Peter Egerton-Warburton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Egerton-Warburton
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Peter Egerton
16 August 1813 Arley Hall, Norley, Cheshire, England
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| Died | 5 November 1889 (aged 76) |
| Resting place | St Matthew's Church, Kensington, South Australia |
| Education | Private tutors, England and France (Orleans and Paris) |
| Occupation | Commissioner of Police |
| Years active | 1853–1867 |
| Employer | South Australia Police |
| Organization | Colony of South Australia |
| Title | Commissioner of Police |
| Term | 1853–67 |
| Partner(s) | Alicia Mant |
| Relatives | Rowland Egerton-Warburton (brother) |
| Awards | CMG, 1875 |
Colonel Peter Egerton-Warburton (born August 16, 1813 – died November 5, 1889) was a British military officer and an important Australian explorer. He also served as the Commissioner of Police for South Australia. He is most famous for his challenging journey in 1872. During this trip, he crossed the dry, central part of Australia, known as the Outback, all the way to the coast of Western Australia.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Peter Egerton was born in England on August 16, 1813. His family, the Egertons, were part of the British aristocracy, meaning they were from a high social class. He was one of many brothers, and his older brother, Rowland Egerton-Warburton, inherited the family's land and titles.
Peter was taught at home and later by tutors in France. When he was just 12 years old, he joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman. This was a junior officer rank. Later, he served in the Indian Army from 1831 to 1853, reaching the rank of major before he retired.
In 1838, Peter married Alicia Mant. Around the time he moved to Australia, he added "Warburton" to his name, becoming Peter Egerton-Warburton. This happened because of an inheritance in his wife's family, which included the Arley and Warburton estates.
Life in Australia: Police and Exploration
In 1853, Peter Egerton-Warburton visited his brother George in Western Australia. Through family connections, he moved to South Australia. There, he became the Commissioner of Police for the Colony of South Australia on December 8, 1853.
He was the Commissioner of Police for nearly 14 years. During this time, the government had more money, which allowed him to make many improvements. He changed the police ranks, updated uniforms, and expanded policing into new areas. However, he was also very excited about exploring Australia. This passion for exploration sometimes made his police work a bit disorganized.
In 1867, he was dismissed from his police job. It was suggested that his love for exploration, which took him away for long periods, distracted him from his police duties. He later accepted a new role as the Colonel of the Volunteer Military Force of South Australia. Even though his police service ended, he received many honors later for his important exploration work.
Warburton's Expeditions
Peter Egerton-Warburton led several important expeditions to explore the unknown parts of Australia:
- In 1857, he explored the Gawler Ranges and Lake Gairdner.
- In 1858, he traveled around Lake Eyre and south Lake Torrens. During this trip, he named the Davenport Range. He found good land for grazing animals and water sources.
- In 1860, he explored Streaky Bay with three mounted police officers. He reported that the area was not good for farming.
- In 1864, he explored the area northwest of Mount Margaret.
- In 1866, he explored the north shore of Lake Eyre. He was looking for Cooper Creek but instead found a large river, which was later named the Warburton River. He followed this river to the border of Queensland.
The Epic Journey of 1872-1874
On September 21, 1872, Warburton began his most famous expedition from Adelaide. His goal was to find a way to cross Australia overland to Perth and learn about the land in between. He led a team of seven men and 17 camels.
The team included his son Richard, an experienced bushman named J.W. Lewis, two Afghan camel drivers (Sahleh and Halleem), a cook named Dennis White, and an Indigenous Australian tracker named Charley.
They reached Alice Springs in early 1873 and then headed west on April 15, 1873. The journey was incredibly difficult. They faced long periods of extreme heat and had very little water. To survive, they had to kill their camels for food.
After finally crossing the vast Great Sandy Desert, they reached the Oakover River, about 800 miles north of Perth. By this point, Warburton was so weak he had to be strapped to one of the two remaining camels. The whole team was suffering from scurvy, a serious illness caused by lack of Vitamin C, and Warburton had lost sight in one eye.
They were eventually rescued and taken to the De Grey station. They were in a very dangerous condition. They finally reached Roebourne on January 26, 1874, and returned to Adelaide by ship.
The South Australian Parliament gave Warburton a grant of £1000 and his team £500 for their amazing expedition. All the men recovered from their ordeal. Warburton later said that they survived because of Charley's incredible bushcraft skills.
Later Years
After his epic journey, Peter Egerton-Warburton returned to England in 1874. However, he found the climate there unsuitable and returned to Australia after only six weeks. He received the Royal Geographical Society's Patron's Medal for his explorations.
In 1875, his book about the expedition, Journey across the Western Interior of Australia, was published in London. He was also appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), which is a special honor.
Partially blinded by the hardships of his explorations, he spent his remaining years at his home, Norley Bank, near Adelaide. He even had a vineyard there. He passed away on November 5, 1889, at his estate and was buried in the churchyard at nearby St Matthew's Church, Kensington.
Honors and Works
Many places and things are named after Peter Egerton-Warburton to honor his contributions:
- The remote village of Warburton, Western Australia
- Two mountain ranges
- The Warburton River
- A beetle called the Warburton Beetle (Stigmodera Murrayi)
He was also featured on an Australia Post stamp in June 1976, as one of six "Australian Explorers."
Other honors include:
- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (1875)
- Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (Patron's Medal, 1874)
His published works include:
- Journey Across the Western Interior of Australia (1875)
- Major Warburton's Explorations in 1866
- Letter from Warburton re Exploration around Lake Torrens, 1858
See also
In Spanish: Peter Warburton para niños
- Egerton family
- History of Western Australia
Sources
- www.burkespeerage.com
- Serle, Percival (1949). "[{{{Link}}} Warburton, Peter]". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
