George Richmond HARRIS

HARRIS, (GEORGE RICHMOND) 'DICK' (b. Sydney, NSW, 8 June 1901; d. Barraba, NSW 24 April 1985). CMS missionary to the Aborigines.

George was the second child of George and Florence Harris (nee Rippingdale). George spent the first 27 years of his life working on his father's farm in the Wee Waa area of northwestern NSW. He had to leave school at the end of the primary grades. In his twenties he became a committed Christian, and immediately felt called to missionary service. He prepared for this work by spending 1928-9 at the Missionary and Bible College, Sydney. On graduation he was accepted by the CMS for missionary service among the Aborigines of North Australia.

Harris spent his first term of service (192932) at Oenpelli where his farming experience was invaluable in developing the agricultural and pastoral work of the Mission. While South on his first furlough he married Ellen Tansley, whom he had known at Wee Waa. Ellen was born at Sydney on 15 April 1904. She was a deeply committed Christian and a gifted teacher, was a wonderful help to her husband in his work and taught for many years in the schools at the places where they were stationed. They had three sons, David, Jim and Wilfred, and a daughter, Barbara.

Harris and his wife returned to Oenpelli in May 1933 where they soon became engrossed in their missionary duties. He became superintendent when Alf Dyer (q.v.) and his wife left in 1934, marking the commencement of the Harris 'regime' at Oenpelli which lasted until the end of 1941. During this time the mission at Oenpelli prospered, including medical, educational, buffalo, cattle and agricultural work. His wife also began learning the complex Kunwinkju language with the help of Dr A Capell from the University of Sydney.

Harris returned to the North alone in May 1942 as all white and half-caste women and children had been evacuated because of the possibility of a Japanese invasion. He was transferred to the Roper River Mission where he was able to put the station back into better shape after a year's solid effort. In October 1943 he went to Groote Eylandt in order to supervise the change of the Mission location from the Emerald River to Angurugu. He stayed on at Angurugu for the next six years, playing an important part in establishing the work at its new site. His wife also returned after the war and resumed her teaching duties.

Harris and his wife were transferred to the Roper River Mission in 1949 in order to reestablish the work there, and after 18 months returned South on leave. He spent his next tour of service alone as his wife remained behind to look after the children and their education. He spent a short time at Roper then moved once more to Oenpelli. In August 1952 he spent some time at Numbulwar advising those establishing the new CMS Mission there. Harris spent the next six years on extended leave in the South studying for the Anglican ministry and gaining necessary experience. He was ordained 5 June 1954, and was rector of Pitt Town, NSW, 1954-8.

Harris and his wife returned to the North in March 1958, starting his clerical ministry as adviser at Umbakumba, which the CMS had taken over from Fred Gray. He was then transferred to Angurugu for a short time and afterwards to Oenpelli. In December 1958 the CMS appointed him to be the Senior Missionary and CMS representative in the NT. He was in effect in charge of the Society's five missions in Arnhem Land. He and his wife spent their last tour of service from early 1964 to the end of 1965 at Oenpelli where he was chaplain. They then returned South, so ending thirty-one years' outstanding service to the CMS and to the Aboriginal people, for which he was appointed MBE in 1966.

Harris was a tough Christian person, occasionally reverting to physical violence to achieve his ends. Yet he was also very gentle caring for the sick, the aged and little children. He had a simple, childlike faith, holding strong evangelical views, and was an extremely hard worker. He was ranked as one of the most outstanding CMS missionaries to have worked in North Australia.

Keith Cole, Dick Harris, missionary to the Aborigines (Bendigo, 1980)

KEITH COLE