Description

Extended Data

DAAO URL

https://www.daao.org.au/bio/george-grey

Birth Place

Lisbon, Portugal

Biography

sketcher, explorer and governor, was born on 14 April 1812 in Lisbon, Portugal, only son of Lieutenant-Colonel George Grey (who died a week before his son’s birth) and Elizabeth Anne, née Vignoles. His mother married Rev. Sir John Thomas in 1817. Grey chose to follow in his father’s footsteps, entering Sandhurst in 1826 and joining the 83rd Regiment as an ensign in 1830. While with his regiment in Ireland he was made aware of the plight of the starving Irish peasants and decided that large-scale resettlement was the only solution. To this end he wrote to the Colonial Office in 1836 offering to lead an expedition in the north of Western Australia; the offer was accepted. Grey landed at Hanover Bay in December 1837 and began his inland exploration on 29 January 1838. He was speared by an Aborigine early in February, leaving him ill and unable to travel for two weeks. A year later he landed at Shark Bay intending to explore northward to North-West Cape. This expedition was even more disastrous than the first. The party had landed on an island without water and one boat and most of the provisions were lost in reaching the mainland. The two remaining boats were wrecked soon afterwards, so Grey and his men were forced to travel overland, without provisions, 300 miles (480 kilometres) to Perth. On neither of his expeditions had Grey found the bush pastures of a New Ireland, and although he claimed to have discovered 'superior land’ 300 miles (480 kilometres) north of Perth no one else could. He returned to England in 1840 and published his Journal of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia during the years 1837, 38 and 39 (2 vols London, 1841), partly illustrated by lithographs from his own sketches (South African Library, Cape Town). Attack of Natives near Hanover Bay records the skirmish of February 1838 when he was wounded. Grey returned to the antipodes in 1841 as Governor of South Australia, leaving four years later to be Governor of New Zealand. Drawings made on expeditions during his South Australian years were apparently all by George French Angas . Grey subsequently spent some time in South Africa then returned to New Zealand in 1870, remaining for twenty-four years. He retired to England in 1894 and died in London on 19 September 1898, survived by Eliza Lucy, née Spencer, whom he had married at King George Sound (Albany, WA) on 2 November 1839. Their only son had died in Adelaide (SA) in June 1841. Knighted in 1848, Sir George Grey was buried in St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Writers: Staff Writer Date written: 1992 Last updated: 2011

Born

b. 14 April 1812

Summary

Grey led disastrously unsuccessful expeditions in Western Australia but later served as governor of South Australia and New Zealand. His published journal (1841) was illustrated by lithographs of his sketches.

Gender

Male

Died

19 September 1898

Age at death

86