Married to the sweetheart of this world - Nancy - a perfect partner. [60] Gordon's father was against his son working in Chinese service, an estrangement that had not been settled at the time of his death, and Gordon felt immense guilt that his father had died before they were reconciled. [214] Rudolf Slatin, the Austrian governor of Darfur who had been taken prisoner by the Ansar, wrote that three soldiers showed him Gordon's head at his tent before delivering it to the Mahdi. [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". He was warm, steadfast, and peaceable. [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. William Gordon, minister of Glenlivet, he entered Marischal College, [32], After stopping in Shanghai, Gordon visited the Chinese countryside and was appalled at the atrocities committed by the Taipings against the local peasants, writing to his family he would love to smash this "cruel" army with its "desolating presence" that killed without mercy. When oil mixes with water, we will mix together". My friend Obituaries | The Guardian [100], Gordon established a close rapport with the African peoples of Equatoria such as the Nuer and Dinka, who had long suffered from the activity of Arab slave traders, and who naturally supported Gordon's efforts to stamp out the slave trade. George Gordon GORDON, George - 1919-2007, peacefully at the Apotex Jewish Home for the Aged on Monday, May 7th. Funeral: 15 Mar 2023, Dewsbury. My thoughts are with his family and his Sterling family who I know will miss him very much. Fri,03/03/23-11:56AM, 38 Reads. Goodness become to me, through Gordon, the most desirable of ideasWe were under the spell of Gordon's personality. [110], He accepted their offer, believing rather naively in Leopold's and Mackinnon's assurances their plans were purely philanthropic and they had no interest in exploiting Africans for profit[111] but the Khedive Isma'il Pasha wrote to him saying that he had promised to return, and that he expected him to keep his word. "[260], Gordon also left a legacy in China and Sudan as well, two nations where he spent large parts of his career. Jackie was born April 7, 1944, to Rudy . "[175] Even Wolseley had cause to regret sending Gordon, as the general revealed himself to be a loose cannon whose press statements attacking the Liberal government were "obstructing rather than furthering his plans to take over the Sudan". George Gordon Obituary Goodbye, C. G. [251] By contrast, Gordon is one of the four subjects discussed critically in Eminent Victorians by Lytton Strachey, one of the first texts about Gordon that portrays some of his characteristics which Strachey regards as weaknesses. [104] Gordon chose not to meet Muteesa himself, instead sending his chief medical officer, a German convert to Islam, Dr. Emin Pasha, to negotiate a treaty wherein in exchange for allowing the Egyptians to leave the Buganda, the independence of the kingdom was recognised. The insurgents were numerous, and he saw that diplomacy had a better chance of success. George Harold Folk, 84, of Findlay, passed away peacefully Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, at Mennonite Memorial Home, Bluffton. Gordon grew up in Climax, Sask., and worked in the Grain industry all his life, which he loved. [219], In 1885, Gordon achieved the martyrdom he had been seeking at Khartoum as the British press portrayed him as a saintly Christian hero and martyr who had died nobly resisting the Islamic onslaught of the Mahdi. In the words of the American historian Immanuel C. Y. Hsu, Gordon was a "man of action" unsuitable for a bureaucratic job. He is survived by his wife and business partner of 30 years Jackie, whom he loved dearly; by his 5 children; granddaughters Jillianne of Garden City, MO, and Kohl and great granddaughters Ruth and Faith of Cheney, WA. [209] As dawn broke on the morning of 26 January 1885, the Ansar regiments, led by their riflemen and followed by their spearmen, marched out of their camps under their black banners. George Gordon Obituary [47] Gordon was thus powerless when the Imperial forces executed all of the Taiping POWs, an act that enraged him. [187], Gordon energetically organised the defence of Khartoum right from the moment he arrived in Khartoum, using his training as a military engineer to turn the city into a fortress. Lord Byron - Wikipedia In the hotel's restaurant, now a pub called Happy Days, he met another guest from Britain, the reverend R. H. Barnes, vicar of Heavitree near Exeter, who became a good friend. [47] Gordon had to impose strict discipline on the Ever Victorious Army and worked hard to prevent the Army from engaging in its tendency to loot and mistreat civilians. George was a wise, strong, hardworking, and unfailingly kind man. His moods were capricious and uncertain, his passions violent, his impulses sudden and inconsistent. [40] Gordon's bravery in battle, his string of victories, apparent immunity to bullets and his intense, blazing blue eyes led many Chinese to believe that Gordon had supernatural powers and had harnessed the Qi (the mystical life-force traditionally believed in China to govern everything) in some extraordinary way. Queen Victoria sent him a telegram of rebuke which found its way into the press. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! Under the Chinese system of familial responsibility, all family members of a rebel were equally guilty even if they had nothing to do with the rebellious individual's acts. Gordon, who once said to a Roman Catholic priest that "the church is like the British Army, one army but many regiments", never aligned himself with or became a member of any church. George was such a great guy. [18] Despite the best efforts of the Allies, the French failed to take the Malakhov fortress while the British failed to take the Redan fortress on 18 June. [207] Gordon defiantly told the merchant: "Go tell all the people of Khartoum that Gordon fears nothing, for God has created him without fear! I wish there was anything I could do to help take away some of your pain. 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. Obituaries | Bedford Borough Council During his time in London, he was approached by Sir William Mackinnon, an enterprising Scottish ship owner who had gone into partnership with King Leopold II of the Belgians with the aim of creating a chartered company that would conquer central Africa, and wished to employ Gordon as their agent in Africa. [174] Gordon sent a telegram to Khartoum reading: "Don't be panic-stricken. In a world moving inexorably towards conformity, it would be well to remember Gordon of Khartoum. 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. Just for the love of it | The Independent | The Independent George, George Gordon - Wynyard, Saskatchewan , Conley Funeral Home - Memories wall I have little doubt of our having pre-existed; and that also in the time of our pre-existence we were actively employed. [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. [3] He was educated at Fullands School in Taunton, Taunton School, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. However, in 1953 the statue, minus a large slice of its pedestal, was reinstalled on the Victoria Embankment, in front of the newly-built Ministry of Defence main buildings. [72] Gordon's parents expected him to marry and were disappointed about his lifelong bachelorhood. [166] Urban wrote: "The Pall Mall Gazette articles, in short, began a new chapter in international relations; powerful men using media manipulation of public opinion to trigger war. He is an honest man, but difficult to get on with. [202], The note read "Khartoum all right. Gordon is survived by his three children Scott, Dana and Whitney, His sister Dee and three step sons Bob, Kirk and Jeff, and "eight of the best grandkids . [68], Every year, Gordon gave away about 90% of his annual income of 3,000 (equivalent to 351,000 in 2021) to charity. [261], Equatoria: Building Egypt's empire in the Great Lakes region, Nicoll, Fergus and Nusairi, Osman (last updated 2020), Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, "General Charles Gordon and the Mahdi Faith Under Fire in the Sudan", "Charles George Gordon (18331885): A Brief Biography", "Charles Gordon's Charitable Works: An Appreciation", "Last Stands, Custer, General Gordon, and Being a Christian Warrior", "Did General Charles Gordon Have Aspergers Syndrome? [208], The manner of Gordon's death is uncertain, but it was romanticised in a popular painting by George William Joy General Gordon's Last Stand (1893, currently in the Leeds City Art Gallery), and again in the film Khartoum (1966) with Charlton Heston as 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". Send Flowers. Loved husband of Betty for 66 years. The Aylmer Flickering Flames Hockey Club wish the entire Gordon Family our deepest sympathies during this sad time. Our deepest sympathies go out to cousin Nancy, and her family. [43], On the morning of 30 May 1863, the Taiping forces guarding the town of Quinsan were astonished to see an armoured paddle streamer, the Hyson, armed with a 32-pounder cannon on the bow, sailing up a canal, at whose prow stood Gordon. George was predeceased by his father, and is survived by his mother. George E. Harrington, 86 of Oswego. [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. He is survived by : his wife Mary Ruff Ross; his sons, Dr. Greg Ross (Patty) of Florida and David Ross (Changsook) of South Korea; his step-children, Dr. John Beasley (Ann) of Columbia and Joye Beasley Harpe (Stan) of Columbia; and his sister-in-law Sally Wiseman (Jim) of Columbia. He is survived by George and Jacqueline Gordon; four nieces he helped raise and home school; Kohl Gordon Conner and her girls Ruth and Faith; his brother Thor Eric Downing. [101] Gordon also clashed with Chaill-Long, whom he accused of working as an informant for Aiyub Pasha and called him to his face a "regular failure". The B.C. After he arrived in Britain, Gordon announced to the press that he "did not want to board the tram of the world" and asked to be left alone. [259] In Khartoum The Ultimate Imperial Adventure (2005), Michael Asher puts Gordon's works in the Sudan in a broad context. Cremation has taken place. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. He doesn't want money!". George G. Gordon, 80, of Indianapolis, passed away December 18, 2022. [184] The British government had decided to abandon the Sudan, but it was clear that Gordon had other plans, and the public increasingly called for a relief expedition. [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. [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. [69] Gordon did not enjoy his celebrity status, and though extremely charismatic, he only kept a limited circle of friends and found dealing with strangers difficult. Gordon believed in reincarnation. [93], During the 1870s, European initiatives against the Arab slave trade caused an economic crisis in northern Sudan, precipitating increasing unrest. GORDON, George Thomas (Ex Fire Control Services) Peacefully at Ellerslie Gardens Resthome on Tuesday 26 April 2016. your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Home Obituaries Locations Harrisburg, PA Pittsburg, PA . These aims eluded him.[93][114]. He was born in Fortuna, CA 75 years ago to Winton and Evelyn Chase Gordon. A second and larger expedition under Prince Hassan was sent the following year and was routed at Gura. During his "career break" in the Holy Land, the very religious Gordon sought to explore his faith and biblical sites. [195], On 4 September 1884, Gordon's fortunes took a turn for the worse when the most able of his subordinates, Mohammed Aly, together with about 1,000 of Gordon's best troops, were killed in an ambush while conducting a raid. Gladstone himself took Gordon's attacks on his Sudan policy very personally. [156], Additionally, Baring's policy of raising taxes to pay off the debts Isma'il had run up sparked much resentment in both Egypt and the Sudan. 05/01/2023. Celebrating the life of George Melvin Gordon [156], The year 1881 was the Islamic year 1298, and to mark the coming of the new century, Ahmed announced that he was the Mahdi, and proclaimed a jihad against the Egyptian state. [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. [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). Gordon". Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. I'm thinking of the entire family as you're celebrating the life of our beloved George. George Brooke Ltd Obituaries - Funeral Guide [146], In April 1881, Gordon left for Mauritius as Commander, Royal Engineers. [32] Gordon had heard of the Taiping Rebellion long before he had set sail for China, and he was at first sympathetic towards the Taipings, led by the charismatic madman Hong Xiuquan, who proclaimed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ, viewing them as somewhat eccentric Christians. Ward was killed in the Battle of Cixi and his successor H. A. Burgevine, an American, was disliked by the Imperial Chinese authorities. He was a devoted husband and a loving, tender, and selfless man who made many friends during his lifetime. For these accomplishments, he was given the nickname "Chinese Gordon" and honours from both the Emperor of China and the British. 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. In July 1878, Suleiman Zobeir had rebelled again, leading Gordon and his close friend Gessi to take to the field. In his biography of Gordon, Anthony Nutting wrote that Gordon was obsessed with "the ever-present, constantly repeated desire for martyrdom and for that glorious immortality in union with God and away from the wretchedness of life on this earth". Among his best-known works are the lengthy narratives Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; many of his shorter lyrics in . Gord was a fun-loving Uncle to five nephews and one . [240], Gordon's Tomb (in fact a cenotaph), which was carved by Frederick William Pomeroy, lies in St Paul's Cathedral, London. Obituaries act as quiet reminders of the finite nature of our lives. George Gordon Obituary (1968 - 2020) | Raymore, Saskatchewan Deepest condolences for George's loss and my heartfelt sympathy to family and friends at this sad time. About 2,500 people had been removed before the Mahdi's forces closed in on Khartoum. A. There they found four gunboats which had been sent north by Gordon four months earlier, and prepared them for the trip back up the Nile. Order by Saturday. Of Marton formerly of Auckland. So, therefore, I believe in our active employment in a future life, and I like the thought. GVSU community mourns death of George Gordon, philanthropist of Southampton, where Gordon had stayed with his sister, Augusta, in Rockstone Place before his departure to the Sudan, erected a memorial in Porter's Mead, now Queen's Park, near the town's docks. He had an unfaltering testimony of the Gospel, which he happily shared with others, particularly when he and Sybil served two proselytizing missions, one in Edmonton and the other in Las Vegas, Nevada. [145] Gordon wrote: "The peasantry of the Northwest and Southwest of Ireland are much worse off than any of the inhabitants of Bulgaria, Asia Minor, China, India, or the Sudan". [187] In his last weeks, those who knew Gordon described him as a chain-smoking, rage-filled, desperate man wearing a shabby uniform who spent hours talking to a mouse that he shared his office with when he was not attacking his Sudanese servants with his rattan cane during one of his rages. Im so grateful that my sister and nephews had such a wonderful father-in-law and grandpa. [233], In 1886, the Western Hospital for Fistula, Piles and other Diseases of the Rectum, at 278 Vauxhall Bridge Road, and backing onto Vincent Square London,[234] was renamed in honour of Gordon. This eventually led to the Warlord Era and the Chinese Civil War which saw the communists defeat the nationalists and establish control over China. [177] Gordon's attempt to have his former archenemy Zobeirthe "King of the Slavers" whom he had hunted for years and whose son he had executedinstalled as the new Sultan of the Sudan appalled Gladstone and offended his former admirers in the Anti-Slavery Society. He will be lovingly remembered by Sybil, his wife of the past 32 years; his . His subordinate, Gessi Pasha, fought with great success in the Bahr-el-Ghazal district in putting an end to the revolt there. Alone in [Africa], dauntless and unfaltering, he discharges his great trust, holding the capital of the Sudan against the beleaguering hordes". [51] In China, the penalty for rebellion was death. [246], For the six months after the British public learned of Gordon's death, newspapers and journals published hundreds of articles celebrating Gordon as a "saint". He ran Gordon's Flea Market for over 50 years and was the owner of Gordon's Construction Company. [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. Those wishing to make a donation in memory of George are asked to consider Compassion Canada. George William Gordon Obituary - Tribute Archive [87], At the end of his Governor-Generalship of the Sudan, Gordon had to admit that he had been a failure, an experience of defeat that so shattered him that he had a nervous breakdown. Box 297 Sir Gordon Downey obituary | Civil service | The Guardian
