William Kekwick

William Darton Kekwick (3 December 1822 - 16 October 1872) was an explorer in Australia who served as second-in-command to John McDouall Stuart on four of his expeditions trying to reach Darwin from Adelaide; this included the sixth expedition in which they successfully crossed.[1]

Early life

Kekwick was born in East Ham, in Essex, a county of England where he was part of a Quaker family. He went to school at a Quaker school, Ackworth, and in 1840, after completing his education, he immigrated to South Australia with his family, excluding his mother who had died, in 1840. They sailed on Warrior and arrived in April 1840.[1][2]

After arriving Kekwick first sought to establish a business at Burra but, struggling to find success, decided to travel to the goldfields of Victoria during the gold rush there starting from the early 1850s. He worked alongside his brother Daniel and it was he who introduced him to the pastoralist James Chalmers who, in turn, introduced him to John McDouall Stuart.[1]

Expeditions with John McDouall Stuart

Kekwick began working with Stuart as his second-in-command from 1859 and his first expedition with him is what is considered Stuart's third.[1][3] On Stuart's forth expedition, Kekwick's second, his influence began to be seen in the numbers of places bearing members of his families names, including Mount Daniel for his brother (Daniel Kekwick) and Mount Beddome for his brother-in-law (Samuel Beddome).[1][4][5]

Kekwick was second-in command of the 10 person party when they ultimately crossed Australia and reached Van Diemen Gulf, which is 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of what is today considered Darwin on 24 July 1862.[6][7][8]

Stuart would later write of him:[9]

To Mr. Kekwick I am deeply indebted whom I appointed as Second in Command this being the fourth journey he has been out with me and the second as Chief Officer. Whom I have cause to mention in my former journal in the highest terms of commendation which his excellent conduct throughout so fully merited and on this occasion he still retains the same high place in my estimation.

— John McDouall Stuart, via 'John McDouall Stuart' (1958) by Mona Stuart Webster

Later life

After returning to Adelaide in 1863 with the party Kekwick spent some years in Port MacDonnell where, on 23 March 1864, he married Marian Caroline Owen and they would go on to have four children together.[10][11] In 1871 he returned to Adelaide and sought work building the Overland Telegraph Line but, unsuccessful, he became a miner at Echunga.[1]

In 1872 he was appointed to be third-in-command, and a mineral and botanical collector for William Gosse's expedition to Central Australia, but fell ill with pneumonia before they set out, and died at what are now the Nuccaleena mine ruins, near Moolooloo, while still with the party.[12]

He died 16 October 1873 at Blinman and a grave was erected for him by the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia.[13][12]

Legacy

The following places are named for Kekwick:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f O'Brien, VT (2008). "Willian Darton Kekwick (1822-1872)". Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography (Rev ed.). Darwin: Charles Darwin University Press. pp. 507–508. hdl:10070/492231. ISBN 9780980457810. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Death of Mr Daniel Kekwick". Adelaide Observer. Vol. LII, no. 2, 827. South Australia. 7 December 1895. p. 15. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b "Kekwick Ponds (Feature)". NT Place Names Register. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. ^ "Mount Daniel (Feature)". NT Place Names Register. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Mount Beddome (Feature)". NT Place Names Register. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  6. ^ Morris, Deirdre, "John McDouall Stuart (1815–1866)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 7 July 2025
  7. ^ "Stuart arrives on the north coast". State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  8. ^ "A great explorer: John McDouall Stuart, a record of his work". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXIX, no. 17, 959. South Australia. 4 June 1904. p. 9. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Webster, M. S. (Mona Stuart); Quick, Mary (1958), John McDouall Stuart, Melbourne University Press, p. 247, retrieved 7 July 2025
  10. ^ "Family Notices". The Adelaide Express. Vol. I, no. 97. South Australia. 24 March 1864. p. 2. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Family Notices". The South Australian Advertiser. Vol. VI, no. 1766. South Australia. 24 March 1864. p. 2. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ a b "William Kekwick | Monument Australia". monumentaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Concerning people". The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXIV, no. 19, 476. South Australia. 15 April 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 7 July 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Kekwick Avenue (Road)". NT Place Names Register. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Kekwick Place (Road)". NT Place Names Register. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  16. ^ Webster, M. S. (Mona Stuart); Quick, Mary (1958), John McDouall Stuart, Melbourne University Press, p. 147, retrieved 7 July 2025
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