Stephen Henty Explained

Stephen George Henty (3 November 1811 – 18 December 1872)^[1] was a farmer and politician in colonial Victoria, a member of the Victorian Legislative Council.^[1]

Henty was born in West Tarring, Sussex, England,^[1] the son of Thomas Henty (1775–1839) and Frances Elizabeth, née Hopkins.

Henty arrived at the Swan River settlement with brothers James and John in 1829. In 1836 Stephen settled in Portland.

In 1839, Henty led an overland expedition to explore the Mount Gambier region. He was the first white man to climb the peak and view the blue crater lake.^[2] In 1842, Henty and his brother Edward laid claim to the land around Mount Gambier and established a sheep station there.^[3] Conflict with the local Aboriginal residents quickly ensued that same year with Henty's men shooting a number and burning their corpses.^[4] In March 1844, a band of Aboriginal people led by Koort Kirrup took a large number of Henty's sheep. Henty's men pursued and engaged them in a prolonged skirmish which resulted in the colonists having to retreat.^{[5] [6]} The Southern Australian reported that other white pastoralists in the region were also having difficulties with Aboriginal attacks on their farmsteads and they resolved to form hunting parties and raid them "indiscriminately" if police protection did not come.^[7] The situation proved too hard for Stephen Henty, and even though Koort Kirrup was captured,^[8] Henty abandoned the Mount Gambier property later in 1844 with significant loss of capital.^[9]

In November 1856, Henty was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for Western Province,^[1] a position he held until November 1870.^[1] For much of the period of Henty's Council membership, he and his family lived at Findon a mansion he built in Kew^[10] Melbourne.

Family

Stephen George Henty married Barbara Whilemena Bayntun–Sandys (1806–1891), daughter of Sir Edwin Bayntun–Sandys, Bart.^[11] Their children include:

• Richmond Henty (August 1837 – April 1904) was born in Portland, Victoria, and is reckoned either the first^[12] or second^[13] white child born in Victoria. Richmond married his cousin Agnes Barbara Reed (c. 1837 – 9 September 1895), granddaughter of Sir E. Bayntun–Sandys;^[14] they had three sons and one daughter:

• Ernest George Henty MLC (17 September 1862 – 25 June 1895) married Katie Cobham on 12 June 1890

• Eulalie Henty (–) married Lieut. R. C. Ferrers Creer, RAN, on 15 June 1917^[15] (divorced 1925).^[16] Their elder daughter Deirdre Henty-Creer (1918–2012) was a successful artist,^[17] while their son Henty Henty-Creer commanded one of the three midget submarines that attacked the German battleship in World War II.^[18]

• Eveline Henty married Capt. E. C. Starker in August 1888

• Percival Edward Henty (c. 1867 – 26 March 1889)
• George Henty (–) lived in Hamilton, Victoria
• Walter Thomas (1856–1917), farmer at Hamilton

See also

• Henty brothers

References

 

Notes and References

1. 570 . Stephen George Henty . 28 August 2022.
2. Book: Henty . Richmond . Australiana . 1886 . Sampson Low . London .
3. News: To the editors of the Courier and teetotal advocate . . 8 November 1842 . 9 July 2021 . 4 . Trove.
4. Book: Robinson . George Augustus . Clark . Ian D . Travels of George Augustus Robinson, Chief Protector, Port Phillip Aboriginal Protectorate . 2014.
5. News: Portland Bay . . 2 April 1844 . 10 July 2021 . 2 . Trove.
6. News: Port Phillip Extracts. . . 20 April 1844 . 10 July 2021 . 3 . Trove.
7. News: Local News. . . 20 August 1844 . 10 July 2021 . 3 . Trove.
8. News: Portland Bay . . 19 November 1844 . 10 July 2021 . 3 . Trove.
9. News: Portland Bay . . 15 May 1844 . 10 July 2021 . 3 . Trove.
10. Web site: Henry "Money" Miller .
11. News: Family Notices . . 14 February 1891 . 25 September 2019 . 1 . Trove.
12. News: Obituary . . 27 April 1904 . 26 September 2019 . 2 . Trove. This and other, later, publications also asserted that his mother was still alive.
13. News: The Beginning of Farming in Victoria . . 6 May 1914 . 25 September 2019 . 4 . Trove.
14. News: Family Notices . . 30 October 1895 . 25 September 2019 . 1 . Trove.
15. News: 1 July 1917. Weddings . 13 . . 25 August 2020 . Trove.
16. News: 5 February 1928. Society woman who lives in tent . 1 . . 25 August 2020 . Trove.
17. News: Intimate Jottings . . 14 January 1950 . 25 September 2019 . 19 . Trove.
18. News: 29 November 1951. SA Women in 5,000-Mile Search . 1. . 25 August 2020. Trove.