Alfred Pickmore Bussell (21 June 1814 – 18 October 1882) was an early settler in Western Australia. Bussell was born at Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire in England on 21 June 1814. He was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is an English Public school (United Kingdom), public school (a long-established fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) with some provision for day school, day attendees, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It wa ...

in England, but after the death of his father the family emigrated to Western Australia. Bussell and three of his brothers sailed for Western Australia on board ''

Warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

'' in March 1830, with the rest of the

Bussell family The Bussell family were a family of early settlers in colonial Western Australia. The four brothers John, Joseph Vernon, Alfred and Charles emigrated from England on ''Warrior'', arriving at Fremantle on 12 March 1830. Lenox, Frances and Eliz ...

to follow once the brothers were established. He was fifteen years old at the time. On arriving at the

Swan River Colony The Swan River Colony, also known as the Swan River Settlement, or just ''Swan River'', was a British colony established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. This initial settlement place on the Swan River was soon named Perth, an ...

, the Bussells were advised to start a new sub-colony at Augusta. For four years the brothers tried unsuccessfully to establish a farm, initially at Augusta and then further up the

Blackwood River The Blackwood River is a major river and catchment in the South West (Western Australia), South West of Western Australia. Course The river begins at the junction of Arthur River (Western Australia), Arthur River and Balgarup River near Que ...

. The brothers had immense difficulty clearing the land, and found the soil not particularly good for farming. John Bussell conducted a number of exploring expeditions to the Vasse (later known as

Busselton Busselton is a city in the South West (Western Australia), South West region of the States and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia approximately south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destin ...

) in search of better land, with Alfred accompanying him on at least two expeditions. The explorers found excellent farmland at the Vasse, so after the Bussells' home was destroyed by fire in 1834, the family re-established themselves at the Vasse, where they became successful and prosperous farmers. Republished in 1979 by Nedlands, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. . During the early years of their settlement in the Vasse area the Bussell family, including Alfred, were involved in three massacres of

Wardandi The Wadandi, also spelt Wardandi and other variants, are an Aboriginal people of south-western Western Australia, one of fourteen language groups of the Noongar peoples. Name There are at least three theories about the meaning of the tribal et ...

Noongar people. On 27 June 1837 the first massacre occurred after the disappearance of a calf belonging to their neighbours, the Chapmans. Alfred Bussell went with the two Chapmans, soldiers from the 21st Regiment and Constable Dawson to a place called Yulijoogarup. There the settler group shot and killed nine Wardandi people and wounded two others, including women and children. The second massacre occurred in July 1837. On 13 July Dawson was speared in the arm by a Wardandi warrior in retaliation for the first massacre. The Bussell brothers Charles, Lennox and Alfred then got together with the Chapmans and took various steps to retaliate. On 30 July shouting was heard down at the estuary, and the settler men armed themselves, went to the estuary and shot and killed at least six people. In February 1841 Alfred was involved in the

Wonnerup Massacre The Wonnerup massacre, also known as the Wonnerup "Minninup" massacre, was the killing of dozens of Wardandi Noongar people by European settlers in the vicinity of Wonnerup, Western Australia in February 1841. The massacre on Wardandi-Doonan lan ...

with his brothers after George Layman was killed by Wardandi warrior Gayware. According to the '' History of West Australia'', "the white men had no mercy" and dozens of Noongar people were killed. In 1850, Bussell married Ellen Heppingstone, and the following year they moved to ''Broadwater'' in what is now West Busselton. In 1857 they moved to

Ellensbrook Ellensbrook is a heritage-listed property in Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park in the locality of Yebble, Western Australia near Margaret River. Also known as Ellensbrook House or Ellensbrook Homestead, the property is managed by the National ...

near the

Margaret River The Margaret River is a river in southwest Australia, southwest Western Australia. In a small catchment, it is the eponym of the town and tourist region of Margaret River, Western Australia, Margaret River. The river arises from a catchment ...

, and in 1865 they also took up " Wallcliffe", resulting in land holdings that stretched from Cowaramup to the Donnelly River. From 29 July 1872 until 30 June 1874, Bussell was a nominee Member of the

Western Australian Legislative Council The Western Australian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Parliament of Western Australia, a state of Australia. It is regarded as a house of review for legislation passed by the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, Legislative A ...

. His wife died in 1877, and he followed in 1882. They had six sons and eight daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bussell, Alfred Pickmore 1814 births 1882 deaths Aboriginal genocide perpetrators English explorers English mass murderers Explorers of Western Australia Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council Settlers of Western Australia 19th-century Australian politicians