Henry Challinor

Henry Challinor (22 June 1814 – 9 September 1882) was a physician and politician in the Colony of Queensland.

Henry Challinor
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for West Moreton
In office 12 January 1861 – 16 May 1861 (election annulled) Serving with Benjamin Cribb, Joseph Fleming
Preceded by	Alfred Broughton
Succeeded by	Himself
In office 31 May 1861 – 30 May 1863 Serving with Benjamin Cribb, Joseph Fleming, Joshua Peter Bell
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Robert Herbert
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Town of Ipswich
In office 30 May 1863 – 26 September 1868 Serving with Ratcliffe Pring, George Reed, John Murphy, Arthur Macalister
Preceded by	Patrick O'Sullivan
Succeeded by	John Thompson
Personal details
Born	22 June 1814 London, England
Died	9 September 1882 (aged 68) Brisbane
Resting place	South Brisbane Cemetery
Nationality	English
Spouse(s)	Mary Bowyer Hawkins
Occupation	General practitioner, Mental health practitioner

Early life

Challinor was born in London, England. Studying medicine in London, where he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1842, he emigrated to Queensland in 1849 aboard the Fortitude, on which he served as the ship's doctor. By April 1849, he had established a medical practice in Ipswich, where he later spent much of his life.[1]

Church Life

Dr Challinor was a founding deacon of the Central Congregational Church of Ipswich, appointed 25 April 1853.[2][3] The church was a fiercely independent denomination refusing to accept any government subsidies or land grants.

Civic life

The Governor General of New South Wales appointed Henry Challinor to be a Magistrate for New South Wales on 30 August 1858.[4]

The Governor General of New South Wales appointed Henry Challinor, Esquire, J.P. to be a coroner for the District of Ipswich on 20 October 1859.[5]

In January 1861 Dr. Challinor J.P. conducted a magisterial inquiry into the deaths of at least three aboriginal people at Fassifern Station. He found "the said Aboriginals were wilfully and wantonly murdered on the twenty-fourth day of December last by Lieut. Wheeler and the detachment of Native Police on that day under his command; and also that John Hardie, Grazier of Fassifern was cognizant of this fact, yet endeavoured to prevent a judicial enquiry into the cause of the death of the said Aboriginals by falsely attesting that no blacks had been shot on that station as had been reported."[6]

Subsequent to that inquiry a Select Committee was established by the Queensland Legislative Assembly to report on the Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines generally. Dr. Challinor M.P. was a witness at the inquiry.[7][8]

Henry Challinor's evidence indicated his belief that Aboriginal people should be recompensed for the loss of their traditional hunting grounds. He gave evidence that he believed Aboriginal people, with the assistance of translators, should be treated equally to white people in the court system and in the area of education. When examined, he stated that he subscribed ten guineas a year towards the support of Mr. Ridley as a missionary to the Aboriginal people. During his evidence on 8 and 9 May 1861 he stated:- "I must say distinctly that I consider the life of a black man to be quite as valuable in itself as that of a white man."[9][10]

Dr. Challinor M.P. wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Select Committee with his recommendations as regards a "Protective Force for the interior". This letter was attached as Appendix D. of the report.[11][12]

In February 1862 Challinor examined the evidence in the cases of Billy Horton charged with rape and Kipper Billy with aiding and abetting. They were found guilty and sentenced to death. As a result of Challinor informing Justice Lutwyche of his findings, "Horton was pardoned and finally released from gaol on 2 April l862 less than two months after his conviction. Kipper Billy, shot and killed, would have received a pardon if he had been a little more patient. A posthumous pardon has never been granted."[13]

Political life

He was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1861 for the three member electoral district of West Moreton only to have his election annulled in May of that year.[14] Challinor won the subsequent election and served the seat till 1863.[15] He then moved to the seat of Town of Ipswich, where he served until he was defeated in 1868.[15]

In 1869 Dr. Challinor was appointed the second medical superintendent of the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum at Woogaroo (Goodna) to straighten out a scandal. He left that position in 1872.[1]

Later life

Challinor died at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane[16] in 1882 and was buried in South Brisbane Cemetery.[17]

Legacy

As a result of the reorganization of Queensland mental health services in 1968, the Ipswich Mental Hospital was designated as a training centre for the intellectually disabled. In 1968 it was renamed Challinor Centre in honour of Dr. Henry Challinor.[18][19]

Challinor Street Ipswich Queensland was in existence from at least 1865, and was probably named after Dr. Henry Challinor, or his relative George Miles Challinor who also arrived on the Fortitude.[20][21]

On 4 March 1863 a certificate was issued to Henry Challinor Esquire by Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen. The certificate appointed Henry Challinor as the surgeon in the Ipswich Rifles that formed part of the Volunteer Corps of Queensland. It stated: "Know you, that I, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, the Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief aforesaid, Do, by virtue of the power and authority in me vested, under the Act of Council passed in the Eighteenth Year of Her present Majesty's Reign, and numbered Eight, hereby appoint you, the said Henry Challinor to be Surgeon in The Ipswich Rifles forming part of the Volunteer Corps of Queensland.".[22] The certificate was #59 in the ‘Top 150: Documenting Queensland’ exhibition when it toured to venues around Queensland from February 2009 to April 2010.[23] The exhibition was part of Queensland State Archives’ events and exhibition program which contributed to the state’s Q150 celebrations, marking the 150th anniversary of the separation of Queensland from New South Wales.[24]

References

1. Gordon, Douglas. "Challinor, Henry (1814–1882)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
2. Central Congregational Church (Ipswich, Qld.) (1953), The story of the years : dedicated to those whose faith, prayer, vision and energy established this church, Central Congregational Church, p. 2, retrieved 5 August 2020
3. "IPSWICH CITY OF CHURCHES". Queensland Times. LXXV (14, 864). Queensland, Australia. 4 July 1934. p. 21 (DAILY.). Retrieved 19 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "MAGISTRATES". New South Wales Government Gazette (133). New South Wales, Australia. 31 August 1858. p. 1413. Retrieved 27 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". New South Wales Government Gazette (214). New South Wales, Australia. 21 October 1859. p. 2304. Retrieved 21 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
6. THE UGARAPUL TRIBE OF THE FASSIFERN VALLEY by Dan O'Donnell Submitted for publication 24 June 1989 espace.library.uq.edu.au
7. Queensland. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Select Committee on Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally (1861), Report from the Select Committee on the Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally together with the proceedings of the Committee and minutes of evidence, Fairfax and Belbridge, pp. 6, 7 Proceedings of the Committee, retrieved 4 August 2020
8. "Native Police Force. Report" (PDF). Queensland Legislative Assembly. 1861. p. 6, 7 Proceedings of the Committee. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020 – via Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
9. Queensland. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Select Committee on Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally (1861), Report from the Select Committee on the Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally together with the proceedings of the Committee and minutes of evidence, Fairfax and Belbridge, pp. 2–6, 12-16. Minutes of Evidence, retrieved 4 August 2020
10. "Native Police Force. Report" (PDF). Queensland Legislative Assembly. 1861. p. 2-6, 12-16 Minutes of Evidence. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020 – via Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
11. "Native Police Force. Report" (PDF). Queensland Legislative Assembly. 1861. p. 166, 167. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 26 July 2020 – via Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
12. Queensland. Parliament. Legislative Assembly. Select Committee on Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally (1861), Report from the Select Committee on the Native Police Force and the Condition of the Aborigines Generally together with the proceedings of the Committee and minutes of evidence, Fairfax and Belbridge, pp. 166, 167. Minutes of Evidence, retrieved 4 August 2020
13. Sheaffe, Stephen. A tragic injustice: the trial of Kipper Billy and Billy Horton. [Delivered at the Clem Lack Oration on 16 August 2001.] [online]. Journal of the Royal Historical Society of Queensland, Vol. 19, No. 5, Feb 2006: 824-840 p.830-831. Availability: <https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/documentSummary;dn=200603534;res=IELAPA> ISSN: 1447-1345. [cited 18 Sep 20].
14. "LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY". The Courier (Brisbane). Brisbane: National Library of Australia. 17 May 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
15. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
16. "Family Notices". The Brisbane Courier. National Library of Australia. 11 September 1882. p. 1. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
17. Challinor Henry Archived 12 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
18. UQ Ipswich Campus : progression of an Institution, [St Lucia, Queensland] University of Queensland (published 2009), 3 January 2014, 1968 Challinor Centre, archived from the original on 3 January 2014, retrieved 5 August 2020
19. "Challinor Centre - Organisation". Find & Connect. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
20. "Advertising". Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald And General Advertiser. IV (437). Queensland, Australia. 18 March 1865. p. 2. Retrieved 21 July 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
21. Design & Art Australia Online George Miles Challinor https://www.daao.org.au/bio/george-miles-challinor/biography/
22. 6132, Challinor Family Papers and Photographs, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Australia.Certificate, 4 March 1863, 6132/16
23. "Number 59 - Certificate issued to Henry Challinor by Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen (1863)". Number 59 - Certificate issued to Henry Challinor by Governor Sir George Ferguson Bowen (1863). Queensland State Archives. 7 April 2015. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
24. Queensland State Archives (2014), Annual report, Queensland State Archives, retrieved 6 August 2020

Further reading

Douglas Gordon, 'Challinor, Henry (1814–1882)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/challinor-henry-3185/text4777, published first in hardcopy 1969, accessed online 21 July 2020.