Guide to the Drawings, sketches and papers collected by Sir George Grey in New Zealand (as filmed by the AJCP), 1845-1853

 

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Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
M689-M690
Creator:
Grey, George, Sir
Extent:
3 items
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Add MSS 19953- Add MSS 19954: Drawings and sketches illustrative of New Zealand, 1842-53, presented by Sir George Grey on 13 September 1854. (2 vols.)

The titles in inverted commas are taken from the works. Most of the paintings and drawings are not signed or initialled. Of those that are signed, the principal artist is Cuthbert Clarke, while other artists include Charles Barraud, Charles Heaphy and George Swainson.

Biographical / Historical:

{"persname":"Sir George Grey (1812-1898)","content":"\u003cspan class='persname'\u003eSir George Grey (1812-1898)\u003c/span\u003e was born in Lisbon. He entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1826 and enlisted as an ensign in the 83rd Regiment in Ireland in 1830. In 1836 he offered to lead an expedition to find a site for a settlement in north-west Australia. The Colonial Office approved of the proposal and Grey arrived in Western Australia in January 1838. He led two exploring expeditions with mixed results. In 1839 he was promoted to the rank of captain and in the following year he returned to England. In 1841 he returned to Australia as Governor of South Australia, a post that he held until 1845."}

In November 1845 Grey arrived in New Zealand as Governor and quickly suppressed Maori rebellions in the Bay of Islands and near Wellington. Land claims were settled and agriculture, sheep farming and trade revived. He was knighted in 1848, but recalled in 1853. In 1854 he was appointed Governor of Cape Colony where he sought to end the Kaffir wards and united all South Africa as a federation. In 1861 he returned to New Zealand as governor for the second time. He failed to avert the resumption of hostilities and his conduct in the Maori War led to his dismissal in 1868. He returned to New Zealand in 1870 and was a member of the House of Representatives from 1874 to 1894. He was Premier in 1877-79. He spent his last years in London.

Grey had a strong interest in the natural sciences and collected geological and biological specimens for museums in Britain. He also had a long interest in Maori languages and customs. He was one of the greatest collectors of books and manuscripts in New Zealand history.

Cuthbert Clarke (1818-1863) was born in Izmir (Smyrna), Turkey. He often signed his paintings and drawings 'Clarke Ismir'. He arrived in New Zealand in 1849 and in the next year accompanied Sir George Grey on a journey to the Bay of Islands and later to Taupo and Taranaki. He presented his diary and drawings of the latter journey to Grey. He was a customs clerk in Auckland, but left New Zealand in about 1851 and settled in Melbourne. He produced many watercolours and drawings of the goldfields at Castlemaine and near the end of his life was a regular contributor to the Illustrated Melbourne Post.

Reference: Alex Frame. Grey and Iwikau: a journey into custom, Wellington, Victoria University Press, 2002

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:
Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the British Library. For more information visit: How I use the images I order?-The British Library [https://www.bl.uk/help/how-can-i-use-the-images-i-order].
Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: