The mural, designed and painted by
Graham Chalcroft in 1994, depicts three scenes from the life of Pocahontas who
died in Gravesend aged just 21 years.
A brass plaque below the mural explains
the content and identifies the key people in each scene.
The story behind the left-hand scene
tells:
Pocahontas, favourite
daughter of Chief Powhatan, saved the life of Captain John Smith on 28th or 29th
December 1607, at Werawocomo, Virginia.
The image shows Smith with his head on
a block and Pocahontas resting her head on his to prevent his skull being
smashed by the two men with clubs. Her father, the chief is in the centre
holding an arrow or spear.
The story behind the centre scene
tells:
Pocahontas married
John Rolfe on 5th April 1613. They went to England with their son Thomas in
1616.
Pocahontas (now
Rebecca Rolfe) was received at the Royal Court of King James I and Queen
Anne.
The image shows Pocahontas at the Royal
Court with King James I, Queen Anne and Tomocomo (husband of Powhatan's daughter
Matachana).
The story behind the right-hand scene
tells:
Pocahontas died at
Gravesend on 21st March 1617. She is buried in the vicinity of St George's
Church.
The image shows an ill Pocahontas being
taken ashore in Gravesend with her husband John Rolfe.
The Discover
Gravesham website tells us about
Pocahontas:
"Princess Matoaka was born in the
year 1595 in Virginia, America, the daughter of an native American, Powhatan. He
was a powerful man ruling over forty native American tribes. Matoaka was the
favourite and most beautiful of all his children.
When she was a small girl Powhatan
gave her the nickname of Pocahontas "the playful one" by which she is still
known today. Whilst she was growing up the Europeans were beginning to arrive in
her native land, eager to find gold and set up colonies. Along with them objects
like mirrors and knives which they traded for corn. The world of Pocahontas was
rapidly changing and it must have been very exciting to a child's
mind.
Unfortunately there was already a
growing mistrust between the native Americans and the Europeans and Powhatan was
particularly wary of the settlers. Relations grew worse and in 1607 when Captain
John Smith was caught on native American territory he was brought in front of
Powhatan for trial. Smith was certain he would die, and this would have been the
case were it not for the actions of the chieftain's daughter, Pocahontas. When
her pleas for Smith's life to be spared were refused, she bravely threw herself
between the Captain and his executioners. Powhatan was forced to let him
live.
John Smith later became leader of
the settlers who built Jamestown, the first settlement in Virginia which was
named after the English King, James I. John was possibly the first European
Pocahontas had seen with her own eyes and legend has it that she had fallen in
love with this mysterious stranger. She certainly saved his life on another
occasion, when she brought supplies to the starving settlers.
Pocahontas grew up into a beautiful
woman and Captain John Smith returned to England in late 1609 badly wounded. It
is thought that Pocahontas was heartbroken believing him to be dead, but
actually he recovered fully and became a hero in the King's Court by telling
tales of his wondrous escape. Relations between the native Americans and the
settlers back in Virginia were steadily growing worse and Powhatan issued
instructions that the 'white man' should stay within the confines of Jamestown.
Pocahontas was still fascinated by them however and was easily enticed to the
settlement where she was held captive, and a ransom notice given to her father.
It is said Pocahontas enjoyed her captivity though, and this seems likely since
she became the first native American to be baptised. This happened in the year
1613, or thereabouts and her new name was Rebecca.
Shortly after this ceremony she
assisted Anglo- American relations even further by marrying John Rolfe,
magistrate of the colony. The couple were married in 1614 with Powhatan's
blessing for this useful match. They lived on John's tobacco plantation for two
years where Pocahontas had a son, Thomas. In April 1616, the Governor, Sir
Thomas Dale, sailed for England, and as promised took the Rolfes and their son
Thomas with him, together with an escort of twelve native Americans. They
arrived in Plymouth before travelling to London. They were received with
excitement and wonder at court. Princess Pocahontas was praised for her beauty
and became known as 'la belle sauvage' (the beautiful savage).
She spent a year in England and
arrived in Gravesend in 1617 hoping to set sail for Virginia. Unfortunately she
became seriously ill just offshore from Gravesend and was hurriedly returned to
land where she spent her last few hours.
There is still some mystery about
what she died of but plague seems to have been suspected as she was hastily
buried in St. George's Church. She was only 21. In the registers of the Parish
Church of the time is found the entry: "1617. March 21st. Rebecca Wrolfe, Wyffe
of Thomas Wrolfe, Gent., a Virginia Lady borne, was buried in ye Chancell."
Unfortunately the original church was destroyed in a fire in 1727, and to this
day no-one has found exactly where her body lies.
Her infant son, Thomas, was taken
back to London and educated by his uncle, Henry Rolfe. When he reached adulthood
he sailed to America, back to the land that was his mother's
home.
Gravesend has long been a place of
pilgrimage for American visitors, and the importance of Pocahontas in English
history has been recognised by several ceremonies, beginning with the placing of
a plaque in the church in the late nineteenth century. At the start of this
century, in 1914, a tablet and stained glass windows were donated to St.
George's Church. These were given by the Society of Colonial Dames of America,
and they refer to Pocahontas as "the friend of the earliest struggling
colonists".
In 1958 a bronze statue of
Pocahontas was unveiled by the Governor of Virginia in the St. George's Church
gardens. The statue can be seen by visitors today, as can a colourful mural
opposite the main entrance to the railway station. Some artefacts from
Gloucester, Virginia may also be seen in the Chantry Heritage Centre, Fort
Gardens. The statue of Pocahontas is at the start of the Maritime Heritage trail
in Gravesend."