Background
He was born at Benfeld, Alsace in 1872.
He was born at Benfeld, Alsace in 1872.
He established an Aboriginal mission on Bathurst Island in 1910 and worked there until 1938. Though unsuccessful in converting adults, he persisted with children"s education and "bought" many girls promised in marriage to older men according to tribal custom. He became known as the "Bishop with 150 wives" (also the title of his autobiography) for his activities in freeing girls from such arranged marriages, thus making it possible for them to marry men of their own age.
Gsell was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1935, and was Bishop of Darwin from 1938 to 1949, during which time he was influential in founding Aboriginal missions at Portuguese Keats and Arltunga.
He died in 1960.