John McKail
John McKail | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1810-01-22 Deptford, Kent, England |
| Died | 1871-08-06 Albany, Western Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, politician, hotelier |
| Years active | 1829–1871 |
| Known for | Pioneer settler of Western Australia; member of the Western Australian Legislative Council (1870–1871) |
John McKail (22 January 1810 – 6 August 1871) was among the pioneering settlers of Western Australia. He arrived at the Swan River Colony in 1829 but, after encountering legal difficulties, was exiled to Albany in 1835. In Albany, McKail developed a career as a merchant and expanded his ventures to include hotel ownership, investments in whaling, and the exportation of sandalwood to Asian markets. From 1870 until 1871, he served as one of the inaugural elected representatives in the Legislative Council.
Early life
McKail was born in Deptford, Kent, England, descending from a Scottish family of Covenanter heritage. His father, Nathaniel, worked as a naval architect at Deptford Dockyard and had planned for John to follow in his profession. Instead, at age nineteen, John embarked on the Parmelia, which transported the first British settlers—including Governor James Stirling—to establish the Swan River Colony. Nathaniel’s connections included ties to the influential Mangles family, who were related to Stirling’s wife.
Swan River Colony
After disembarking, McKail and a companion set up camp on Mount Eliza, overlooking what would become Perth. He found employment as a carpenter constructing government buildings but soon became involved in legal controversies during the early 1830s. In 1833, he faced charges of "riotous behaviour," and two years later, he was accused of manslaughter for shooting Gogalee, son of the Noongar leader Yellagonga. To prevent escalating local conflicts and because an acquittal was probable, colonial officials arranged for McKail to pay compensation (blood money) to Gogalee’s family and ordered his banishment from Perth.
Albany
Upon relocating to Albany in 1835, McKail initially acted as a commercial agent for merchant Anthony Curtis, facilitating trade between Albany and Fremantle. Following an incident in 1836 involving the illegal sale of alcohol, he launched his own enterprise by the late 1830s, acquiring two hotels which he leased out and a substantial warehouse. Additionally, McKail secured a government contract to construct Albany’s first jetty. Beginning in 1841, he chartered the brig Emily Smith to conduct trade with Singapore and China, exporting sandalwood while importing sugar and tea for distribution in Adelaide. His commercial pursuits also encompassed whaling operations and pastoral holdings located in the Porongorup Ranges, Hay River, and Torbay regions.
Between 1843 and 1846, McKail contributed as an educator at a school dedicated to Aboriginal children in Albany and personally assisted in building St John's Anglican Church by splitting shingles for its roof. In October 1870, he was elected without opposition to represent Albany in the Western Australian Legislative Council during the colony’s first formal elections. However, less than six months into his term, he resigned due to the burdensome seven-day journey to Perth coupled with the absence of travel expense reimbursement. Later that year, McKail passed away in Albany at age sixty-one. He had married Henrietta Jenkins in 1839; together they had two sons and seven daughters.