Admiral Sir James Stirling

Admiral Sir James Stirling RN (January 28, 1791–April 23, 1865) was a British marine officer and colonial administrator. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 1791 ( MDCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britain's first limited treaty with Japan in 1854. The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia 's Monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Year 1838 ( MDCCCXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The between Britain and Japan was signed October 14 1854 in Nagasaki. ^[1]

Family background

He was the fifth son of eight of the fifteen children of Andrew Stirling, Esq. of Drumpellier near Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Drumpellier is a country park situated within North Lanarkshire Council to the west of Coatbridge and east of Easterhouse, Glasgow the park was formerly a private estate Coatbridge ( Scottish Gaelic: Drochaid a' Chòta) is a town in North Lanarkshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland North Lanarkshire ( Siorrachd Lannraig a Tuath in Gaelic) is one of 32 Council areas in Scotland. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. His mother, Anne was his father's second cousin, being the daughter of Admiral Sir Walter Stirling and the sister of Sir Walter Stirling, 1st Baronet of Faskine and Admiral Sir Charles Stirling. Admiral Sir Walter Stirling ( 18 May 1718 – 24 November 1786) was an admiral in the Royal Navy. Sir Charles Stirling ( 28 April 1760 – 7 November 1833) was a Vice-admiral in the Royal Navy. ^[1]

The Stirling family was well-known and celebrated in the naval annals of the 18th century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system With such a family background, it was natural for James to enter the Royal Navy, and at the age of 12 (in 1803) he joined up as a first-class volunteer, embarking on the storeship Camel for the West Indies. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Thus began a distinguished career.

Career

West Indies

James Stirling entered the Royal Navy at the age of twelve. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) ^[2] Soon after arriving in the West Indies, young Stirling became midshipman of the Hercules, and in 1805 he went to serve in his uncle's flagship Glory. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting

In that year he saw action off Cape Finisterre during the Napoleonic Wars against the French and Spanish fleets, and later served under the flag of his uncle in the Sampson and the Diadem in the operations on the Río de la Plata. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Río de la Plata ( Spanish: " Silver River" &mdash which is often referred to in English-speaking countries as the River Plate After watching the fall of Montevideo and being incorrectly reported as killed in action, he served for a time on the Home Station and on 12 August 1809, at the age of 19 was promoted Lieutenant in the Warspite. Montevideo (monteβi'ðeo is the largest city the capital and chief port of Uruguay. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1809 ( MDCCCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services In 1811 he was Flag Lieutenant to his uncle, now Vice Admiral in command at Jamaica. An aide-de-camp ( French for camp assistant) is a personal assistant secretary or Adjutant to a person of high rank usually a senior military officer Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea.

On 27 February 1812, he received his first command, the sloop "Moselle", and soon afterwards the larger sloop "Brazen" in which he was employed during the War of 1812 in harassing forts and shipping near the Mississippi River. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Year 1812 ( MDCCCXII) a leap year started on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to

Surrey

Between 1818 and 1822 his father, Andrew, was a tenant at Henley Park in Surrey which began James' association with the area. Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII was a Common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Sunday of the Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. ^[2] At Woodbridge, Surrey, he became acquainted with the Mangles family, whose wealthy head had extensive interests in the East Indies, had been High Sheriff for Surrey in 1808, was a director of the British East India Company, and in 1832–37 represented Guildford in Parliament. Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term often used to refer to the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Guildford ( IPA /ˈgɪlfəd/ is the County town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories His third daughter, Ellen, attracted Stirling's attention and the couple were married at Stoke Church, Guildford on 3 September 1823 on Ellen's 16th birthday. Events 36 BC - In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius Year 1823 ( MDCCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common They had six daughters and five sons among whom were two children baptised on 15 June 1833 in Ash but who both born at sea, the first being Frederick Henry (born at sea on 29 March 1829 and first baptised at the Cape of Good Hope on 19 April 1829) and the second being Mary (born at sea on 11 October 1832 and first baptised in St Helena on 20 October 1832). Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display The Cape of Good Hope ( Afrikaans: Kaap die Goeie Hoop, Kaap de Goede Hoop Cabo da Boa Esperança Persian Language: دماغه امید نیک For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Saint Helena (pronounced saint he-LEE-na) named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin and a British overseas territory Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Similarly another son, Charles Edward, was baptised on 19 January, 1834, having been born on board a ship at Spithead. Year 1834 ( MDCCCXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. ^[2]

Western Australia

In 1826, the Governor of New South Wales, Governor Darling sent Stirling on the Success to visit and report on the west coast of Australia. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government HMS Success was a 28-gun Sixth rate wooden sailing ship of the Royal Navy. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Stirling was impressed with the land in the vicinity of the Swan River describing it as ideal for establishing a permanent settlement. The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. In particular, he was pleased with the defensive prospects of Mount Eliza (the large hill which Kings Park is on), situated as it is near the narrows of the Swan River, which would make defending the colony from gunships easy, with just a few cannons. See also Kings Park Western Australia Mount Eliza is a hill which overlooks the city of Perth Western Australia and forms part of Kings Park. Kings Park is a park located on the western edge of Perth, Western Australia Central business district.

On returning to London in 1828, Stirling lobbied officials to enlist support for a settlement to be established in Western Australia. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Along with his brother-in-law, Captain William Preston RN (who was married to his wife's sister) he finally succeeded. They assembled a team of pioneers from the parishes of Pirbright and Worplesdon and on 6 February 1829 the sixty-nine pioneers departed Plymouth in the Parmelia under Captain J H Luscombe out of Spithead, arriving at Garden Island, Western Australia at what became known as the Swan River Colony on 31 May. Pirbright is a village in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Worplesdon, Deepcut, Brookwood and Normandy Worplesdon is a village in Surrey, England, located three miles (5 km north of Guildford. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio For the game see 1829 (board game. Year 1829 ( MDCCCXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. The Parmelia was a Barque that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony to Western Australia Spithead is an area of the Solent and a roadstead off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. Garden Island may refer to In Australia: Garden Island New South Wales, Australia Garden Island (Western Australia, near Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829 Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. They re-erected a wooden house that had first been assembled at Captain Preston's home in Sutton Green that would become the Governors home. ^[2] These pioneers were responsible for laying the foundations of Perth, Fremantle and the market-town named Guildford that is now a suburb of Perth. Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Fremantle (commonly known as Freo is a Port City in Western Australia, located southwest of Perth, the state capital at the mouth of Guildford, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply ^[2]

Stirling administered the Swan River settlement from June 1829 until August 1832, when he left on an extended visit to England where he was knighted, and again from August 1834 until December 1838. However, he was commissioned as Governor of Western Australia only from 4 March 1831, rectifying the absence of a legal instrument providing the authority detailed in Stirling's Instructions of 30 December 1828. The Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia 's Monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Stirling had said

I believe I am the first Governor who ever formed a settlement without Commission, Laws, Instructions and Salary. ^[3]

With the creation of the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1830, Stirling automatically became an official member. The Legislative Council, or upper house is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia.

In October 1834 Stirling led a detachment of 25 armed troopers and settlers including Septimus Roe and Thomas Peel that attacked an encampment of 60-80 Pindjarep Aboriginal people. John Septimus Roe ( May 8 1797 – 28 May 1878) was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. Mr Peel he moans took him from England to Swan River West Australia means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50000 The Binjareb, Pindjarup or Pinjareb is the name of the Indigenous Australian group of Noongar speakers living in the region of South West The Pindjarep fled into the bush and were later encircled near a crossing on the Pinjarra River, Stirling referred to this as the Battle of Pinjarra. The Battle of Pinjarra was a conflict that occurred in Pinjarra Western Australia, between a group of 60 to 80 Australian Aborigines and a detachment of 25 soldiers Settlers accounts claim between 10-80 aboriginals died compared to aboriginal oral history which claim 150 people died. ^{[4] [5]}

Stirling remained entirely unsympathetic to the needs of Aboriginal people in Western Australia, and never recognised their prior ownership of the land despite the fact that the Buxton Committee of the British House of Commons informed him that this was a mistake for which the new colony would suffer. Stirling mentioned in dispatches that the Aborigines "must gradually disappear" and the "most anxious and judicious measures of the local government [could] prevent the ulterior extinction of the race".

As recognition of his service in establishing the colony Stirling was granted land near Beverley, Western Australia. Beverley is a town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, south-east of the state capital Perth, between York and This land, along with neighbouring properties was re-acquired by the Western Australian Government, who later subdivided the land into farmlets for returning soldiers. The remaining land was later used to establish the Avondale Agricultural Research Station, which includes Stirling's restored homestead. Avondale Agriculture Research Station or Avondale Discovery Farm is one of thirteen research Farms and stations operated by Western Australia's Department

Harvey

In the mid 1800s, Stirling selected 12,800 acres of land in Harvey and called it the "Harvey River Settlement". Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, 140 km south of Perth between Pinjarra However, The only improvement made was a convict built cottage on the banks of the Harvey River. The Harvey River is a river in Western Australia and is the southernmost of the three major waterways which drain into the Peel-Harvey Estuary, with its delta in the The cottage featured a shingled roof and pit-sawn jarrah walls with hexagonal-shaped paving blocks fitted together to form firm flooring. A replica cottage known as Stirling's Cottage has been built on the site and includes one of the original paving blocks in its history room.

Mediterranean

In October 1840 he was appointed to command the Indus in the Mediterranean where he remained until June 1844. After another three years ashore he was appointed to the Howe which he commanded from April 1847 to April 1850 when he was knighted by the King of Greece.

Far East

In July 1851, Stirling was promoted Rear Admiral and in the following year served at the Admiralty. Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. From January 1854 to February 1856 Stirling was commander in chief of the naval forces in China and the East Indies. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

Using gunboat diplomacy he signed the first British treaty with Japan (the Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty) on October 14, 1854 "In 1856 he was recalled because he had failed in the primary naval duty of finding and destroying the Russian squadron - partly, perhaps, because of his preoccupation with the self-imposed task of negotiating with Japan" ^[6] Yet his agreements with Japan were ratified, and his conduct was officially commended. In International politics, gunboat diplomacy refers to the pursuit of Foreign policy objectives with the aid of conspicuous displays of Military power&mdashimplying For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The between Britain and Japan was signed October 14 1854 in Nagasaki. Events 1066 - Norman Conquest: Battle of Hastings - In England on Senlac Hill seven miles from Hastings, the forces Year 1854 ( MDCCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

Retirement

Stirling was promoted Vice Admiral in August 1857. Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority He became an Admiral in November 1862 and died in comfortable retirement at Guildford in Surrey on 22 April 1865 aged 74. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year He was buried in Wyke Churchyard, near the western end of St Marks Church, Wyke, as was Captain Preston. Wyke is a Village in Surrey, England. It is an ecclesiastical parish and lies within the Civil parish of Normandy. Wyke is a Village in Surrey, England. It is an ecclesiastical parish and lies within the Civil parish of Normandy. There is a memorial tablet within the church. ^[2] His wife survived him by nine years and was buried in the extension to the graveyard of Stoke Church where they had been married.

Honours

The plant genus Stirlingia, was named in his honour by Stephan Endlicher in 1838. Stirlingia, commonly known as Blueboy, is a genus of 7 species in the family Proteaceae, all of which are endemic to Western Australia. Stephan Ladislaus Endlicher ( June 24 1804 &ndash March 28 1849) was an Austrian Botanist, numismatist and Sinologist A variety of Pittosporum is also named in his honour. Pittosporum is a Genus of about 200 Species of Flowering plants in the family Pittosporaceae. In England, Stoke Church's social centre and hall is named The Stirling Centre.

In Western Australia the suburb of Stirling is named after him as is a seat in the lower House of the national Parliament. Stirling is a suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located about 10 km north of Perth's Central business district (CBD along the The Royal Australian Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet is based at HMAS Stirling near Rockingham. HMAS Stirling ( is the name given to the administrative centre of the Royal Australian Navy 's main naval base on the west coast ( Fleet Base West) located Rockingham is a suburb and regional centre south-west of the Perth city centre and south of Fremantle. There are also many pubs and buildings named after him throughout Perth and Fremantle.

References

Further reading

• Hasluck, Alexandra. James Stirling. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 1963.
• Statham-Drew, Pamela. James Stirling : admiral and founding governor of Western Australia Crawley, W. A.  : University of Western Australia Press, 2003. ISBN 1876268948

See also

• History of Western Australia
• Anglo-Japanese relations

External links

• Celebrate W.A. site
• The Constitution Centre of Western Australia (2002). See also Aboriginal History of Western Australia See also History of Perth Western Australia The human history of Western Australia spans between the "Captain Sir James Stirling 1828-1839", Governors and Premiers of Western Australia. West Perth, Western Australia: The Constitution Centre of Western Australia. ISBN 0-7307-3821-3.