George Dobson photograph sourced from Peeling Back history – Cantab Surveyor Murdured – 28th May 1866
GEORGE DOBSON
1840 – 1866
Portrait of George Dobson and Herbert Howitt at Lake Brunner. Photographer unknown, taken before 1863
GEORGE DOBSON ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND WHEN HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD.
George Dobson arrived in New Zealand when he was 10 years old.
He was the eldest son of Edward and Mary Dobson, the eldest of six when they arrived in Lyttleton and eventually the eldest of 10 children.
George and his 9-year-old brother, Arthur, arrived in NZ on the 27th of December 1850.
When Edward Dobson arrived the conditions of his new post that was promised did not eventuate resulting in the property purchased at Mt Pleasant in Canterbury being sold for Edward Dobson to survive.
Having two young boys in tow was not very practical or viable so George and Arthur were shipped off to Tasmania to live with their uncle, Reverend Charles Dobson.
They returned three years later, arriving in Nelson, staying with another uncle.
Their mother and the rest of the family had arrived in 1851.
The family established themselves in Sumner with Edward Dobson’s position as provincial engineer for Canterbury improving Edward’s station and prosperity.
Greymouth Port in early 1900s. Photo coutersy of Mr Ian Tibbles. digitly enhanced by G Jonker
The Arthur’s Pass sign at the Arthur’s Pass railway station. Photo taken by G. Jonker
The two boys attended Christ college along with their younger brother, Edward.
The boys were following in their father’s footsteps of surveying, exploring, and developing railway transport.
George and his brother Arthur, being only one year apart in age, did a lot together and had a strong bond.
Arthur got a job for the Canterbury Council and was commissioned to navigate a road worthy route from Christchurch to the West Coast.
Gold had been struck in Arahua and the need was seen to prepare for the onslaught of miners and a rush to begin.
George and Edward, their younger brother, joined him exploring the tracks between Christchurch and the West coast.
A Maori route they were told about by a guide was explored and cleared as a possibiity for a road.
This route went down the side of the mountain and came out at Otira.
Other routes were considered by the provincial government with a reward of 200 pounds being offered for the most suitable one.
The most accessible route recommended by George Dobson was the one the brothers had traversed.
In his recommendation George referred to this route as ‘Arthur’s’ pass.
The name stuck and today is still known as Arthur’s Pass along with Arthur’s Pass Village.
About this time George took a position in Nelson as Roading Engineer.
He begun surveying tracks to become roads around the surrounding Greymouth area.
In May 1866 George met with John Card at Salt Water, Paroa. (Adshead, 1988, Pg 111).
John Card and his brothers had cut a new track from their upper store near Dunganville to Greymouth.
John card and George travelled together to the lower store in Marsden and then George set off to inspect the track, agreeing to meet with John on the following Tuesday to register the track with the council.
When George got to the Arnold township he met with Edward Fox, the store keeper and gold buyer, who invited him to go the rest of the way to Greymouth on a boat down the Arnold river.
George refused, lightheartedly quipping that “the New Zealand roads were’nt going to inspect themselves.
George did not arrive to meet John on Tuesday.
Saltwater Creek sign on Rutherglen Road, Paroa. Photo taken by Gayle Jonker.
Salt Water Creek on Ruthergland road.
Photo taken by G Jonker
A month later George’s body was found near Greymouth near the settlement named after him posthumously, Dobson.
He had been beaten and strangle to death after being stopped by the notorious Burgess/Kelly gang.
They had been lying in wait to rob Edward Fox, the Arnold gold buyer, and mistook George for the gold buyer.
One of the Burgess gang, Joseph Sullivan, turned himself in when a reward was offered.
He showed the police where the shallow grave of George Dobson was.
He confessed to his part in the crime and named the other members of the Burgess/Kelly gang.
For this he was rewarded with life imprisonment.
The other gang members, Richard Burgess, Philip Levy, and Thomas Kelly, were sentenced to death and hung in Nelson.
The murder of George was one of at least 20 violent robberies and murders carried out by the gang.
At the trial Richard Burgess described Dobson saying, “he was such a nice young fellow, but after we stopped him we could not let him go”.
According to Burgess, George did not realize the mortal danger he was in. As Burgess led him into the bush, he light heartedly quipped, “Did you think I was a banker?”
Dobson was buried in Dobson near the Brunner railway line.
The memorial tomb for Geoge Dobson at dobson Township 10 ks north of Greymouth.
George lived his short life with passion and was described by his murderer as a “nice young fellow”.
He was an enthusiastic explorer ready to forge out a career in the South Island of this new land.
Sadly, this young pioneer’s story ended abruptly and tragically.