[12], Gordon believed in both predestinationwriting that, "I believe that not a worm is picked up by a bird without the direct intervention of God"and free will with humans choosing their own fate, writing, "I cannot and do not pretend to reconcile the two". [88] The languages of Khedive's court were Turkish and French, not Arabic. He attended schools in Ferndale and Eureka, CA. [40] In a 2008 article, Stallard argued that Chinese historiography has largely neglected Gordon, which Stallard felt was undeserved. [38] Moreover, Burgevine made little effort to hide his racism, and his relations with the Chinese were very difficult at the best of times. Im grateful to [203], In 1982, a documentary on Gordon's life was written and presented by the actor and historian Robert Hardy, entitled "Gordon of Khartoum". Survived by his daughter, Melanie (Barry) Thompson. George was such a great guy. He will be much missed at work. 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. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Gordon Richard George, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. [71] The Dictionary of National Biography described Gordon as a great "boy lover". [187] Among the dead were Gordon's unofficial spokesman, the passionate wordsmith and Times journalist Frank Powers, Gordon's Chief of Staff, Colonel Stewart, and the French consul in Khartoum, Lon Herbin[fr], all of whom Gordon was sending to Cairo to plead for relief. May the happy memories give George's family peace and comfort during this challenging time. Geoffrey FitzClarence, 3rd Earl of Munster - Wikipedia Send Flowers: When Is the Ordering Deadline? [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. [257] On the basis of such statements and actions, Nutting argued that Gordon's suicidal courage of going into battle armed only with his rattan cane, which so impressed the Victorian public, reflected darker desires. [43] Gordon wrote: "The great thingis to cut off their retreat, and the chances are they will go without trouble; but attack them in the front, and leave their rear open, and they fight most desperately". A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. [43] Gordon disembarked the 4th Regiment with orders to take Quinsan while he sailed up and down the main canal in the Hyson, using the 32-pounder gun to blast apart the Taiping positions on the canal. No; the conscience of the nation felt that a strain rested upon it". [51], Gordon believed this approach was militarily counterproductive, as it encouraged the Taipings to fight to the death, which Gordon felt to be very unwise as the Taiping leader Hong Xiuquan, had become murderously paranoid, conducting bloody purges of his followers. From September 1882 onwards, Egypt was a de facto British protectorate effectively ruled by Baring, through in theory, Egypt remained an Ottoman province with a very wide degree of autonomy until 1914. [151], In Jerusalem, Gordon lived with an American lawyer, Horatio Spafford, and his wife, Anna Spafford, who were the leaders of the American Colony in the Holy City. The wave of mourning was not just confined to Britain. He will be lovingly remembered by Sybil, his wife of the past 32 years; his . 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. [93] The bribes that the slave traders offered for bureaucrats to turn a blind eye to the slave trade had far more effect on the bureaucrats than did any of Gordon's orders to suppress the slave trade, which were simply ignored. In July 1878, Suleiman Zobeir had rebelled again, leading Gordon and his close friend Gessi to take to the field. Other lives: Art lover who helped create a radio station, bank, orchestra and arboretum in his passion for making positive social change GEORGE FOLK OBITUARY. [120], Gordon returned south and proceeded to Harrar, south of Abyssinia, and, finding the administration in poor standing, dismissed the governor. [157] In 1882, nationalist rage in Egypt against Baring's economic policies led to the revolt by Colonel Urabi Pasha, which was put down by Anglo-Egyptian troops. [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. He was always professional, approachable, kind, helpful and had an easy smile. May peace be with the entire Gordon Family during this sorrowful time. The garrison at Berber surrendered in May, and Khartoum was completely isolated. Whether religion or vanity, or the softening of the brain I don't know, but he seems to be alternatively arrogant and slavish, vain and humble, in his senses and out of them. The prince keeps a great state and I was introduced to him with much ceremony. Sending you my love. [102] Chaill-Long in return painted a very unflattering picture of Gordon in his 1884 book The Three Prophets, whom he portrayed as a bully, a raging alcoholic, an incompetent leader, and a rank coward. When oil mixes with water, we will mix together". [118], Gordon carried no weapons except for his rattan cane (though the bashi-bazouks were armed with rifles and swords), but Gordon showed utterly no fear while his interpreter and the bashi-bazouks were visibly nervous as the rebels numbered about 3,000. [103] The heat greatly affected Gordon as he wrote to his sister Augusta, "This is a horrid climate, I seldom if ever get a good sleep". He also rented a small house in East Terrace for working boys to be taught for free. [193], To keep up morale, Gordon had a military band perform concerts in the central plaza every Friday and Sunday evenings for free, and cast his own decorations for his men. [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. George Folk Obituary (1938 - 2023) - Findlay, OH - The Courier My thoughts are with his family and his Sterling family who I know will miss him very much. At the beginning of 1884, Gordon had no interest in the Sudan and had just been hired to work as an officer with the newly-established Congo Free State. Obituary | Gordon Shaffer of George, Iowa | Jurrens Funeral Homes Goodness become to me, through Gordon, the most desirable of ideasWe were under the spell of Gordon's personality. Find an Obituary. Many have seen the attempt to save Emin Pasha, a German doctor-biologist-botanist who had converted from Judaism first to Lutheranism and then (possibly) to Islam, and who had not been particularly famous in Europe until then, as a consolation prize for Gordon. [190], Gladstone was opposed to hanging onto the Sudan, saying in a speech in the House of Commons that sending a relief force to Khartoum would be "a war of conquest against a people struggling to be free. [12], Gordon had a strong death wish, and clearly wanted to die fighting at Khartoum, writing in a letter to his sister: "I feel so very much inclined to wish it His will might be my release. [187] In one of the last letters Gordon had smuggled out, he wrote: "I expect Her Majesty's Government are in a precious rage with me for holding out, and so forcing their hands". He was present during the capture of Peking and at the destruction of the Summer Palace. [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. Funeral: 15 Mar 2023, Dewsbury. [240], Gordon's Tomb (in fact a cenotaph), which was carved by Frederick William Pomeroy, lies in St Paul's Cathedral, London. The Lord Mayor of London opened a public subscription to raise funds for a permanent memorial to Gordon; this eventually materialised as the Gordon Boys Home, now Gordon's School, in West End, Woking. Home Obituaries Locations Harrisburg, PA Pittsburg, PA . (for "Murderer of Gordon"). [174], The Mahdi ended his letter with the remark: "I am the Expected Mahdi and I do not boast! George J Gordon III (Trey) of Azle, TX passed away May 1, 2022. George was a wise, strong, hardworking, and unfailingly kind man. Gordon visited the Seychelles in the summer of 1881 and decided the islands were the location of the Garden of Eden. [174] Travelling through Korosko and Berber, he arrived at Khartoum on 18 February, where he offered his earlier foe, the slaver-king Rahama Zobeir, release from prison in exchange for leading troops against Ahmed. [206], A particular aspect of Gordon's personality that stood out was his death wish, as everyone who knew him was convinced that he wanted to die. [53], The Emperor promoted Gordon to the rank of tidu (: "Chief commander of Jiangsu province" a title equal to field marshal), decorated him with the imperial yellow jacket, and raised him to Qing's Viscount first class, but Gordon declined an additional gift of 10,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury. [172], Due to public opinion, the government dared not sack Gordon, but the Cabinet was extremely angry about Gordon's insubordination, with many privately saying if Gordon wanted to defy orders by holding Khartoum, then he only deserved what he was going to get. [7], As a cadet, Gordon displayed exceptional talents at map-making and in designing fortifications, which led to his career choice of the Royal Engineers or "sappers" in the Army. Gordon Pinsent, Actor Known for Playing Twinkle-Eyed Rogues, Dies at 92 In New York, Paris, and Berlin, pictures of Gordon appeared in shop windows with black lining as all over the West, the fallen general was seen as a Christ-like man who sacrificed himself resisting the advance of Islam. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! George Gordon Obituary (1968 - 2020) | Raymore, Saskatchewan General Gordon was a figure outside and above the ranks of military and naval commanders." [102] Faught argued that since no one else who knew Gordon in Equatoria described him in these terms, and given that Gordon's accusation that Chaill-Long was a spy for Aiyub Pasha seems to be justified, that Chaill-Long was engaging in character assassination as an act of revenge. [160], The only other place to hold out for a time was a region in the south held by the Governor of Equatoria, Emin Pasha. [82] During his second trip to Romania, Gordon insisted on living with ordinary people as he travelled over the countryside, commenting that Romanian peasants "live like animals with no fuel, but reeds", and spent one night at the home of a poor Jewish craftsman whom Gordon praised for his kindness in sharing the single bedroom with his host, his wife, and their seven children. Eric Matthew Gairy, politician: born 18 February 1922; Member of Legislative Council, Grenada 1951-52 and 1954-55, Minister of Trade and Production 1956-57, Chief Minister and Minister of Finance . [37] Given Burgevine's alcoholism, open corruption, and tendency to engage in acts of mindless violence when drunk, the Chinese wanted "a man of good temper, of clean hands, and a steady economist" as his replacement. Prince George Obituaries - Prince George Citizen [128] The eccentric Gordon was very religious, but he departed from Christian orthodoxy on a number of points. The English uniform produces an immediate sensation". Ismai'il's Chief of General Staff was the American general Charles Pomeroy Stone, and a number of other veterans of the American Civil War were commanding Egyptian troops. Gordon". It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1890 and then erected in Brompton Barracks, Chatham, the home of the Royal School of Military Engineering, where it still stands. I repeat to you the words of Allah, Do not destroy yourself. The most popular account of Gordon's death was that he put on his ceremonial gold-braided blue uniform of the Governor-General together with the Pasha's red fez and that he went out unarmed, except with his rattan cane, to be cut down by the Ansar. [93], Gordon remained in the Equatoria province until October 1876. [58], The traders of Shanghai offered Gordon huge sums of money to thank him for his work commanding the Ever Victorious Army. [100] Gordon soon learned that his superior, the Governor-General of the Sudan, Ismail Aiyub Pasha, was deeply involved in the slave trade and was doing everything within his power to sabotage Gordon's anti-slavery work by denying him supplies and leaking information to the slavers. Add a photo or a video There is no photo or video of George Gordon. George GORDON / GEORGE / HANSLOW Obituary Events Guestbook Claim Story Follow story Text size GORDON, George aka George Gordon GEORGE and George HANSLOW Born December 1935 and passed in December 2020. [220] As late as 1901, on the anniversary of Gordon's death, The Times wrote in a leader (editorial) that Gordon was "that solitary figure holding aloft the flag of England in the face of the dark hordes of Islam". Anything you need, Im here. know George was a good and faithful servant of the Lord , and our parting will only be for a little while. [10] The sappers were an elite corps who performed reconnaissance work, led storming parties, demolished obstacles in assaults, and undertook rear-guard actions in retreats and other hazardous tasks. George Gordon - Wynyard, Saskatchewan , Conley Funeral Home - Memories wall BROUGHT TO YOU BY Conley Funeral Home George Melvin Gordon Wynyard, Saskatchewan November 9, 1968 - May 13, 2020 Share Obituary: Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Share a memory of George Melvin Gordon. file size: 2 MB. George Harrington Obituary (2013) - Oswego, NY - Syracuse Post Standard At Cairo, he received further instructions from Sir Evelyn Baring, and was appointed Governor-General with executive powers by the Khedive Tewfik Pasha, who also gave Gordon an edict ordering him to establish a government in the Sudan. George will be deeply missed by everyone, especially his grandchildren. He will also be lovingly remembered by his stepchildren, Sue (Delon) Shurtz of Raymond, Roy (Shannon) West of Hamilton, Ont., Paul (Mary) West of Lacombe, and Beth (Milo) Holthe of Glenwood. As such, Gordon's role in suppressing the rebellion has caused his reputation to suffer in China, in addition to his role as a general in service of the Manchu-dominated Qing government, which systematically oppressed the Han Chinese majority. [64] Persuaded by his friends in 1867, he became a trustee for the local Ragged school committee. [140] At one point during a meeting with the Council of Ministers, an enraged Gordon picked up a Chinese-English dictionary, looked up the word idiocy, and then pointed at the equivalent Chinese word with one hand while pointing at the ministers with the other. [51] Gordon wrote a letter home that his losses were "no joke" as 48 of his 100 officers and about 1,000 of 3,500 soldiers had been killed or wounded in action. Orphali was knocked unconscious and did not see Gordon die. [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. Gordon was quite critical of the way Chinese generals fought the war, observing that the Chinese were willing to inflict and accept gargantuan losses in battle, an approach Gordon disapproved of. Special thanks to the caring staff of Good Samaritan Prairie Ridge and the Raymond Health Centre. [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. [24] Gordon did not speak Romanian, but his fluency in French allowed him to socialise with the Francophile Romanian elite, who were all fluent in French. To follow George's story, enter your email. [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. After an order is placed, our forestry partners will plant the tree in the area of greatest need (nearest the funeral home), according to the planting schedule for the year. [96] Isma'il Pasha told Gordon that he wished to expand Equatoria into the rest of Uganda, with the ultimate aim of absorbing the entire Great Lakes region of East Africa into the empire that Isma'il wanted to build in Africa. [69], King Leopold II then asked Gordon again to take charge of the Congo Free State. George Gordon Battle Liddy was born in Brooklyn on Nov. 30, 1930, and grew up in Hoboken, N.J. 2023 Christensen Salmon Generations Funeral Home. [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". This man's activity with the scientific knowledge which he possesses is doubtless able to achieve much, but unfortunately, no one backs him up and his orders are badly carried out or altered in such a way as to render them without effect. [56], In a leader in August 1864, The Times wrote about Gordon: "the part of the soldier of fortune is in these days very difficult to play with honourbut if ever the actions of a soldier fighting in foreign service ought to be viewed with indulgence, and even with admiration, this exceptional tribute is due to Colonel Gordon". [245] The British historian Alex von Tunzelmann criticised the film for portraying Gordon and the Mahdi regularly meeting and as frres ennemis, though she added that it is true that Gordon and the Mahdi did exchange letters. Sign the Guest Book. [158], The Egyptian forces in the Sudan were insufficient to cope with the rebels, and the northern government was occupied with the suppression of the Urabi Revolt. [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. [12] Gordon disobeyed orders and left on the first ship to China, an action that very much angered the Army's commander, the Duke of Cambridge. Located in the town centre of his birthplace of Woolwich is General Gordon Square, formerly known as General Gordon Place until a major urban landscaped area was developed and the road name changed. Messages run for up to one year and you [37], Gordon then made a rapprochement with Li and visited him in order to arrange for further operations. We are very sorry to hear about George, It seems we never seem to get together until we have a reason like this.