside Cloncurry, in a place now called Urquhart.
In July 1884, a colonist named James Powell was killed. Urquhart and his troopers were sent to respond. Alexander Kennedy, a well-known farmer in the area, joined Urquhart. This group was involved in several violent encounters with local Aboriginal people. Urquhart later wrote a poem about one of these events.
A prospector, someone looking for minerals, saw Urquhart and Kennedy during their mission. He described how they and the troopers had been involved in a conflict at one native camp. Kennedy returned to Cloncurry after four weeks, but Urquhart and his troopers continued to patrol the region for another five weeks. Urquhart became good friends with Alexander Kennedy, who often went with him on Native Police patrols. Kennedy later helped start the Qantas airline company.
While based at Cloncurry, Urquhart was involved in other conflicts with Indigenous people. One well-known event was the Battle Mountain skirmish. Urquhart and his troopers were investigating the killing of a shepherd when they met a group of Kalkadoon people. The Kalkadoon retreated to a rocky hill and threw stones and spears at the Native Police. Urquhart was hit in the head but quickly recovered. He then led the Native Police in a movement around the hill, leading to a major conflict with the resisting Kalkadoon group.
In 1888, Urquhart was moved to the Cape York Peninsula. He was injured in the leg during a conflict with Aboriginal people near the Wenlock River. This happened during a mission after a colonist was killed near the Archer River. Urquhart and his troopers patrolled the peninsula widely. They also used a boat called the Albatross to travel around the Torres Strait islands. In 1890, Urquhart helped rescue people from the shipwrecked RMS Quetta.
General Police Career
In 1891, Urquhart joined the regular Queensland Police service and returned to Cloncurry. He led police actions against striking workers during the 1891 Australian shearers' strike. In 1894, he was assigned back to the Torres Strait and was based at Thursday Island. Using the police boat Albatross, he patrolled the pearling operations in the Torres Strait Islands, arresting striking workers.
With John Douglas, Urquhart explored the Embley River in 1895. Urquhart was promoted to inspector in 1897 and moved to Brisbane to lead the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB). The CIB is the part of the police that investigates serious crimes.
After Urquhart became head of the CIB, some police investigations into major cases were not handled well. This led to a special inquiry in 1899. The inquiry found that Urquhart's methods needed improvement and suggested he be moved to a different role.
Despite these findings, Urquhart remained head of the CIB for many years. In 1905, he was promoted to chief inspector of police. Urquhart again played a leading role in controlling large protests during the 1912 Brisbane general strike. This was the first big strike of its kind in Australia. Urquhart gathered 2,000 police officers and special constables to manage a group of 15,000 striking workers. He ordered mounted police to move through the crowd to disperse them. Many people were injured, and about 500 strikers were arrested.
Queensland Police Commissioner
On 1 January 1917, Urquhart became the 4th Queensland Police Commissioner. He held this important position until 16 January 1921. One of the most notable events during his time as Commissioner was the Red Flag riots in Brisbane in 1919. During these riots, police and former soldiers fought in the streets with union members and Russian immigrants. Many people were hurt, and Urquhart himself was injured. Later that year, police actions were again in the news when several striking workers were injured in Townsville after police used live ammunition on a group of unionists.
Administrator of the Northern Territory
In 1921, Urquhart was appointed Administrator of the Northern Territory. This meant he was in charge of running the Northern Territory. During his time in this role, he faced several challenges, including people not paying taxes and his own health problems. He also faced a lawsuit from a union official. He resigned from the position in early 1926.
Poetry
Urquhart was also known for his poetry. He published several collections of poems, including The Legend of the Blacks and Camp Canzonettes. Many of his writings shared his experiences from his time in the Native Police.
Family and Later Life
Urquhart married Annetta Atkinson in 1891. They had three children: Miriam, Walter James, and Hope Goldie Urquhart. Miriam married George Addison, who was an army officer and a well-known architect. Walter James Urquhart was one of the first officers to graduate from the Australian Army's training program at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He fought in major battles during WWI.
In 1930, Hope Urquhart was the pilot of a plane that crashed into the Brisbane River. His pilot's license was suspended after the incident.
Frederic Urquhart retired to Brisbane in 1926. He passed away at St Helen's Private Hospital on 2 December 1935 and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.
