Edward Wollstonecraft
Encyclopedia
Edward Wollstonecraft was a successful businessman in early colonial Australia
. He was the nephew of the early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft
and cousin to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein
.
In 1812, while travelling from Lisbon
to Cadiz
he met Alexander Berry
,
with whom he later formed a trading partnership, intending to operate in the colony of New South Wales
.
He shared lodgings with his sister Elizabeth and Berry in London from 1815 to 1819.
Wollstonecraft arrived in Sydney
on board the ship Canada on 31 August 1819.
He received a land grant from Governor Lachlan Macquarie
for 2,000 acres (8 km²), 500 acres (2 km²) of which were located on the north shore of Port Jackson
running from what is now St Leonards
to the foreshore. A warehouse was erected in George Street, Sydney, under the name of "Berry and Wollstonecraft
".
In 1822, Wollstonecraft and Berry were granted 10,000 acres (40 km²) of land on the Shoalhaven River
on the condition that they took responsibility for a hundred convicts.
A canal was built on the property. This work was undertaken with the assistance of Hamilton Hume
and a party of convicts. The 209 yard long canal was completed in 12 days, and was the first canal in Australia.
The crops farmed at Shoalhaven included native cedar and tobacco, which were sold at considerable profit both to the growing colony at Sydney and for export. The property at Shoalhaven grew to 40,000 acres (162 km²) under Berry's management, while Wollstonecraft looked after business in Sydney.
Edward Wollstonecraft was active in local affairs, and involved in a number of societies and organisations in the colony, such as the Philosophical Society of Australasia (now the Royal Society of New South Wales
), of which he was a founding member, and the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
, which organisation he served in the capacity of Steward and Secretary during the 1820s. In 1822, he was appointed senior director of the Bank of New South Wales in and chairman of the first chamber of commerce.
He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1824.
Edward Wollstonecraft suffered ill health and died on 7 December 1832, aged 49. He was buried in the Sydney Burial Ground
in Elizabeth St. His remains were later moved to a tomb constructed by Alexander Berry
on the death of Berry's wife, and Wollstonecraft's sister Elizabeth near St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney
. The tomb is still standing, and the graveyard of the church is now St Thomas Rest Park.
The suburb of Wollstonecraft
is named after him. He built a cottage on the north shore of Sydney Harbour in 1820 which he called Crows Nest. This later became the name of a larger house and estate on the same site. The suburb of Crows Nest
is named after the house and estate.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was the nephew of the early feminist Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary Wollstonecraft
Mary Wollstonecraft was an eighteenth-century British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. During her brief career, she wrote novels, treatises, a travel narrative, a history of the French Revolution, a conduct book, and a children's book...
and cousin to Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, the author of Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
.
In 1812, while travelling from Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
he met Alexander Berry
Alexander Berry
Alexander Berry was a Scottish-born surgeon, merchant and explorer who in 1822 was given a land grant of 10,000 acres and 100 convicts to establish the first European settlement on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia.This settlement became known as the Coolangatta Estate and later...
,
with whom he later formed a trading partnership, intending to operate in the colony of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
He shared lodgings with his sister Elizabeth and Berry in London from 1815 to 1819.
Wollstonecraft arrived in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on board the ship Canada on 31 August 1819.
He received a land grant from Governor Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
for 2,000 acres (8 km²), 500 acres (2 km²) of which were located on the north shore of Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
running from what is now St Leonards
St Leonards, New South Wales
St Leonards is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Leonards is located 5 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of Municipality of Lane Cove, North Sydney Council and the City of...
to the foreshore. A warehouse was erected in George Street, Sydney, under the name of "Berry and Wollstonecraft
Berry and Wollstonecraft
Berry and Wollstonecraft was an Australian business partnership established in 1819 between Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft.The main focus of the business was on a land grant of 10,000 acres , growing to 40,000 acres in the Shoalhaven River area, where native cedar was felled for export,...
".
In 1822, Wollstonecraft and Berry were granted 10,000 acres (40 km²) of land on the Shoalhaven River
Shoalhaven River
The Shoalhaven River is a river rising from the Southern Tablelands and flowing into the ocean near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.- History :...
on the condition that they took responsibility for a hundred convicts.
A canal was built on the property. This work was undertaken with the assistance of Hamilton Hume
Hamilton Hume
Hamilton Hume was the first Australian born explorer. Along with Hovell in 1824, Hume was part of an expedition that first took an overland route from Sydney to Port Phillip near the site of present day Melbourne...
and a party of convicts. The 209 yard long canal was completed in 12 days, and was the first canal in Australia.
The crops farmed at Shoalhaven included native cedar and tobacco, which were sold at considerable profit both to the growing colony at Sydney and for export. The property at Shoalhaven grew to 40,000 acres (162 km²) under Berry's management, while Wollstonecraft looked after business in Sydney.
Edward Wollstonecraft was active in local affairs, and involved in a number of societies and organisations in the colony, such as the Philosophical Society of Australasia (now the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
), of which he was a founding member, and the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is an Agricultural society based in New South Wales, Australia. They run many of the agricultural shows around New South Wales including the Sydney Royal Easter Show....
, which organisation he served in the capacity of Steward and Secretary during the 1820s. In 1822, he was appointed senior director of the Bank of New South Wales in and chairman of the first chamber of commerce.
He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1824.
Edward Wollstonecraft suffered ill health and died on 7 December 1832, aged 49. He was buried in the Sydney Burial Ground
Devonshire Street Cemetery
The Devonshire Street Cemetery was located between Eddy Avenue and Elizabeth Street, and between Chalmers and Devonshire Streets, in Sydney, Australia. It was consecrated in 1820. The Jewish section was used from 1832...
in Elizabeth St. His remains were later moved to a tomb constructed by Alexander Berry
Alexander Berry
Alexander Berry was a Scottish-born surgeon, merchant and explorer who in 1822 was given a land grant of 10,000 acres and 100 convicts to establish the first European settlement on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia.This settlement became known as the Coolangatta Estate and later...
on the death of Berry's wife, and Wollstonecraft's sister Elizabeth near St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney
St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney
St Thomas' Anglican Church, North Sydney is a large Anglican church in Sydney's North Shore. It is located at the corner of Church and McLaren streets, close to the busy North Sydney CBD.- History :...
. The tomb is still standing, and the graveyard of the church is now St Thomas Rest Park.
The suburb of Wollstonecraft
Wollstonecraft, New South Wales
Wollstonecraft is a harbourside suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Wollstonecraft is located 4 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council.-History:...
is named after him. He built a cottage on the north shore of Sydney Harbour in 1820 which he called Crows Nest. This later became the name of a larger house and estate on the same site. The suburb of Crows Nest
Crows Nest, New South Wales
Crows Nest is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Crows Nest is located 5 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council.-History:...
is named after the house and estate.