Francis Armstrong

Francis Armstrong (1813 – 1897) was a Scottish Methodist pioneer and missionary to aborigines in Western Australia.

Armstrong was born around 1813 in Dalkeith, Scotland. He died on 22 May 1897 Perth, Western Australia. He was the eldest son of Captain Adam Armstrong. On 15 December 1829, Armstrong arrived in the Swan River Colony aboard Gilmore from Dalkeith with his father, four brothers and sister (his mother had died in Scotland). The family settled on the banks of the River Swan between Perth and Fremantle and named the locality Dalkeith after their home village in Scotland. While Armstrong helped with the work associated with establishing themselves he met and befriended a number of the local natives. He felt strongly attracted to these indigenous people and at once set out to learn something of their customs and language.

A little later Armstrong went to work in Perth for George Fletcher Moore, who kept a small store. Then, for a number of years, he managed a store for George Shenton in St George's Terrace. Still later, he entered into business for himself as a grain and produce and commission agent. From this business and several others he ventured into he acquired sufficient wealth to give him a modest retirement.

The young Armstrong was associated with the Tranby Methodists and helped to establish the first Methodist congregation in Western Australia.

Armstrong never forgot his early contact with the local Aboriginal people and it became his overriding ambition to do all he could to improve their lot. He became proficient in the Nyungar language that he eventually wrote or assisted in writing two books translating some of its dialects into English. Before either government or church interest was stirred to the plight of Aboriginal people, Armstrong was seeking to improve their circumstances and better their lives. At the age of 21, Armstrong was appointed the official "Government Interpreter and Moral Agent" for Aboriginal people on a salary of £90 a year.

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