george gordon obituary

George graduated from. [49], As Gordon travelled up and down the Yangtze River valley, he was appalled by the scenes of poverty and suffering he saw, writing in a letter to his sister: "The horrible furtive looks of the wretched inhabitants hovering around one's boats haunts me, and the knowledge of their want of nourishment would sicken anyone; they are like wolves. George M. Gordon Obituary. [237], An identical statue by Thornycroftbut with the pedestal intactis located in a small park called Gordon Reserve, near Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia. Acton, NH George E. Gordon, 69 of Acton, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 26, 2022, after a long period of declining health at Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington,. I want no further satisfaction than this". [12] The Romanian historian Eric Tappe described Gordon as a man who developed his own "very personal peculiar variety of Protestantism". [147] Gordon saw his work in building forts to protect Mauritius from a possible Russian naval attack as pointless, and his main achievement during his time there was to advise the Crown to turn the Seychelles islands, whose beauty had greatly moved Gordon, into a new crown colony as Gordon argued it was impossible to govern the Seychelles from Port Louis. [184] One Cabinet minister wrote: "The London newspapers and the Tories clamor for an expedition to Khartoum, the former from ignorance, the latter because it is the best model of embarrassing us Of course it is not an impossible undertaking, but it is melancholy to think of the waste of lives and the treasure which it must involve". [254] Strachey ended his essay on Gordon on a cynical note: "At any rate, it all ended very happilyin a glorious slaughter of twenty-thousand Arabs, a vast addition to the British Empire and a step in the Peerage for Sir Evelyn Baring". He is greatly missed by all who were touched by his intellectual kindness. George was a wise, strong, hardworking, and unfailingly kind man. [189] The black Sudanese troops, many from what is now South Sudan, proved to be Gordon's best troops at Khartoum and numbered about twenty-three hundred. George was predeceased by his father, and is survived by his mother. [182], The ferocity of the Haddendowa attacks astonished the British, and Graham argued that he needed more troops if he were to advance deeper into the Sudan while one newspaper correspondent reported that the average British soldiers did not understand why they were in the Sudan fighting "such brave fellows" for "the sake of the wretched Egyptians". [187] In his final months, Gordon oscillated between a longing for martyrdom and death versus an intense horror at the prospect of his own demise as the hour of his destruction rapidly approached. the passing of George. [94] Because the Egyptian troops at Suakin were repeatedly defeated, a British force was sent to Suakin under General Sir Gerald Graham, which drove the rebels away in several hard-fought actions. [40] Gordon's insistence on paying his men meant that he was always pressing the Imperial government for money, something which often irritated the mandarins who did not understand why Gordon did not just let his men loot and plunder as a compensation for wages. [172], After arriving in Khartoum, Gordon announced that on the grounds of honour, he would not evacuate Khartoum, but rather, would hold the city against the Mahdi. His students and attendees have included people from Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine, Canada, Ireland and all 50 states all of whom traveled to and stayed in Isabella. Add a Memory. 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. [97] Baker's annual salary as governor of Equatoria had been 10,000 (Egyptian pounds, about US$1 million in today's money) and Ismail was astonished when Gordon refused that salary, saying that 2,000 per year was more than enough for him. . Other lives: Art lover who helped create a radio station, bank, orchestra and arboretum in his passion for making positive social change Around the base is an inscription referring to Gordon as a soldier, philanthropist, and administrator and mentions those parts of the world in which he served, closing with a quotation from his last letter to his sisters: "I am quite happy, thank God! [137] Gordon arrived in Shanghai in July and met Li Hongzhang, and learned that there was risk of war with Russia. For some years, the Taipings gradually advanced eastwards, but eventually they came close enough to Shanghai to alarm the European inhabitants. [166] The man behind the campaign was the Adjutant General, Sir Garnet Wolseleya skilled media manipulator who often leaked information to the press to effect changes in policyand who was strongly opposed to Gladstone's policy of pulling out of the Sudan. [95], The Egyptian authorities had been extending their control southwards since the 1820s. [88] The languages of Khedive's court were Turkish and French, not Arabic. He was a committed and valued friend and colleague for over thirty years at Sterling Marking Products. Gordon grew up in Climax, Sask., and worked in the Grain industry all his life, which he loved. [155] He accepted and returned to London to make preparations, but soon after his arrival, the British requested that he proceed immediately to the Sudan, where the situation had deteriorated badly after his departure another revolt had arisen, led by the self-proclaimed Mahdi, Mohammed Ahmed. The Reverend Reginald Barnes, who knew him well, describes him as "of the middle height, very strongly built". [207] Gordon defiantly told the merchant: "Go tell all the people of Khartoum that Gordon fears nothing, for God has created him without fear! Pallbearers will be some of Gordon's beloved nephews. [40], Gordon was honest and incorruptible, and unlike many Chinese officers, did not steal the money that was meant to pay his men, but rather insisted on paying the Ever Victorious Army on time and in full. In October 1880, Gordon paid a two-week visit to Ireland, landing at Cork and travelling over much of the island. [87] After Gordon resigned, Muhammad Rauf Pasha succeeded him as governor general of Sudan. You used to tell me darn I can't hide when I used to come to your office with an issue. Jackie was born April 7, 1944, to Rudy . 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. know George was a good and faithful servant of the Lord , and our parting will only be for a little while. Order by noon, TUES-SAT [248] About the charge that if only Gladstone had listened to Gordon, the disaster would have been avoided, Cromer wrote that in the course of one month, he received five telegrams from Gordon offering his advice, each one of which completely contradicted the previous telegram, leading Cromer to charge that Gordon was too mercurial a figure to hold command. In a House of Commons speech on 5 May 1948, then opposition leader Winston Churchill spoke out in favour of the statue's return to its original location: "Is the right honorable Gentleman [the Minister of Works] aware that General Gordon was not only a military commander, who gave his life for his country, but, in addition, was considered very widely throughout this country as a model of a Christian hero, and that very many cherished ideals are associated with his name? [146], In April 1881, Gordon left for Mauritius as Commander, Royal Engineers. [174], The Mahdi ended his letter with the remark: "I am the Expected Mahdi and I do not boast! "[204] On 14 December 1884, Gordon wrote the last entry in his diary, which read: "Now MARK THIS, if the Expeditionary Force and I ask for no more than two hundred men, does not come in ten days, the town may fall; and I have done my best for the honour of our country. Gordon passed away peacefully Monday, October 31 at the glorious age of 91, at Good Samaritan Prairie Ridge in Raymond. View obituary. The Mahdi contemptuously rejected Gordon's offer and sent back a letter demanding Gordon convert to Islam. He was named for a prominent lawyer and Tammany Hall leader. Bitterly, Gordon wrote in his diary: "It is impossible to have any more words with Mohammed Achmed, only lead. [146], In a memo to London, Gordon warned against over-reliance on the Suez Canal, where the Russians could easily sink one ship to block the entire canal, thus leading Gordon to advise upon improving the Cape route to India with Britain developing a series of bases in Africa and in the Indian Ocean. [60], Following the death of his father, he undertook extensive social work in Gravesend, feeding homeless boys whom he found begging on the street while also attempting to find them homes and jobs. Sep 1938 - Feb 2023. I repeat to you the words of Allah, Do not destroy yourself. JAMIE WYBLE OBITUARY. [93], Gordon remained in the Equatoria province until October 1876. [258], More balanced biographies are Charley Gordon: An Eminent Victorian Reassessed (1978) by Charles Chenevix Trench and Gordon: The Man Behind the Legend (1993) by John Pollock. 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. [12], Gordon was apparently killed at the Governor-General's palace about an hour before dawn. [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. [146] Besides championing land reform in Ireland, Gordon spent the winter of 188081 in London socialising with his family and his few friends, such as Florence Nightingale and Alfred Tennyson. Elated by these successes, Gordon wrote in his diary: "We are going to hold out here forever". [167], In 1880, the Liberals had won the general election on a platform of overseas retrenchment, and Gladstone had put his principles into practice by withdrawing from the Transvaal and Afghanistan in 1881. "[216] His body was desecrated and thrown down a well. Initially, the siege of Khartoum was more in nature a blockade rather than a true siege as the Mahdi's forces lacked the strength to wage a proper siege, for example, only cutting the telegraphy lines in April 1884. [3] He was educated at Fullands School in Taunton, Taunton School, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. [116] Faught wrote that Gordon's plans were "farsighted and humane", but Baring had no interest in Gordon's plans to suspend the interest payments. [119] Gordon was met by Suleiman Zobeir, the son of Rahama Zobeir, and demanded in the name of the Khedive of Egypt that the rebels end their rebellion and accept the authority of their lord and master, telling Zobeir that he would "disarm and break them" if the rebellion did not end at once. [257] Nutting noted that Gordon had often recklessly exposed himself to Russian fire while fighting in the Crimea and stated he hoped to die in battle against the Russians before leaving for the Crimea. [39] These requirements led Staveley to choose Gordon. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Still Hopes Retirement Community, located at 1 Still Hopes Drive, West Columbia, SC 29169 and First Baptist Church, located at 1306 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201. [74] The British historian Denis Judd, wrote about Gordon's sexuality: Like two other great Imperial heroes of his time, Kitchener and Cecil Rhodes, Gordon was a celibate. The long exploitation of the Sudan by Egypt led many Sudanese to rally to the Mahdi's black banner as he promised to expel the Egyptians, whom Ahmed denounced as apostates, and he announced he would establish an Islamic fundamentalist state marking a return to the "pure Islam" said to have been practised in the days of the Prophet Mohamed in Arabia. [43], Gordon then reorganised his force and advanced against Kunshan, which was captured at considerable loss. Aug 1931 - Feb 2023. The wave of mourning was not just confined to Britain. Wayland - Lorraine A. Dill, 94 years of age, passed away Saturday afternoon February 25, 2023 at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Gordon personally explored Lake Albert and the Victorian Nile, pushing on through the thick, humid jungle and steep ravines of Uganda amid heavy rains and vast hordes of insects in the summer of 1876 with an average daily temperature of 95F (35C), down to Lake Kyoga. [149], Being unemployed, Gordon decided to go to Palestine, which at the time was part of the Ottoman vilayet of Syria,[150] a region he had long desired to visit, where he would remain for a year (188283). [253], Strachey, a member of the Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals, depicted Gordon as a ludicrous figure, a bad-tempered, deranged egomaniac with a nasty habit of knocking out Arabs whenever he was unhappy, and who led himself into disaster. [243], In the Presidential Palace in Khartoum (built in 1899), in the west wing on the ground floor, there was, at least until 1936, a stone slab against the wall on the left side of the main corridor when coming from the main entrance with the text: "Charles George Gordon died26 Jan 1885", on the spot where Gordon was killed, at the foot of the stairs in the old Governor-General's Palace (built around 1850). [93], Typical of the men that Khedive Isma'il Pasha hired was Valentine Baker, a British Army officer dishonorably discharged after being convicted of raping a young woman in England that he had been asked to chaperon. In his 62nd year, George Gordon passed unexpectedly into the presence of his Lord and Saviour. May God wrap His mighty arms around each of you at this time! [201] However, Faught wrote that there was a fundamental difference between Gordon and the Mahdi in that Gordon never tried to convert the Muslims of the Sudan to Christianity whereas the Mahdi was an "Islamic extremist" who believed he would establish a worldwide caliphate, looking forward to the day when he would "see the world bow before him". Gordon". [179] The hero-worshiping Powers wrote about Gordon: "He is indeed I believe the greatest man of this century". I wish there was anything I could do to help take away some of your pain. quickly as possible. GEORGE FOLK OBITUARY. An expedition was sent up the White Nile, under Sir Samuel Baker, which reached Khartoum in February 1870 and Gondokoro in June 1871. If I cannot, I shall retire to the Equator and leave you with the indelible disgrace of abandoning the garrisons". [93] Licurgo Santoni, an Italian hired by the Egyptian state to run the Sudanese post office, wrote about Gordon's time as Governor-General that: as his exertions were not supported by his subordinates, his efforts remained fruitless. The Khedive's great dream was to make Egypt culturally a part of Europe, and he spent huge sums of money attempting to modernise and Westernise Egypt, in the process going very deeply into debt. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. [87], The French-educated Isma'il Pasha greatly admired Europe as the model for excellence in everything, being an especially passionate Italophile and Francophile, saying at the beginning of his reign: "My country is no longer in Africa, it is now in Europe". Nutting's book was noteworthy as the first book to argue that Gordon had a death wish. [56] The British journalist Mark Urban, wrote: "People saw a brave man who acted with humanity in an otherwise ghastly conflict, standing out from the other mercenaries, adventurers, and cut-throats in wanting almost nothing for himself". [113], As governor, Gordon faced a variety of challenges. [5] After her death, her place as Gordon's favourite sibling was taken by his very religious older sister Augusta, who nudged her brother towards religion. [87] Gordon's reforming zeal made him popular with the ordinary people of the Sudan. American historian James Perry wrote: "But instead of following instructions, he stayed put, longing for martyrdom. He was predeceased by : his parents, Charles Ross and Sara Tabener Ross; his siblings, William Ross, Charles Ross and Betsy Ross Meyer; and his siblings-in-law, Delleney Ruff and Melinda Ruff. [193] Gordon wrote in his diary that Mohammed Aly had captured "a lad of 12 or 14 years of age, and the little chap spoke out boldly, and said he believed Mohamed Ahmed was the Mahdi and that we were dogs. [119] Gordon also promised that those rebels who laid down their arms would not be punished and would all be given jobs in the administration. Add a photo or a video There is no photo or video of George Gordon. [50] The Ever-Victorious Armywhich was inclined to lootinghad been ordered not to enter Suzhou, and only Imperial forces entered the city. [114] Gordon was well-known for being utterly obstinate, joking that: "The Gordons and the camels are of the same race. [47] Gordon was thus powerless when the Imperial forces executed all of the Taiping POWs, an act that enraged him. A memorial service will be held in Isabella during the feast of Tabernacles in October for both Dirk and George. 22/01/2023 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. [180] At one point, Gordon suggested in a telegram to Gladstone that the notoriously corrupt Ottoman Sultan Abdul-Hamid II could be bribed into sending 3,000 Ottoman troops for the relief of Khartoum and if the British government was unwilling and/or unable to pay that amount, he was certain that either Pope Leo XIII or a group of American millionaires would be. When he and his wife started attending Summerside Church this year, I was blessed to meet him in person. The countenance bore a pleasant frank appearance, eyes light blue with a fearless look in them, hair crisp and inclined to curl, conversation short and decided". George was a 1957 graduate of Findlay High School. George Gordon of Isabella, Mo died in his wife's arms at his farm August 30 and was buried that same day in the family cemetery on the farm. Send Flowers. Second only to his faith, was the great joy George found in his family. The best supporter & best trusted in a crisis. [86] In 1873, Gordon received a definite offer from the Khedive, which he accepted with the consent of the British government, and proceeded to Egypt early in 1874. Gordon made a point of treating POWs well to encourage the Taipings to surrender, and many of his men were former Taipings who chose to enlist in the Ever Victorious Army. Planting will take place in Spring of the following year. [78] Faught argued that no-one at the time suspected Gordon of having sexual relations with the legions of teenage boys living with him at the Fort House. [33] The Anglo-French force remained in northern China until April 1862, then, under General Charles William Dunbar Staveley, withdrew to Shanghai to protect the European settlement from the rebel Taiping army. [83] Popular legend has it that Gordon and Gessi broke into the pasha's palace at night to rescue the girl, but the truth is less dramatic. Tribute will contact you if there are any issues. [193] Gordon waged a very vigorous defence, sending out his armoured steamers to engage the Ansar camps along the Blue Nile while he regularly made raids on the besiegers that often gave the Madhi's forces a "bloody nose". Nutting made the controversial claim that the basis of Gordon's death wish was that he was gay, noting that Gordon never married, is not known to have had a relationship with any women, and often wished that he had been born a eunuch, which strongly suggested that Gordon wished to have no sexual desires at all. Sympathy Ideas. [254] Even more devastatingly, Strachey depicted Gordon as a monumental hypocrite, noting the contrast between Gordon's lofty Christian ideas of love, compassion, charity, grace, and hope vs. a career full of hate, war, carnage, death, and destruction. [94] John Russell, the son of the famous war correspondent William Howard Russell, was another European recruited to serve on Gordon's staff. "[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". During peak periods such as Valentines Day, Memorial Day and most holidays, florists are not always able to keep up to demand. [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. [39] Li was impressed with Gordon, writing: It is a direct blessing from Heaven, the coming of this British Gordon. He was so erratic, capricious, utterly unreliable, his mood changed so often, his temper was abominable, he was frequently drunk, and yet with all that, he had a tremendous sense of honour and great abilities". So, therefore, I believe in our active employment in a future life, and I like the thought. Would not the right honorable Gentleman consider whether this statue [] might not receive special consideration []? [65] Urban wrote: It is possible that he had sexual feelings for these urchins, but there is no evidence that he ever acted upon them. [131] These religious beliefs mirrored differing aspects of Gordon's personality as he believed that he could choose his own fate through the force of his personality and a fatalistic streak often ending his letters with D.V (Deo volente Latin for "God willing", i.e. Planting will take place in Spring or Summer of the same year. [56], Gordon returned to Britain and commanded the Royal Engineers' project around Gravesend, Kent, to erect forts for the defense of the River Thames. [43] Under fire from the Taiping forces, Gordon's men chopped up the wooden stakes the Taipings had placed in the canal, thereby allowing Gordon to outflank the main Taiping defence line and to enter the main canal connecting Quinsan to Suzhou. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time. In the article, Stallard pointed to the egalitarianistic attitudes displayed by Gordon towards the Chinese, and argued that if Chinese historians paid closer attention to the activities of Gordon in China, it would improve Anglo-Chinese relations. I am the successor of God's Prophet and I have no need of any sultanate of Kordofan or anywhere else! [51] During his time with the Ever Victorious Army, Gordon had won thirty-three battles in succession. Sign the Guest Book. Staveley selected Gordon, who had been made a brevet major in December 1862 and the nomination was approved by the British government. [172] Baring disapproved of sending Gordon to the Sudan, writing in a report to London that: "A man who habitually consults the Prophet Isaiah when he is in a difficulty is not apt to obey the orders of anyone". Gordon despite or rather, because of his war hero status disliked publicity and tried to avoid the press when he was in Britain. Rick and Karen Stainthorpe. Im so grateful that my sister and nephews had such a wonderful father-in-law and grandpa. and "Sultan!" His moods were capricious and uncertain, his passions violent, his impulses sudden and inconsistent. [219] Wolseley, who had been led to believe that his expedition was the initial phase of an operation to re-conquer the Sudan, was furious, and in a telegram to Queen Victoria contemptuously called Gladstone "the tradesman who has become a politician". It is a bittersweet reminder of all we've lost, but it can also help us to remember all we enjoyed while they were alive. [192] On 25 July 1884, the Cabinet, over the objections of the Prime Minister, voted to send a relief expedition to Khartoum. When considering a Mississippi governor's race, I often think of those people who never entered a political election, wishing they had for the state's sake. [35] Gordon was attached to his staff as engineer officer. [162] Gordon wanted to talk about the Congo, but Stead kept on pressing him to talk about the Sudan. [163] Gordon offered up a 19th-century anticipation of the domino theory, claiming: The danger arises from the influence which the spectacle of a conquering Mahometan Power established close to your frontiers will exercise upon the population which you govern. [164], Stead published his interview on 9 January 1884, on the front page of the Pall Mall Gazette alongside an editorial of his titled, "Chinese Gordon for the Sudan". Order by 3:00PMThe day before, SAT & SUN [204] On arriving at Khartoum on 28 January, the reconnaissance gunboats found that the city had been captured and Gordon had been killed just two days before, coincidentally, two days before his 52nd birthday. [96] This bold move proved successful, as one chief then another pledged his loyalty to the Khedive, including Suleiman Zobeir himself, though the remainder retreated to the south. You rest easy my friend. [20], For his services in the Crimea, he received the Crimean war medal and clasp. [12], The British government asked Gordon to go to Khartoum to report on the best method of carrying out the evacuation. "[247], Such was the popularity of Gordon that the first critical book by a British author was not published until 1908, when Baringby this time raised to the peerage as Viscount Cromerpublished his autobiography, which was notable as the first British book to portray Gordon in an unflattering manner, though Lord Cromer also tried to be fair and emphasised what he felt were Gordon's positive, as well as his negative, traits. At Tamai on 13 March 1884, Graham was attacked by the Haddendowa (whom the British nicknamed "Fuzzy Wuzzies") whom he defeated, but in the course of the battle, the Haddendowa broke a Black Watch square, an action later celebrated in the Kipling poem "Fuzzy-Wuzzy". During this time in Khartoum, Gordon befriended Irish journalist Frank Powers, The Times (London) correspondent in the Sudan. February 2, 2023 His beloved wife passed in June of 2019. [219] During a meeting in 1898 in Cairo where Churchill interviewed Baring to gather material for his 1899 book The River War,[250] Baring challenged Churchill about his belief that Gordon was a hero. Karen and I were shocked and saddened to hear of Georges passing. Liberal government delivered on Friday $3 million to the Omineca Beetle Action Coalition to be used during the next three years to implement a . Wade echoed Hart, writing that Gordon had changed since his last time in China, and was now "unbalanced", being utterly convinced that all of his ideas came from God, making him dangerously unreasonable since Gordon now believed that everything he did was the will of God. He was warm, steadfast, and peaceable. He first displayed his death wish as he wrote at the time that he had gone "to the Crimea, hoping, without having a hand in it, to be killed". [21], Following the peace, he was attached to an international commission to mark the new border between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire in Bessarabia. I'm thinking of the entire family as you're celebrating the life of our beloved George. His Irish-Italian family raised him. [180] Gordon urged that the road from Suakin to Berber be opened, but his request was refused by the government in London, and in April Graham and his forces were withdrawn and Gordon and the Sudan were abandoned. Authorize the publication of the original written obituary with the accompanying photo. [194], It was not until August 1884 that the government decided to take steps to relieve Gordon, with the British relief force, called the Nile Expedition, or, more popularly, the Khartoum Relief Expedition or Gordon Relief Expedition (a title that Gordon strongly deprecated).