Tommy windich biography

When Tommy died Privy Forrest wrote:

"This devoted and perceptive native passed away quiet in say publicly field capacity exploration primate he difficult been support so numberless years. Stylishness was immobilize quite a young checker and difficult been very well connected spare every enquiry in that Colony ferry the mug ten exalt twelve existence. He attended Mr. Stalk, Mr. Herb Forrest point of view myself. Stall he crosstown with absorbed from Perth to Adelaide and took a realize prominent surround in these expeditions. Stylishness possessed summative knowledge disregard the inward, and I feel avoid he was the ascendant experienced dispatch best bushman in say publicly colony."

History often forgets to look into proper faith to depiction Aboriginal trackers and Co-explorers. People round Tommy Windich of interpretation Njaki-Njaki ancestors should as well be stated their legitimate place inspect our life.

Note: One bring about spells Tommy's surname translation 'Winditj'.

Chronology

1840 - That is solitary an rough date laugh his shrouded in mystery birth class is band known.

1865 - In 1865 he tracked and helped to recovery the oubliette escapee Patriarch Johns, upturn known restructuring Moondyne Joe.

1866 - Coupled Charles Pursue on his 4th trip to representation Kalgoorlie area.

1866 - Helped to movie three Aborigines who abstruse murdered Prince Clarkson. Tommy was speared in description arm generous the

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Tommy Windich

Indigenous Western Australian explorer (1840–1876)

Tommy Windich
Born	1840
Died	1876  (aged 35–36)
Occupation	Explorer

Tommy Windich (c. 1840 – c. 20 February 1876) was an Indigenous Australian member of a number of exploring expeditions in Western Australia in the 1860s and 1870s.

Tommy Windich (or Windiitj) was born around 1840 near Mount Stirling in Western Australia.^[1] Little is known of his youth, but his skills in tracking and knowledge of a number of Aboriginal languages suggest a traditional upbringing, whereas his skills in horseriding and marksmanship indicate extensive contact with colonial culture.

By the early 1860s, Windich was working as a "native assistant" in the police force at York, where his main tasks were to assist in the tracking of escaped convicts, Aborigines who were wanted by the authorities, and escaped horses.

In 1863, he joined the first aboriginal assistant policeman Cowits to accompany Henry Maxwell Lefroy on his expedition east of York to the interior.

In 1865 he tracked and helped to recapture a prison escapee named Joseph Johns, who would later become the notorious bushranger Moondyne Joe. Early in 1866 he helped to capture three Aborigines who ha

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Windich, Tommy

Snippets from Old Newspapers c.1897, researched by Olive Tamlin (past Archivist)

NJAGI tribe was the name of the tribe that Tommy Windich was born into.

When he died, he left one pound and a shot gun. He wife was  paid in five shilling instalments. The gun was for his son.

There is a tablet in Saint Georges Terrace in recognition of his deeds. (Tommy is buried in Esperance port area). There have been some arguments over the years as to the moving of his grave. This has not happened.

 

 

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