Gregory Blaxland (1778-1853) and his brother John(1769-1845) emigrated to Australia under the advice of his friend Sir Joseph Banks who said that the government would give free passage, land and slaves. (SLNSW).
He is perhaps most famous for joining William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson in 1813 to become the first settlers to get across the Blue Mountains through using “local guide familiar with the bush and its Aboriginal pathways.” (National Maritime Museum)
Lachlan Macquarie refused to give him land in the interior for his cattle. He disposed of his cattle (EOAS) and settled into Brush Farm, near Ryde (Dictionary of Sydney) which was where he produced wine.
In 1822 he returned to England with some 136 litres of red wine where he won a silver medal(streetdirectory.com/food) Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, later the Royal Society of Arts. Five years later he sent a bigger amount of wine and won a gold medal. (Australian Food Timeline).
Offered in our next auction this unique piece of Australian history – The Holy Bible with the names of the children of Gregory Blaxland.
It is signed Blaxland on first free page. The G. Blaxland on the Old Testament title page which was later crossed out. This signature has been compared to one on file in the State Library of New South Wales and is a good likeness. On the following page William Blaxland is written around the chapter heading. On New Testament title page William’s name is written again. On the back of this page is a list of all of Gregory Blaxland’s children with their birth dates, except Christopher who was born in 18th October 1822 and died less than a year old. Buried at Devonshire Street Cemetery (memorial).
The book was published in 1822, and perhaps was purchase when he went to England with his award winning wine?
