Peter Belches
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Peter Belches (1796–1890) was an early explorer in Western Australia
.
Born in Scotland in 1796, Belches joined the Royal Navy
. He was a midshipman
on HMS Volage in December 1826, when it was anchored in Sydney Harbour along with HMS Warspite under Sir James Brisbane
and HMS Success under Sir James Stirling
. When Brisbane died on 19 December, Stirling made a number of promotions and re-appointments to cover for his loss. In the process, Belches was promoted to Third Lieutenant
on the Success.
In March 1827, the Success arrived off the coast of the Swan River
in what is now Western Australia
to undertake an exploration expedition which aimed to determine the suitability of the area for establishing a British
colony
. After examining the coastal waters of the area, an 18-man land party was formed to explore up the river. As a member of the party, Belches traversed the Swan up to its junction with Ellen Brook. At the location now known as "The Narrows", Stirling named a peninsula
on the southern side of the Swan Point Belches
in Belches' honour.
At the junction of Ellen Brook, Stirling split the party into three groups, sending Belches and George Heathcote
to explore to the north, where they found a fresh water lake. After returning to the junction of the Canning River
, Stirling sent Belches to explore it. Belches traced the Canning for twenty miles, returning after two days to report that it was a fresh water river "similar in every respect" to the Swan.
After returning to the ship, the crew sailed north for a distance, then southwards to Cape Geographe, when Belches reported finding "a source large enough to be called a River, gushing from the side of the Solid Limestone Rock and rushing to the Sea half a mile distant with a considerable noise."
A Swan River Colony
was formed in 1829, and by the end of 1831 had expanded to become the British settlement of Western Australia. In 1834, Belches emigrated to the colony on the James Patterson. He took up land at Albany
, where there was already a large Scottish community. He served as Albany's harbour master from 1834 until 1837. In 1840, he entered into a land partnership with George Cheyne, and in 1852, the pair prospected for gold
together in the Stirling Range
. Belches left the colony in 1858, and died in 1890.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Born in Scotland in 1796, Belches joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He was a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on HMS Volage in December 1826, when it was anchored in Sydney Harbour along with HMS Warspite under Sir James Brisbane
James Brisbane
Captain Sir James Brisbane, CB was a British Royal Navy officer of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Although never engaged in any major actions, Brisbane served under both Lord Howe and Horatio Nelson and performed important work at the Cape of Good Hope, prior to the Battle of...
and HMS Success under Sir James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
. When Brisbane died on 19 December, Stirling made a number of promotions and re-appointments to cover for his loss. In the process, Belches was promoted to Third 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...
on the Success.
In March 1827, the Success arrived off the coast of the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
in what is now Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
to undertake an exploration expedition which aimed to determine the suitability of the area for establishing a British
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...
colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
. After examining the coastal waters of the area, an 18-man land party was formed to explore up the river. As a member of the party, Belches traversed the Swan up to its junction with Ellen Brook. At the location now known as "The Narrows", Stirling named a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
on the southern side of the Swan Point Belches
Point Belches
Point Belches is a small point on the south side of Swan River, Western Australia, about 250 metres east of The Narrows within the area known as Perth Water...
in Belches' honour.
At the junction of Ellen Brook, Stirling split the party into three groups, sending Belches and George Heathcote
George Heathcote
George Heathcote was an eighteenth century English politician and philanthropist who was a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London.He was a nephew of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, Governor of the Bank of England...
to explore to the north, where they found a fresh water lake. After returning to the junction of the Canning River
Canning River (Western Australia)
The Canning River is a major tributary of the Swan River in south western Western Australia.-Source and route:With headwaters on the Darling Scarp, the Canning meanders through suburbs of Perth on the Swan Coastal Plain, including Cannington, Thornlie, Riverton, Shelley, Rossmoyne and Mount...
, Stirling sent Belches to explore it. Belches traced the Canning for twenty miles, returning after two days to report that it was a fresh water river "similar in every respect" to the Swan.
After returning to the ship, the crew sailed north for a distance, then southwards to Cape Geographe, when Belches reported finding "a source large enough to be called a River, gushing from the side of the Solid Limestone Rock and rushing to the Sea half a mile distant with a considerable noise."
A Swan River Colony
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
was formed in 1829, and by the end of 1831 had expanded to become the British settlement of Western Australia. In 1834, Belches emigrated to the colony on the James Patterson. He took up land at Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, where there was already a large Scottish community. He served as Albany's harbour master from 1834 until 1837. In 1840, he entered into a land partnership with George Cheyne, and in 1852, the pair prospected for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
together in the Stirling Range
Stirling Range
The Stirling Range or Koikyennuruff is a range of mountains and hills in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, 337 km south-east of Perth. It is located at approximately and is over 60 km wide from west to east, stretching from the highway between Mount Barker and Cranbrook...
. Belches left the colony in 1858, and died in 1890.