Gladstone told the Cabinet that the public cared much about Gordon and nothing about the Sudan, so he ordered Wolseley home after learning of Gordon's death. After his conversation with Baring, Churchill wrote: "Of course there is no doubt that Gordon as a political figure was absolutely hopeless. He is fondly remembered for his flair for fun and excitement, witty sarcasm, and incredible passion for his work. Search by name or location to find online obituaries. The site lies north of the traditional site at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and is now known as "The Garden Tomb", or sometimes as "Gordon's Calvary". [183], Gordon decided to stay and hold Khartoum despite the orders of the Gladstone government to merely report about the best means of supervising the evacuation of the Sudan. The Mahdi contemptuously rejected Gordon's offer and sent back a letter demanding Gordon convert to Islam. [195], It took considerable time to hire the voyageurs in Canada and bring them to Egypt, which delayed the expedition. Never expected [213], A merchant, Bordeini Bey, glimpsed Gordon standing on the palace steps in a white uniform looking into the darkness. [195] Wolseley was a bureaucratic general whose talents lay in administrative work, and as a field commander, Wolseley was slow, methodical, and cautious, making him, in the opinion of Urban, supremely unqualified to lead the relief expedition as he found one excuse after another to proceed up the Nile at a sluggish pace. George, an entrepreneur, piloted his own plane at the age of 18 and created a construction company specializing in the restoration of San Francisco's "painted ladies.". A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. It was removed in 1958, shortly after the Sudan became independent. He is an honest man, but difficult to get on with. George Gordon Obituary - Trident Society The mandarins were thus much inclined to execute not only Taipings, but also their spouses, children, parents, and siblings as being all equally guilty of treason. Tom, Greg, and Curtis, [131] Gordon's very strong religious feelings led him to devote much time and money to charity both at home and abroad and he was well-known for sticking Christian tracts onto city walls and to throw them out of a train window. An insurrection had broken out in Darfur province led by associates of Zobeir and Gordon went to deal with it. Gordon's charitable work for the boys of Gravesend led to assertions later in the 20th century that he was a homosexual. [162] Gordon wanted to talk about the Congo, but Stead kept on pressing him to talk about the Sudan. As late as 1933, the French historian Pierre Crabits wrote in his book Gordon, le Soudan et l'esclavage (Gordon, the Sudan and Slavery) that as a Frenchman, the Gordon legend had meant nothing to him when he began researching his book, but after examining all of the historical evidence, he could not help but admire Gordon, who "died as he lived, a Christian, a gentleman, and a soldier". Write your message of sympathy today. [43] Gordon always preferred to outflank the Taiping lines rather than to take them on frontally, an approach that caused much tension with his counterparts in the Chinese Imperial Army who did not share Gordon's horror at the huge numbers of casualties caused by frontal assaults. Beloved husband of Helen, a much loved father of Carol, a dearly loved brother of Joey and the late Donnie and loved by all the extended family and friends. My condolences to all of George's family, and may they be comforted that George is in heaven with Jesus, looking after us all. [38] Li Hongzhang, the governor of the Jiangsu province, requested Staveley to appoint a British officer to command the contingent. Obituary George William Gordon II, 73, of Superior, Montana, passed away at his residence on Monday, July 25th, 2022, following a period of declining health. Northview Funeral Chapel takes safety seriously. [84], Gordon was promoted to colonel on 16 February 1872. He will be forever cherished by his wife Gail Bowen (nee Reid). [236], In 1888, a statue of General Gordon by Hamo Thornycroft was erected in Trafalgar Square, London, exactly halfway between the two fountains. In 1874, he built the station at Dufile on the Albert Nile to reassemble steamers carried there past rapids for the exploration of Lake Albert. [146] On the island of Praslin in the Valle de Mai, Gordon believed that he found the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the form of a coco de mer tree which fruit bore a close resemblance to a woman's body. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of George are asked to consider Compassion Canada. [96] Gordon visited the provinces of Berber and Dongola, and then returned to the Abyssinian frontier, before ending up back in Khartoum in January 1878. [142] After meeting with him there, Hart described Gordon as "very eccentric" and "spending hours in prayer", writing that: "As much I like and respect him, I must say he is 'not all there'. Leopold tried very hard to convince Gordon to enter his service, not least because Gordon was known to be modest in his salary demands, unlike Leopold's current agent in the Congo, Henry Morton Stanley, who received a monthly salary of 300,000 Belgian francs. [42], Gordon's task was made easier by innovative military ideas Ward had implemented in the Ever Victorious Army. The headless body of the Mahdi was thrown into the Nile. Gordon, who once said to a Roman Catholic priest that "the church is like the British Army, one army but many regiments", never aligned himself with or became a member of any church. [114] The reforms that Gordon wanted would have changed the basic nature of Ottoman-Egyptian rule, by replacing a system based on exploitation of the people by the state with one where the state would work for the betterment of the people. [192], During this time, Gordon, when he was not organising the besieged garrison with incredible energy, spent his time writing a somewhat rambling diary containing his reflections on the siege, life, fate, and his own intense, idiosyncratic version of Protestantism. Gordon Newsam. His parents were first cousins, thus making Geoffrey a great-grandson of William IV twice over. The clash led to Gordon informing the Khedive that he did not wish to return to the Sudan, and he left for London. Mr. Pinsent, who was long famous in Canada, but who did not gain wider international recognition until one of his final performances, in the 2006 film "Away From Her," died on Feb. 25 in . He was a treasured and beloved uncle to many, and his favourite place was anywhere his family was, with a cup of good black coffee in his hand. "[187], At another point, a death-obsessed Gordon wrote in his diary: "Better a bullet to the brain than to flicker out unheeded". In addition, one of the first Woolwich Free Ferry vessels was named Gordon in his memory. George Gordon Obituary - Temple Terrace, FL The British sinologist Demetrius Charles Boulger published a biography of Gordon in 1896 which depicted him as a staunch patriot and a Christian of immense virtue who displayed superhuman courage in the face of danger. [35] The British arrived at a crucial time. He loved his Heavenly Father and his Saviour, and he was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for which he held many positions and worked faithfully in many capacities. [59] Gordon seemed pleased by his simple lifestyle, writing in a letter that: "One night, I slept better than I have for a long time, by a fire in a fisherman's hut". In December 1883, the British government ordered Egypt to abandon the Sudan, but that was difficult to carry out, as it involved the withdrawal of thousands of Egyptian soldiers, civilian employees, and their families.[161]. When Isma'il's reign ended in 1879, Egypt's debt had risen to 93 million pounds. [90] During the American Civil War, when the Union blockade had cut off the American South from the world economy, the price of Egyptian cotton, known as "white gold" had skyrocketed as British textile mills turned to Egypt as an alternative source of cotton, causing an economic blossoming of Egypt that ended abruptly in 1865. Colonel Valentine Baker led an Egyptian force out of Suakin and was badly defeated by 1,000 Haddendowa warriors who declared their loyalty to the Mahdi under Osman Digna at Al-Teb with 2,225 Egyptian soldiers and 96 officers killed. My heart goes out to the entire family and friends for the loss of dear George. He had an unfaltering testimony of the Gospel, which he happily shared with others, particularly when he and Sybil served two proselytizing missions, one in Edmonton and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada. He received no reply as the king had gone southwards to fight with the Shoa. GEORGE GORDON, LL.D. [87] With over half of Egypt's income going to pay the 7% interest on the debt worth 81 million Egyptian pounds that Isma'il had run up, the khedive was supportive of Gordon's plans for reform, but unable to do very much as he lacked the money to pay his civil servants and soldiers in Egypt, much less in the Sudan. Goodbye, C. G. Second only to his faith, was the great joy George found in his family. [32] Gordon had heard of the Taiping Rebellion long before he had set sail for China, and he was at first sympathetic towards the Taipings, led by the charismatic madman Hong Xiuquan, who proclaimed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ, viewing them as somewhat eccentric Christians. She grew up in Rochester and also resided in Caledonia and for the majority of her life in Wayland. "[198], Among the papers captured on the Abbas was the cipher key Gordon used to code his messages in and out of Khartoum, which meant he could no longer read the messages he received, leading him to write in his diary: "I think cipher-messages are in some countries, like this, a mistake". Gord was a fun-loving Uncle to five nephews and one . I wanted to share a memory from about ten years ago, George did a presentation to some of us and I have never forgotten it. All Rights Reserved. [8] He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 23 June 1852,[9] completing his training at Chatham, and he was promoted to full lieutenant on 17 February 1854. Besides working to end slavery, Gordon carried out a series of reforms such as abolishing torture and public floggings where those opposed to the Egyptian state were flogged with a whip known as the kourbash made of buffalo hide. He doesn't want money!". PDF The Rev. George Gordon, LL.D. - Cambridge [194] Though the telegraph lines to Cairo were cut, Gordon used the remaining telegraph lines to build his own telegraph network within Khartoum linking the men holding the walls of Khartoum to the Governor-General's palace, thus keeping him well-informed of what was happening. Dearly. Nancy, [51] A Scotsman who knew Gordon in China wrote: "he shows the Chinese that if even an able and reliable man, such as he is, is unmanageable". In a world moving inexorably towards conformity, it would be well to remember Gordon of Khartoum. Very sorry to hear of his passing. Peacefully, in Migdale Hospital, Bonar Bridge, on Saturday, 18th February, 2023, Robert "Bobby" George Bain, The Bungalow, Lower Gledfield Farm, Ardgay. file size: 2 MB. Gordon visited the Seychelles in the summer of 1881 and decided the islands were the location of the Garden of Eden. [95] The younger Russell was described by his own father as an alcoholic and spendthrift who "was beyond help" as it was always the "same story-idleness, self-indulgence, gambling, and constant promises" broken time after time, leading his father to get him a job in the Sudan, where his laziness infuriated Gordon to no end. Gordon wrote in his diary: "The HOUR GLASS BROKEN" and predicted that the war would soon be won. and, like Lawrence, I have tried to do my duty. [88] The languages of Khedive's court were Turkish and French, not Arabic. After meeting his old friend, Gordon assured Li that if Russia should attack he would resign his commission in the British Army to take up a commission in the Chinese Army, an action that if taken, risked prosecution under the Foreign Enlistments Act. The English uniform produces an immediate sensation". Gordon was born in Woolwich, Kent, a son of Major General Henry William Gordon (17861865) and Elizabeth (Enderby) Gordon (17921873). Khartoum. He devoted himself fully to being a wonderful father to his three sons, Thomas, Greg, and Curtis, raising them up to be men of strong faith and good character. [12] This account was very popular with the British press as it contained much Christian imagery with Gordon as a Christlike figure dying passively for the sins of all humanity. After meeting Gordon in 1874, the Khedive Isma'il had said: "What an extraordinary Englishman! [56] The British Army promoted Gordon to lieutenant-colonel on 16 February 1864,[57] and he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 9 December 1864. Obituaries & Death Notices in Glasgow - Funeral Guide [65] Gordon often spoke nostalgically of his service in China, and wished he could return to that country.[70]. George was predeceased by his father, and is survived by his mother. Faught also pointed out that the first hints that Gordon might secretly have been having sex with the boys of the Fort House were made by Lytton Strachey in his book Eminent Victorians (published 1918) which, in Faught's opinion, may have said more about Strachey than it did about Gordon. [95], The Egyptian authorities had been extending their control southwards since the 1820s. He attended schools in Ferndale and Eureka, CA. George worked as a custodial supervisor in the Lincoln County School system. Mac Gordon: Governors that might have been. All the Europeans, with some rare exceptions, whom he has honoured with his confidence have cheated him. The prince keeps a great state and I was introduced to him with much ceremony. [93], Gordon remained in the Equatoria province until October 1876. He was born in Fortuna, CA 75 years ago to Winton and Evelyn Chase Gordon. Please know Nancy that you and the family are in our thoughts and prayers that God would walk with you through this difficult time. Jamie graduated from Baker High School in 1985, where he was a talented and . [187] In a letter that reached Cairo in December, Gordon wrote: "Farewell. Earth's joys grow very dim, its glories have faded". [19] It was said at the British HQ that, "If you want to know what the Russians are up to, send for Charlie Gordon. [140], Gordon further advised the Qing court that it was unwise for the Manchu elite to live apart from and treat the Han Chinese majority as something less than human, warning that this not only weakened China in the present, but would cause a revolution in the future. [69] Gordon did not enjoy his celebrity status, and though extremely charismatic, he only kept a limited circle of friends and found dealing with strangers difficult. Many of Gordon's papers were saved and collected by his two sisters, Helen Clark Gordon, who married Gordon's medical colleague in China, Dr. Moffit, and Mary Augusta, and possibly his niece Augusta, who married Gerald Henry Blunt. Gordon granted Powers privileged access and in return, Powers started to write a series of popular articles for The Times depicting Gordon as the solitary hero taking on a vast horde of fanatical Muslims. (Right beside the Raymond Hospital) Friends can meet the family prior to the service between 10:00 AM and 10:45 AM. white, francis george willars, dorothy florence. Gordon". [93], Reflecting these realities, Gordon had to undertake much of the administrative work himself, travelling ceaselessly and constantly all over the Sudan via camel in attempts to make the bureaucracy actually obey his orders, something that occurred when he was present, but stopped as soon as he left. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of George are asked to consider Compassion Canada. He was born Sept. 12, 1938, in Findlay, to Earl E. and Mary N. (Corron) Folk. Bitterly, Gordon wrote in his diary: "It is impossible to have any more words with Mohammed Achmed, only lead. After Baker's release from prison, Isma'il hired him to work in the Sudan. The mortal enemy of the morning had become a trusted ally by night". Gordon had gone to the Sudan with high hopes that via his iron will and Christian faith he would defeat the Ottoman-Egyptian system of rule, that he would act as a reformer who would change the system from within to make what was unjust, just, and that he would make things better for the ordinary people of the Sudan. In September 1883, an Egyptian Army force under Colonel William Hicks set out to destroy the Mahdi. [248], Long after his death, and despite the popularity of Strachey's essay in Eminent Victorians, the appeal of the Gordon legend lived on. A second and larger expedition under Prince Hassan was sent the following year and was routed at Gura. [31] When Gordon arrived at Hong Kong, he was disappointed to learn he was "just too late for the fighting". Obituary. [92] Urban wrote that most of the Westerners in Egyptian pay were "misfits" who took up Egyptian service because they were unable to get ahead in their own nations. George Thomas GORDON. [209] As dawn broke on the morning of 26 January 1885, the Ansar regiments, led by their riflemen and followed by their spearmen, marched out of their camps under their black banners. George Leslie Gordon July 18, 1939 - March 12, 2022 George Leslie Gordon, 82, of Pynn's Brook, NL, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2022, at the Corner Brook Long-term Care Home.
Helen Mcconnell Obituary, Articles G
Helen Mcconnell Obituary, Articles G