Francis Edward Bigge
Francis Edward Bigge | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth year and age Little Benton, Northumberland, England |
| Died | December 3, 1915 (aged 95) Torquay, Devon, England |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, politician |
| Years active | 1839–1873 |
| Known for | Queensland pastoralism and politics; member of New South Wales and Queensland Legislative Councils; supporter of Queensland separation; development of Cleveland |
Francis Edward Bigge (1820–1915) was a pioneering pastoralist and political figure in Queensland, Australia. He held positions in both the New South Wales Legislative Council and later the Queensland Legislative Council. Bigge was a prominent supporter of developing Cleveland on Moreton Bay and significantly influenced the movement for the separation of Queensland from New South Wales, although his efforts to make Cleveland the capital of Queensland were ultimately unsuccessful.
Early life
Francis Edward Bigge was born in July 1820 at Little Benton, Northumberland, England, as the youngest son of Thomas Hanway Bigge and Charlotte (née Scott). He came from a distinguished Northumberland lineage, with relatives such as his cousin Lord Stamfordham, who served as private secretary to Queen Victoria and King George V, and his uncle John Bigge, who conducted an inquiry into the colony of New South Wales during Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s administration.
Bigge received his education at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth and was appointed midshipman on the , a 50-gun frigate, in 1835. He spent four years serving in the Mediterranean before shifting his focus to pastoral pursuits and politics in Australia.
First Australian sojourn
In 1839, Francis Bigge left naval service and journeyed to Australia to join his older brother Frederick William Bigge in New South Wales. The voyage from London to Port Jackson lasted five months. Motivated by the achievements of the Leslie Brothers in the Darling Downs, they established themselves around 1842 in the Moreton Bay region, founding a settlement called "Bigge's Camp" near Mount Brisbane. The brothers earned nicknames: "Big Bigge" for Frederick and "Little Bigge" for Francis.
During this time, Francis encountered the infamous bushranger group known as "Wilson's Gang" while driving cattle close to Moombye. His bravery reportedly prevented him from being shot by the gang’s leader and inspired parts of the novel "Robbery Under Arms." The gang members were subsequently executed.
Between September 1851 and December 1852, Bigge represented the Electoral district of Pastoral Districts of Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa—territories that would later form part of Queensland—in the New South Wales Legislative Council.
Circa 1852, Bigge had Cleveland House constructed in Cleveland, likely intended as a hotel. Although initially vacant and nicknamed "Bigge's Folly," it later operated as the Brighton Hotel and is presently recognized as the heritage-listed Grand View Hotel.
First return to England
In November 1853, Bigge returned to England for what was anticipated to be a two- to three-year stay. During this period, he actively promoted the cause for Queensland’s separation from New South Wales.
In 1857, he married Elizabeth Barbara Ord, daughter of Rev. Thomas Charles Old of Gaulby, Leicestershire.
Second Australian sojourn
Francis Bigge came back to Moreton Bay in June 1858 accompanied by his wife. On 1 May 1860, he was appointed to the inaugural Queensland Legislative Council, initially for a five-year term that was later extended to a lifetime appointment. He resigned from this position on 16 May 1873.
During these years, Bigge's Camp became the endpoint of Queensland’s first railway line, known as the Main Line railway. The Queensland Governor at that time, George Bowen, a scholar of classical languages, renamed it Grandchester, combining Grand (meaning big) with chester (meaning camp) derived from Latin.
Later years
In 1873, Bigge made his way back to England and took up residence in Hennapyn, located in Cockington near Torquay, Devon. His spouse passed away in January 1914. Francis Bigge died on 3 December 1915 in Torquay at the age of 96, reportedly holding the distinction of being the oldest officer in the Royal Navy. The majority of his estate, which was valued at £133,795, was left primarily to his cousins Arthur Bigge, 1st Baron Stamfordham, and Harry Scott Judd.
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