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Whyman McLean

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whyman McLean was an Aboriginal Australian man, a religious missionary who later served as an Aboriginal tracker in the New South Wales Police Force for thirty years until his retirement in 1925.

Early life

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Whyman McLean was born at Morago, New South Wales in approximately 1860. He was the son of Archibald McLean and Louisa, an Aboriginal woman.[1] As a young man, Whyman lived on the Maloga Mission.

Career

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McLean worked for many years as a missionary, travelling to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and raising money for the Maloga Mission cause.[1] He also lived on the Warangesda Mission in the early 1890s.[1]

In February 1897 Whyman became a tracker for the New South Wales police, based at Tumbarumba.[1][2] After five years he transferred to Wagga Wagga.[1] He served 28 years at the police station in Wagga and worked on cases as far afield as Gundagai.[3][4] During his time on the police force he was responsible for the recovery of 34 bodies of people who had drowned in the Murrumbidgee River.[3] He was also instrumental in tracking and capturing up to 120 fugitives who were brought before the courts.[3][5][6][7]

Whyman McLean fell ill in December 1926 and was taken to Callan Park Hospital in Sydney where he died on 23 December 1926.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Whyman McLean". Pathfinders NSW. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  2. ^ Frew, Ron (2016), Police trackers Tumbarumba : 1864-1927 : an initial survey, built on a contribution by John Patten, sponsored by the Murray Local Land Service, Tumbarumba, [New South Wales] Ron Frew, retrieved 24 January 2018
  3. ^ a b c "News in Brief". North West Champion. Vol. 13, no. 11. New South Wales, Australia. 12 February 1925. p. 3. Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "ALL ABOUT PEOPLE". The Gundagai Independent and Pastoral, Agricultural and Mining Advocate. No. 2646. New South Wales, Australia. 5 February 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "HAYSTACKS BURNT". The Argus (Melbourne). No. 21, 068. Victoria, Australia. 2 February 1914. p. 6. Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "ELECTRICITY". Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser. No. 7390. New South Wales, Australia. 6 February 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "SMART CAPTURE". Wagga Wagga Express. Vol. 53, no. 9309. New South Wales, Australia. 11 January 1913. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2018 – via National Library of Australia.