George W. Hayward
Encyclopedia
George Jonas Whitaker Hayward (1839–1870) was a little known 19th century British
explorer. Information for all but the final few years of his life is scarce. His explorating exploits and his horrific murder in central Asia
during “The Great Game
” eventually earned him a degree of fame.
but research in the 1990s by Charles Timmis revealed that he was in fact a Yorkshireman, born at Headingly Hall on the outskirts of Leeds. He was educated at the Forest School in north London. In 1859 he became an ensign in the British Army
. He was stationed in Multan
in India
(now in Pakistan) with the 89th Regiment of Foot
. In 1863 he purchased a commission
and became a Lieutenant
. He next transferred to the Cameron Highlanders
regiment
in 1864. He sold his commission in 1865 and left the British Army.
in 1868 and approached Sir Henry Rawlinson, vice president of the Royal Geographical Society
. He wanted to be hired as an explorer in central Asia and the western Himalayas
. Surprisingly Hayward was provided with £
300, surveying
equipment, map
making instruments and instructions to attempt to reach and survey the then unmapped Pamir Mountains. He was to become the only explorer funded by the Royal Geological Society during “The Great Game.”
expansion in Central Asia
. In the south the British Empire
, based out of India, was consolidating and expanding its positions to the north. In the north the Russian Empire
was expanding its territory at a dramatic pace. Soon the Russians
were expanding south into central Asia. The area between the two empires was shrinking fast and clandestine agents and explorers were sent to map this unknown area of the world full of lawless tribe
s, murderous despot
rulers
and some of the most formidable and challenging terrain
on Earth
.
Although the Royal Geographical Society was strictly apolitical, Rawlinson was also a member of the government's India Council and a known Russophobe. For this reason it has often been suggested that he may have had political motivations in encouraging Hayward's explorations.
and onwards to Kashgaria with the intention of approaching the Pamirs from there.
Another Englishman, Robert Shaw, uncle of Sir Francis Younghusband, was making a similar journey to Yarkand and Kashgar at the same time. Shaw seems to have resented Hayward's presence, and although they were often within a few hundred metres of one another, they only met once at the start of their approach to Kashgaria, and then again many months later.
While awaiting permission to proceed at the Kashgaria border Hayward escaped from his guards and spent 20 days exploring and charting the course of the Yarkand River.
Shaw reached Kashgaria in December 1868 after sending ahead envoys announcing his arrival and carrying with him gifts for Yakub Beg
. Yakub Beg had just appointed himself King
of Kashgaria after driving out the Chinese
rulers. A few weeks after Shaw’s arrival he was joined by Hayward. Hayward sent no envoy and hand no gifts but convinced the border guards he was with Shaw. Shaw was disturbed by this as he figured Hayward would be stopped at the border.
In Yarkand Hayward and Shaw were separately kept under house arrest. After sometime Shaw was allowed to proceed to Kashgar to meet with Yakub Beg. After a warm reception Shaw eventually found himself once again under house arrest. A few weeks later Hayward arrived in Kashgar and was also placed under house arrest. The two were able to periodically communicate by passing secret notes.
Neither man knew at the time, but they were being held while Yakub Beg was waiting for the response to his recent envoy to Russia. When no positive response came from Russia Shaw again was allowed an audience with the King. Afterwards he was free to return home and was able to arrange for Hayward’s release as well as that of Mirza Shuja, a Pundit
exploring the region for Britain.
For his efforts exploring the Kun Lun and Karakoram mountains, and the route of the Upper Yarkand River during his approach to Kashgaria Hayward was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Gold Medal
.
. The winter crossing took over two months instead of the ten to twenty days it took when the passes were clear.
While traveling in this region he had to cross a war zone between Hindu
Kashmiris and Muslim
Dardistan
. In search of a new approach to the Pamirs he visited the Yasin Valley and became friends with Mir Wali who convinced him it was impossible to proceed through the Hindu Kush
until the summer thaw.
Hayward returned to India, again crossing the Himalaya with no supplies in the dead of winter. Upon returning he wrote a letter to a Calcutta newspaper
describing the atrocities that the Kashmiris had committed against people in Yasin. The publication of the letter caused a minor political storm, as the Maharaja of Kashmir was a close British ally and vassal. Because of the negative attention he received from this letter Hayward severed his connection with the Royal Geographical Society.
In June 1870 Hayward again headed north now that the mountain
passes were clear. He traveled through Kashmiri territory and reached Gilgit with no difficulty. In mid July he reached Yasin once more and proceeded to Darkot at the head of the valley. He was on the verge of reaching the Oxus river
and the Pamirs.
On the morning of July 18, 1870 Hayward stayed up all night after receiving word he might be attacked. Towards dawn he fell asleep and he was attacked. His hands were tied behind his back and he was dragged into the woods where he was murdered.
One version states that his friend Mir Wali arranged his death following a heated argument.
An alternate version - that which was least convenient for the British - had it that the Maharaja
of Kashmir had arranged Hayward’s death as revenge for the letter about the Kashmiri atrocities in Dardistan. The theory says the Maharaja extracted revenge against Hayward and also benefited by framing the ruler's enemy, Mir Wali.
Hayward's body was later recovered by a Kashmiri soldier. It was found under a small pile of stones and was brought back to Gilgit and buried in an orchard that later became the town's Christian
cemetery
. His tombstone, ironically paid for by the Maharaja of Kashmir, reads: “To the memory of G. W. Hayward, Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society of London, who was cruelly murdered at Darkot, July 18, 1870, on his journey to explore the Pamir steppe. This monument is erected to a gallant officer and accomplished traveler at the instance of the Royal Geographical Society.”
Since his death, Hayward received little acclaim or recognition. However, he stands alone among the explorers of the Western Himalaya in terms of the areas he surveyed and the size of his expeditions - usually just himself and three to six porters and bearers.
Reginald Schomberg, a British traveler, passed through Darkot and said local families still possessed Hayward’s pistol
, telescope
and saddle
. A London auction sold six topographical watercolors by Hayward in the 1950’s that turned up in the Bombay bazaar
.
Sir Henry Newbolt wrote the poem “He Fell Among Thieves” about Hayward’s death.
in 2011. His story is also covered briefly in The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk
, and Explorers of the Western Himalayas by John Keay
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
explorer. Information for all but the final few years of his life is scarce. His explorating exploits and his horrific murder in central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
during “The Great Game
The Great Game
The Great Game or Tournament of Shadows in Russia, were terms for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. The classic Great Game period is generally regarded as running approximately from the Russo-Persian Treaty of 1813...
” eventually earned him a degree of fame.
Pre Explorer Life
Hayward was long supposed to have been IrishIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
but research in the 1990s by Charles Timmis revealed that he was in fact a Yorkshireman, born at Headingly Hall on the outskirts of Leeds. He was educated at the Forest School in north London. In 1859 he became an ensign in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He was stationed in Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(now in Pakistan) with the 89th Regiment of Foot
89th Regiment of Foot
The 89th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army, formed on 3 December 1793.Its nickname was 'Blayney's Bloodhounds'...
. In 1863 he purchased a commission
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
and became a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. He next transferred to the Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)
The Queen's Own Highlanders , officially abbreviated "QOHldrs," was an infantry regiment in the Scottish Division of the British Army. It was formed on 7 February 1961 at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, with the amalgamation of 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders and 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
in 1864. He sold his commission in 1865 and left the British Army.
Affiliation with the Royal Geographical Society
Hayward appeared in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1868 and approached Sir Henry Rawlinson, vice president of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. He wanted to be hired as an explorer in central Asia and the western Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. Surprisingly Hayward was provided with £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
300, surveying
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
equipment, map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
making instruments and instructions to attempt to reach and survey the then unmapped Pamir Mountains. He was to become the only explorer funded by the Royal Geological Society during “The Great Game.”
Political Turmoil in Central Asia
The era that Hayward operated in was one of imperialEmpire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
expansion in Central Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. In the south the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, based out of India, was consolidating and expanding its positions to the north. In the north the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
was expanding its territory at a dramatic pace. Soon the Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
were expanding south into central Asia. The area between the two empires was shrinking fast and clandestine agents and explorers were sent to map this unknown area of the world full of lawless tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s, murderous despot
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
rulers
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
and some of the most formidable and challenging terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
Although the Royal Geographical Society was strictly apolitical, Rawlinson was also a member of the government's India Council and a known Russophobe. For this reason it has often been suggested that he may have had political motivations in encouraging Hayward's explorations.
Journey to Kashgar and Yarkand
Hayward’s official Royal Geographical Society mission was to explore the Pamirs and their routes and approaches. After being rebuffed by officials from approaching the Pamirs via the Northwest Frontier he travelled to LadakhLadakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
and onwards to Kashgaria with the intention of approaching the Pamirs from there.
Another Englishman, Robert Shaw, uncle of Sir Francis Younghusband, was making a similar journey to Yarkand and Kashgar at the same time. Shaw seems to have resented Hayward's presence, and although they were often within a few hundred metres of one another, they only met once at the start of their approach to Kashgaria, and then again many months later.
While awaiting permission to proceed at the Kashgaria border Hayward escaped from his guards and spent 20 days exploring and charting the course of the Yarkand River.
Shaw reached Kashgaria in December 1868 after sending ahead envoys announcing his arrival and carrying with him gifts for Yakub Beg
Yakub Beg
Muhammad Yaqub Bek was a [Turkic peoples] adventurer who became head of the kingdom of Kashgaria.-Spelling variants:In English-language literature, the name of Yaqub Beg has also been spelt as Yakub Beg , Yakoob Beg , or Ya`qūb Beg...
. Yakub Beg had just appointed himself King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of Kashgaria after driving out the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
rulers. A few weeks after Shaw’s arrival he was joined by Hayward. Hayward sent no envoy and hand no gifts but convinced the border guards he was with Shaw. Shaw was disturbed by this as he figured Hayward would be stopped at the border.
In Yarkand Hayward and Shaw were separately kept under house arrest. After sometime Shaw was allowed to proceed to Kashgar to meet with Yakub Beg. After a warm reception Shaw eventually found himself once again under house arrest. A few weeks later Hayward arrived in Kashgar and was also placed under house arrest. The two were able to periodically communicate by passing secret notes.
Neither man knew at the time, but they were being held while Yakub Beg was waiting for the response to his recent envoy to Russia. When no positive response came from Russia Shaw again was allowed an audience with the King. Afterwards he was free to return home and was able to arrange for Hayward’s release as well as that of Mirza Shuja, a Pundit
Pundit (explorer)
The term pundit or pandit was used in the second half of the 19th century to denote native surveyors who explored regions to the north of India for the British....
exploring the region for Britain.
For his efforts exploring the Kun Lun and Karakoram mountains, and the route of the Upper Yarkand River during his approach to Kashgaria Hayward was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Gold Medal
Gold Medal (RGS)
The Gold Medal are the most prestigious of the awards presented by the Royal Geographical Society. The Gold Medal is not one award but consists of two separate awards; the Founder's Medal 1830 and the Patron's Medal 1838. The award is given for "the encouragement and promotion of geographical...
.
Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Source of the Oxus
In November 1869 Hayward started his next journey north through the Himalaya. With almost no provisions or gear he traveled in the dead of winter almost 300 miles to GilgitGilgit
Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport...
. The winter crossing took over two months instead of the ten to twenty days it took when the passes were clear.
While traveling in this region he had to cross a war zone between Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Kashmiris and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Dardistan
Dardistan
Dardistan is a term coined by Gottlieb William Leitner for the northern Pakistan, and Kashmir in India and parts of north-eastern Afghanistan. It is inhabited by Dards speaking Dardic languages.-Historical Origin:...
. In search of a new approach to the Pamirs he visited the Yasin Valley and became friends with Mir Wali who convinced him it was impossible to proceed through the Hindu Kush
Hindu Kush
The Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
until the summer thaw.
Hayward returned to India, again crossing the Himalaya with no supplies in the dead of winter. Upon returning he wrote a letter to a Calcutta newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
describing the atrocities that the Kashmiris had committed against people in Yasin. The publication of the letter caused a minor political storm, as the Maharaja of Kashmir was a close British ally and vassal. Because of the negative attention he received from this letter Hayward severed his connection with the Royal Geographical Society.
In June 1870 Hayward again headed north now that the mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
passes were clear. He traveled through Kashmiri territory and reached Gilgit with no difficulty. In mid July he reached Yasin once more and proceeded to Darkot at the head of the valley. He was on the verge of reaching the Oxus river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and the Pamirs.
On the morning of July 18, 1870 Hayward stayed up all night after receiving word he might be attacked. Towards dawn he fell asleep and he was attacked. His hands were tied behind his back and he was dragged into the woods where he was murdered.
Death
Controversy and mystery surrounded Hayward's death.One version states that his friend Mir Wali arranged his death following a heated argument.
An alternate version - that which was least convenient for the British - had it that the Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
of Kashmir had arranged Hayward’s death as revenge for the letter about the Kashmiri atrocities in Dardistan. The theory says the Maharaja extracted revenge against Hayward and also benefited by framing the ruler's enemy, Mir Wali.
Hayward's body was later recovered by a Kashmiri soldier. It was found under a small pile of stones and was brought back to Gilgit and buried in an orchard that later became the town's Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. His tombstone, ironically paid for by the Maharaja of Kashmir, reads: “To the memory of G. W. Hayward, Gold Medallist of the Royal Geographical Society of London, who was cruelly murdered at Darkot, July 18, 1870, on his journey to explore the Pamir steppe. This monument is erected to a gallant officer and accomplished traveler at the instance of the Royal Geographical Society.”
Since his death, Hayward received little acclaim or recognition. However, he stands alone among the explorers of the Western Himalaya in terms of the areas he surveyed and the size of his expeditions - usually just himself and three to six porters and bearers.
Miscellaneous
In the 1930s ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Reginald Schomberg, a British traveler, passed through Darkot and said local families still possessed Hayward’s pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
, telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
and saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
. A London auction sold six topographical watercolors by Hayward in the 1950’s that turned up in the Bombay bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
.
Sir Henry Newbolt wrote the poem “He Fell Among Thieves” about Hayward’s death.
Biography: "Murder in the Hindu Kush"
A biography of Hayward, entitled Murder in the Hindu Kush: George Hayward and the Great Game, by travel writer Tim Hannigan was published by the History PressThe History Press
The History Press is one of the UK’s largest local and specialist history publishers, publishing approximately 500 books per year.Created in December 2007, The History Press has integrated core elements of the NPI Media Group within it, including all existing published titles, plus all the future...
in 2011. His story is also covered briefly in The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk
Peter Hopkirk
Peter Hopkirk is a British journalist and author who has written six books about the British Empire, Russia and Central Asia.-Biography:Hopkirk attended the Dragon School in Oxford....
, and Explorers of the Western Himalayas by John Keay
John Keay
John Keay is an English journalist and author specialising in writing popular histories about India and the Far East, often with a particular focus on their colonisation and exploration by Europeans.-Life and career:...
.
External links
- Death in the Morning, WildHare Services, Inc - He fell among Thieves
- http://www.murderinthehindukush.com/