The Birth of Two Societies in New South Wales
By the early 19th century, New South Wales had begun to develop into a colony of stark contrasts. Two distinct societies emerged: one rooted in commerce and trade, laying the foundations of a bourgeois economy, and the other built upon land ownership and sheep farming, creating what would become the colonial aristocracy. This division was not merely economic but also cultural, shaping the social hierarchy of the colony for decades to come.
Meanwhile, the Protestant ascendancy maintained its dominance, despite resistance from Irish Catholics. Relations between European settlers and Aboriginal peoples deteriorated rapidly, foreshadowing the tragic displacement and violence that would follow. New settlements expanded at Port Phillip and Van Diemen’s Land (modern-day Tasmania), further entrenching British control over the continent.
At the center of this transformation was Philip Gidley King, the colony’s third Governor. His tenure (1800–1806) was marked by both progress and turmoil, as he struggled to impose order on a fractious society while grappling with personal flaws and political rivalries.
The Rise and Struggles of Philip Gidley King
Born in 1758, King entered the Royal Navy at a young age but was dismissed in 1779 for insubordination—a pattern of bending rules that would define his career. In 1787, he volunteered for service in New South Wales, where his early promise earned him command of Norfolk Island. There, his idealism quickly clashed with reality. He initially opposed corporal punishment but soon resorted to brutal floggings. He condemned drunkenness and promiscuity yet fathered illegitimate children and struggled with alcohol himself.
By the time he became Governor in 1800, King was a changed man—gout-ridden, temperamental, and prone to erratic behavior. Yet he retained a sense of duty, determined to reform a colony he saw as morally decayed.
Governing a Divided Colony
King faced immediate challenges:
– The Spirits Trade – Alcohol was a scourge, with officers monopolizing its distribution for profit. King cracked down on smuggling and reduced imports, angering the powerful Rum Corps.
– Conflict with the Military – Officers like John Macarthur, a wealthy landowner and former soldier, openly defied him. A feud over legal authority led to duels and near-mutiny.
– Legal Reforms – King recognized the injustice of military-dominated courts and advocated for civilian participation, laying early groundwork for jury trials.
His most dramatic confrontation came with Macarthur, who orchestrated a boycott against him. When King ordered Macarthur’s arrest, tensions exploded into violence. Only Macarthur’s sudden departure for England in 1801 spared the colony from open rebellion.
Clash of Cultures: Settlers and Indigenous Peoples
King initially promoted a policy of “amity and kindness” toward Aboriginal peoples, but violence soon shattered this ideal. In 1802, he pardoned Europeans convicted of killing Aboriginal people, hoping to ease tensions. Yet by 1805, after retaliatory attacks, he authorized military force to expel Indigenous groups from settler lands.
The colonial mindset hardened. Officials like Judge Advocate Richard Atkins dismissed Aboriginal testimony in court, declaring them incapable of moral or religious understanding. Explorers like Francis Barrallier described them as “strangers to gratitude,” reinforcing racist justifications for dispossession.
The Irish Question and Religious Tensions
Irish convicts, many exiled for their role in the 1798 rebellion, posed another challenge. King distrusted their Catholic faith, fearing priests would incite rebellion. In 1804, an Irish-led uprising at Castle Hill was brutally suppressed. King blamed “deluded” rebels and restricted Catholic worship, though he reluctantly allowed limited services under strict surveillance.
Exploration and Expansion
While King struggled with governance, exploration continued. Matthew Flinders circumnavigated Australia (1801–1803), proving it a single continent and proposing the name “Australia.” His meticulous charts became vital for future navigation, though his imprisonment by the French delayed their publication.
Meanwhile, an attempt to settle Port Phillip (later Melbourne) failed due to poor site selection and mismanagement. Lieutenant-Governor David Collins abandoned it for Van Diemen’s Land, where Hobart was founded in 1804.
Legacy of a Troubled Governor
King’s governorship was a mix of reform and repression. He curbed the Rum Corps’ power, supported emancipated convicts’ rights, and expanded settlements. Yet his temper, drinking, and conflicts with rivals undermined his authority. By 1806, exhausted and ill, he was replaced.
His tenure reflected broader colonial struggles:
– Economic Divisions – The rise of a landowning elite versus a merchant class.
– Racial Violence – The irreversible damage to Aboriginal societies.
– Religious Conflict – Protestant dominance clashing with Irish Catholic resistance.
– Legal Evolution – Early steps toward civilian justice and jury trials.
Though flawed, King’s rule helped shape colonial Australia, setting patterns of governance and conflict that would endure long after his departure. His story is one of ambition, contradiction, and the harsh realities of building a society on contested land.