33335b0b3a34d075bc173d2efb8c2804a02c7607af09f
Menu
The Quest for Henry Challinor
Expand/collapse
Video
TitleThe Quest for Henry ChallinorDate Created27th August 2024Program Chasing Our PastPresenterJonathan RichardsAcknowledgementIpswich LibrariesDescriptionMedical practitioner Henry Challinor commenced his practice in Ipswich in 1849. A member of the first Legislative Assembly in Queensland, he was also known for his tolerance and liberalism, particularly speaking up for Aboriginal people and challenging the use of Native Police.
In December 1860 as Ipswich Coroner, Henry Challinor held an inquest at Flinders Peak into the death of an Aboriginal man named Tommy. Tommy had been murdered by Native Police troopers led by one of the force's most infamous officers, Frederick Wheeler. One week later, Challinor held a second inquest at Fassifern into the deaths of three old Aboriginal men, also killed by Wheeler's troopers.
Queensland's Attorney General, Ratcliffe Pring, subsequently rejected Challinor's findings, saying, 'the evidence does not in my opinion sufficiently involve Lieutenant Wheeler or his Native Troopers' to allow 'a direct charge of murder or manslaughter'. When he learned of the government's response, Challinor sent a copy of the inquest report to the newspapers. One Ipswich paper took notice, stating 'there must be one law for ourselves and the natives in the case of outrage and slaughter'.
Challinor was one of the few Europeans to challenge the Native Police and speak up for Aboriginal people. In his 1970 book The Destruction of Aboriginal Society author CD Rowley wrote that Challinor was 'well ahead of his time' and concluded that his comments on the Native Police 'makes one wish to know more of Dr Challinor'.
Join professional historian Dr Jonathan Richards on his quest to know more about Henry Challinor.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be advised that this presentation may contain images and names of deceased persons.About the PresenterDr Jonathan Richards is a professional historian who mostly works in the Queensland State Archives (QSA) at Runcorn, undertaking research for academics, community groups, government and Indigenous people throughout Queensland. He is a specialist in records about death, frontier violence, and the experiences of Indigenous people under the state's criminal justice system.Asset TypeWebinar / Talk - MP4Music, Audio and Video (Trove mapping field)lectureSound RecordingYesCopyright NoticeThis licence lets you download, redistribute, translate, and remix the work, for NON-COMMERCIAL purposes only.
In return, you MUST always acknowledge the original creator of the work (photographer, studio, author, etc.) and acknowledge Picture Ipswich as your source of the work.
All derivatives of this work MUST be shared under the same Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license.
If you require a higher resolution copy of this work, please contact Picture Ipswich.CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright InformationEventsFrontier War (1788-1928)People & FamiliesHenry Challinor (1814-1882)Curated CollectionsChasing Our Past At HomeDefining Tulmur | IpswichConvicts & Colonials: Health & WelfareConvicts & Colonials: Law & OrderTulmur: First Contact
In December 1860 as Ipswich Coroner, Henry Challinor held an inquest at Flinders Peak into the death of an Aboriginal man named Tommy. Tommy had been murdered by Native Police troopers led by one of the force's most infamous officers, Frederick Wheeler. One week later, Challinor held a second inquest at Fassifern into the deaths of three old Aboriginal men, also killed by Wheeler's troopers.
Queensland's Attorney General, Ratcliffe Pring, subsequently rejected Challinor's findings, saying, 'the evidence does not in my opinion sufficiently involve Lieutenant Wheeler or his Native Troopers' to allow 'a direct charge of murder or manslaughter'. When he learned of the government's response, Challinor sent a copy of the inquest report to the newspapers. One Ipswich paper took notice, stating 'there must be one law for ourselves and the natives in the case of outrage and slaughter'.
Challinor was one of the few Europeans to challenge the Native Police and speak up for Aboriginal people. In his 1970 book The Destruction of Aboriginal Society author CD Rowley wrote that Challinor was 'well ahead of his time' and concluded that his comments on the Native Police 'makes one wish to know more of Dr Challinor'.
Join professional historian Dr Jonathan Richards on his quest to know more about Henry Challinor.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be advised that this presentation may contain images and names of deceased persons.About the PresenterDr Jonathan Richards is a professional historian who mostly works in the Queensland State Archives (QSA) at Runcorn, undertaking research for academics, community groups, government and Indigenous people throughout Queensland. He is a specialist in records about death, frontier violence, and the experiences of Indigenous people under the state's criminal justice system.Asset TypeWebinar / Talk - MP4Music, Audio and Video (Trove mapping field)lectureSound RecordingYesCopyright NoticeThis licence lets you download, redistribute, translate, and remix the work, for NON-COMMERCIAL purposes only.
In return, you MUST always acknowledge the original creator of the work (photographer, studio, author, etc.) and acknowledge Picture Ipswich as your source of the work.
All derivatives of this work MUST be shared under the same Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license.
If you require a higher resolution copy of this work, please contact Picture Ipswich.CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright InformationEventsFrontier War (1788-1928)People & FamiliesHenry Challinor (1814-1882)Curated CollectionsChasing Our Past At HomeDefining Tulmur | IpswichConvicts & Colonials: Health & WelfareConvicts & Colonials: Law & OrderTulmur: First Contact
Linked To
People & FamiliesCurated CollectionsDefining Tulmur | Ipswich
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike Australian License
This licence lets you download, redistribute, translate, and remix the work, for NON-COMMERCIAL purposes only.
In return, you MUST always acknowledge the original creator of the work (photographer, studio, author, etc.) and acknowledge Picture Ipswich as your source of the work.
All derivatives of this work MUST be shared under the same Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike license.
If you require a higher resolution copy of this work, please contact Picture Ipswich.
The Quest for Henry Challinor. Picture Ipswich, accessed 01/09/2026, https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/33335