John Grono
Encyclopedia
John Grono was a settler, sailor, ship builder, ship captain, sealer, whaler and farmer who migrated to Australia in 1799 from Wales. Captaining the ship the Governor Bligh, he would later go on to be the first European to fully explore and name parts of the south-western coast of New Zealand's south island including among others Milford Sound
, Bligh Sound
and Elizabeth Island.
, Wales around 1767. Navy records show Grono was involved in a number of navy operations beginning in 1790 when he entered the HMS Royal William
as an AB (Able Seaman), suggesting he was already an experienced sailor at this time. He was married to Elisabeth Bristowe on the 20th of July 1790 in Surrey England. By 1793 he was promoted to the rank of Boatswain's Mate
. On the 7th of January 1798 Grono joined the crew of HMS Buffalo as an AB and again was promated to Boatswain's Mate later that year. On this ship, John, his wife Elisabeth and his three children travelled to Australia, arriving in N.S.W on the 4th of a May 1799. That year he was transferred from the HMS Buffalo to the Colonial Vessel Francis (the first vessel built in Australia), where he served as First Officer. By mid 1801 he had left the colonial vessels and gone into a farming partnership with James Ryan.
north of Sydney, where John embarked in a new endeavour as a ship builder, soon setting out on sea faring voyages on vessels he had built including the Elisabeth and the Governor Bligh. It was these such voyages that eventually saw him become one of the earliest European visitors to the south- west coast and Canterbury region of New Zealand. Of this area Sir Joseph Banks had earlier written: "The southern part of New Zealand produces seals of all kinds, in quantities presently innumberable". The seal rush was on and Captain Grono, ever the capitalist, sought to profit from the immense seal and whale populations these southern waters.
in 1809. Fortunately Grono was able to save the ship and safely made it back to Sydney with a cargo of over 10,000 seal skins, along with one of the earliest descriptions of Foveaux Strait recording the name in print for the first time ever. At the same time he also named Windsor Point after the town where the Governor Bligh was built on the Hawkesbury River.
A second sealing voyage aross the Tasman took place in April of the same year returning to Sydney 9 months later with another 10,000 skins. On this voyage Grono and his crew entered Doubtful Sound, the first known visit for 16 years when it was discovered and explored by Don Felipe Bauza, who mistakenly assumed it was a part of Dusky Bay when he investigated the area in a longboat. Grono solved this confusion and proved it to be a northern outlet from the sound to the sea. Grono est up a base in a cove on Secretary Island and the site is still known as Grono Bay. The Highest peak on Secretary Island is named Mt Grono and at least one old chart names the sound itself "Gronow's" instead of "Doubtful". At the head of the sound lies Elisabeth Island, which Grono named for his wife. At some point presumably towards the end of this voyage Grono sailed north to have at least a preliminary look at the Sounds there. It is thought in this time he named Bligh Sound after his neighbour in Australia, the former governor of New South Wales, from whom his ship also took her name. Grono also named Milford Sound after Milford Haven in Wales. Nancy Sound and Caswell Sound have also been traced back to the sturdy little Welsh Captain who had become the first to explore this area to this extent.
In 1813 Grono again returned with a cargo of 14,000 seal pelts as well as three stranded sealers who he rescued from Secretary Island
. The survivors had been left on the island by the ill fated ship The Active, which sailed away and was never heard from again. The men survived for three years on a diet of seal meat and ferns. Convinced the sealers were escaped convicts and despite their protests he took them back to Sydney to the chains. He later learnt of their innocence and was overcome with remorse, giving two of the men, Alexander Books and Robert Mckenzie employment. The two men would go on to become Grono's sons-in-law.
After some time away from the ocean working on his farm, Grono made at least two more trips to Fiordland in his newly launched vessel the Elisabeth, named for his wife. In May 1824 he arrived in Sydeny with 5,300 skins and on this, the conclusion of his last voyage, handed the command of the Elisabeth over to his rescued son-in-law Alexander Books. Books kept up the family tradition returning from Dusky Bay in 1825 with 3,000 seal skins on board.
Grono remained an authority on the Cantebury region of New Zealand and it's many islands bays and Sounds. When Captain D'Urville arrived in Sydeny in 1824 it was Grono that supplied his chartographer with detailed information for the first coastal descriptions of the Fiordland coast, as well as direct sailing directions for Milford Sound.
Grono claimed to have built seven ships in his lifetime, some of which the biggest the colony had seen. Four of the ships that can be traced directly to Grono's Hawkesbury shipyard are Elizabeth(84 tons) 1821; Industry(87 tons) 1826; Australian(270 tons) 1829; and Governor Bourke(200 tons) 1833. Grono also owned the following vessles Speedwell, Unity, Governor Bligh and Branch.
Shipbuilding went on to become Grono's eldest son, William's passion. William's meticulusly kept journal provides an insight to the methods of ship building in that period and area. William Grono went on to build the vessel the Esther Maria which spent her life sailing up and down the east coast of Australia as a cargo ship.
Milford Sound
Milford Sound is a fjord in the south west of New Zealand's South Island, within Fiordland National Park, Piopiotahi Marine Reserve, and the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site...
, Bligh Sound
Bligh Sound
Bligh Sound is a sound of the South Island of New Zealand, named in 1809 by John Grono, after the ship Governor Bligh in honour of the Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh. It is located in Fiordland, 30 kilometres southwest of Milford Sound, and is 15 kilometres in length. The sound forms a...
and Elizabeth Island.
Early life and arrival in Australia
Very little is known of Grono's life prior to his migration to Australia. He was born in Newport, PembrokeshireNewport, Pembrokeshire
Newport is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying on the River Nevern in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.- History :The town was founded by the Norman William FitzMartin about 1197...
, Wales around 1767. Navy records show Grono was involved in a number of navy operations beginning in 1790 when he entered the HMS Royal William
HMS Royal William
Two ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Royal William*HMS Royal William was a 100-gun first rate launched in 1670 as . She was rebuilt in 1692 and renamed HMS Royal William, rebuilt again in 1719, and rearmed to 84 guns and fitted as a guardship in 1790. She was broken up in 1813. was...
as an AB (Able Seaman), suggesting he was already an experienced sailor at this time. He was married to Elisabeth Bristowe on the 20th of July 1790 in Surrey England. By 1793 he was promoted to the rank of Boatswain's Mate
Boatswain
A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews...
. On the 7th of January 1798 Grono joined the crew of HMS Buffalo as an AB and again was promated to Boatswain's Mate later that year. On this ship, John, his wife Elisabeth and his three children travelled to Australia, arriving in N.S.W on the 4th of a May 1799. That year he was transferred from the HMS Buffalo to the Colonial Vessel Francis (the first vessel built in Australia), where he served as First Officer. By mid 1801 he had left the colonial vessels and gone into a farming partnership with James Ryan.
Ambitious New Careers
John Grono and his wife Elisabeth Bristowe along with their young family took up land on the Hawkesbury RiverHawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
north of Sydney, where John embarked in a new endeavour as a ship builder, soon setting out on sea faring voyages on vessels he had built including the Elisabeth and the Governor Bligh. It was these such voyages that eventually saw him become one of the earliest European visitors to the south- west coast and Canterbury region of New Zealand. Of this area Sir Joseph Banks had earlier written: "The southern part of New Zealand produces seals of all kinds, in quantities presently innumberable". The seal rush was on and Captain Grono, ever the capitalist, sought to profit from the immense seal and whale populations these southern waters.
New Zealand Adventures
Grono's exploits in the fjordland region of New Zealand began when the Goverenor Bligh struck a rock in Foveaux StraitFoveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander...
in 1809. Fortunately Grono was able to save the ship and safely made it back to Sydney with a cargo of over 10,000 seal skins, along with one of the earliest descriptions of Foveaux Strait recording the name in print for the first time ever. At the same time he also named Windsor Point after the town where the Governor Bligh was built on the Hawkesbury River.
A second sealing voyage aross the Tasman took place in April of the same year returning to Sydney 9 months later with another 10,000 skins. On this voyage Grono and his crew entered Doubtful Sound, the first known visit for 16 years when it was discovered and explored by Don Felipe Bauza, who mistakenly assumed it was a part of Dusky Bay when he investigated the area in a longboat. Grono solved this confusion and proved it to be a northern outlet from the sound to the sea. Grono est up a base in a cove on Secretary Island and the site is still known as Grono Bay. The Highest peak on Secretary Island is named Mt Grono and at least one old chart names the sound itself "Gronow's" instead of "Doubtful". At the head of the sound lies Elisabeth Island, which Grono named for his wife. At some point presumably towards the end of this voyage Grono sailed north to have at least a preliminary look at the Sounds there. It is thought in this time he named Bligh Sound after his neighbour in Australia, the former governor of New South Wales, from whom his ship also took her name. Grono also named Milford Sound after Milford Haven in Wales. Nancy Sound and Caswell Sound have also been traced back to the sturdy little Welsh Captain who had become the first to explore this area to this extent.
In 1813 Grono again returned with a cargo of 14,000 seal pelts as well as three stranded sealers who he rescued from Secretary Island
Secretary Island
Secretary Island is an island in southwestern New Zealand, lying entirely within Fiordland National Park. Roughly triangular in shape, it lies between Doubtful Sound in the south and Thompson Sound in the north, with its west coast facing the Tasman Sea. Steeply sloped, it rises to nearly...
. The survivors had been left on the island by the ill fated ship The Active, which sailed away and was never heard from again. The men survived for three years on a diet of seal meat and ferns. Convinced the sealers were escaped convicts and despite their protests he took them back to Sydney to the chains. He later learnt of their innocence and was overcome with remorse, giving two of the men, Alexander Books and Robert Mckenzie employment. The two men would go on to become Grono's sons-in-law.
After some time away from the ocean working on his farm, Grono made at least two more trips to Fiordland in his newly launched vessel the Elisabeth, named for his wife. In May 1824 he arrived in Sydeny with 5,300 skins and on this, the conclusion of his last voyage, handed the command of the Elisabeth over to his rescued son-in-law Alexander Books. Books kept up the family tradition returning from Dusky Bay in 1825 with 3,000 seal skins on board.
Grono remained an authority on the Cantebury region of New Zealand and it's many islands bays and Sounds. When Captain D'Urville arrived in Sydeny in 1824 it was Grono that supplied his chartographer with detailed information for the first coastal descriptions of the Fiordland coast, as well as direct sailing directions for Milford Sound.
Life on Dry Land
After retiring from his New Zealand maritime adventures Grono set to expanding his ship building and farming enterprises. He and son William built and launched numerous vessels on the Hawkesbury, one of which the Bennalong (later renamed the Australian), was larger than any ship built on the river by 100 tonnes.Grono claimed to have built seven ships in his lifetime, some of which the biggest the colony had seen. Four of the ships that can be traced directly to Grono's Hawkesbury shipyard are Elizabeth(84 tons) 1821; Industry(87 tons) 1826; Australian(270 tons) 1829; and Governor Bourke(200 tons) 1833. Grono also owned the following vessles Speedwell, Unity, Governor Bligh and Branch.
Shipbuilding went on to become Grono's eldest son, William's passion. William's meticulusly kept journal provides an insight to the methods of ship building in that period and area. William Grono went on to build the vessel the Esther Maria which spent her life sailing up and down the east coast of Australia as a cargo ship.
Death
John Grono lived into old age and passed away on the 4th of May 1847, he was approximately 80. His wife Elisabeth died fourteen months later at age 77.They were survived by nine children. The couple are buried at the entrance to Ebenezer Church, New South Wales Australia. The couple themselves had played a pivotal role in the development and construction of this very church, believed to be one of the first churches built in the Australian Colony.External links
- freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gronofamily/.../history.htm
- www.aamh.asn.au/news/0080.pdf
- familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/John_Grono_(1767–1847)