George

By way of explanation

These pages are the first few pages of a book that is about the life of George and Isabella in Marlborough. I named the book "The Monros of Valleyfield and Langridge"

I (George Home Binning Monro) was born 28th November 1840. My parents were Alexander Binning Monro and Harriet nee Monro, youngest child of Professor Alexander Monro Tertius and Maria Agnes. They were cousins who married on 4th August 1835. My two brothers were David Binning born 16th November 1836 and Alexander Binning born 12th April 1838. We lived in the historic house Auchinbowie.
My eldest brother, David Binning Monro was educated at Glasgow and then Oxford University. His future career was to be a scholar. In 1859 he was appointed Fellow at Oxford and in 1882 Provost of Oriel College and subsequently Vice Chancellor.

In 1857, my brother, Alexander Binning took passage in the barque "Creswell" arriving in Nelson New Zealand 111 days later on February the 6th, 1858. He was 19 years old. He was one of 16 first class passengers and there were a further 34 in steerage.
With him on this voyage were Charles and Thomas Cotterell later to become his relatives. The "Creswell", at 500 tons, was small but sailed directly to Nelson so saving the time of changing from a larger vessel which would not be able to enter Nelson harbour.

My grandfather, Professor Alexander Monro Tertius, had been appointed as Professor of Edinburgh University in 1798. On 20 September 1800, at St Goe's church, Bloomsbury, he married Maria Agnes, daughter of Dr James Carmichael Smyth. He and his wife had twelve children, six boys and six girls.
Their first home was at No. 15 Nicholson Square, Edinburgh but when my great grandmother died in 1803, grandfather and his family went to live with his father in St Andrew Square. After great grandpa died (1817), they moved to No. 121 George Street, and finally, in 1832, to Craiglock- hart, where he had built a fine mansion house. In 1812 they visited Dr Carmichael Smyth at Sunbury, Middlesex, probably grandpa's only journey outside Scotland after 1800. Grandmother died in 1833, and on 15 July 1836 grandfather married Jessie Hunter, who had no children and outlived him.

Their second son, my Uncle Henry , had a disagreement with grandfather when he was 24 years old. Before I was born, Henry had traveled to Melbourne on the barque "James" in 1834. He took up the Crawford River Pastoral run at Hotspur, 20 miles north of Portland, in 1841and later held the nearby Bassets run.
He married Jane Christie in 1841, a fellow passenger on the "James", but she died the following year. Her brother was the notorious bush ranger Francis Christie. He married Catherine Power in Portland in 1846.

Their third son, my Uncle David who had expected to succeed his father as Professor of the Edinburgh medical school was very aware that his prospects of succeeding to the position would be slight because of the social resentment, in Edinburgh, of the established Monro family. Consequently, in 1841 he and his friend from Edinburgh, Edward Stafford accompanied each other and settled in Nelson, New Zealand.

Professor Monro's 4th daughter, Harriet (1816-1898), my mother, married her Cousin Alexander Binning Monro and we lived in the historic house, Auchinbowie.
My Uncle David had sent back good reports of his life in New Zealand explaining how it was so easy to lease land there so it was decided that my second eldest brother, Alexander and I would have better prospects as farmers in New Zealand.
Before I was born, Uncle David acquired leases of some 30,000 acres of land in the Wairau Valley between the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai Rivers and drove his first flock of sheep there in 1848. So on this recommendation, father asked him to buy for him, land from the New Zealand Company between the Waihopai and Omaka Rivers, just east of Uncle David's holding called Bankhouse across the Waihopai River and adjacent to the Hon. Dillon's holding, Leefield, to the south, and Goulters across the Omaka River to the east.
Uncle David described it as a block of land about 3000 acres. About one half of the land is excellent agricultural land. The other is rather stony but good for sheep. The soil is covered with natural pasture and the surface so unencumbered with growth of any sort that without any expenditure in the way of clearing you can put a plough in and turn up a furrow miles long. We named it Valleyfield.

Uncle David wrote of a trip he made in March 1855, from Nelson to Christchurch, on horseback taking the Awatere track.
He rode up the Avon River in the Waihopai Valley on Summerlands, crossed the saddle and joined the Awatere River at Castle Brook where he saw Tom Ward's cottage in Fairfield Downs (Langridge Station) "the most desolate miserable looking place I ever set eyes upon".
In Nelson, New Zealand, Uncle David had not been idle. He had acquired land in Culverden and in the Waimea and the Wairau Valley near Blenheim and married (1845) Dinah Secker, a lady's maid to the Hon. Constantine Dillon.
Stafford, who in 1859 took the lease of his brother's land in the Awatere Valley known as Upton Downs, had also been back to Australia with Uncle David to visit Uncle David's brother Henry in Victoria station (where he visited on the way out) and purchased sheep from him for his property in the Waimea which he called Bearcroft.
Uncle David was in the process of returning from Invercargill, being reputably the first white man to set foot there and en route selected the port of Otago as a future settlement. On Tuesday 9th February 1858 he was aboard the coastal steamer from Picton about daylight. Misty rain breaking up to a beautiful day. Steamed down the Sound, breakfasted at Admiralty Bay, timing their entry to the notorious French Pass to arrive at slack water, the water perfectly smooth and the shores picturesque but utterly asleep looking and came through the French Pass. Stopped at the Current Basin copper mine. Went ashore there and did a little geology. On board again and got up an awning and had dinner on deck and songs and speeches.
On approaching Nelson he saw a large ship at anchor, the "Creswell". Passed her with 3 cheers. On reaching the pier found that his nephew, Alexander, had arrived before. He stepped on shore and Alexander came off and accosted him. Went with Alexander to see about his things and then together to Webbs where they had a long chat and both slept.
The next day seeing after getting Alexander's things off the "Creswell". Went round to the Customs House and settled about the duty to pay, 6/-. Got his things on to old Hale's store who is very civil. Spoke to several people about engaging men to work for Alexander and got places for them. Sent a note up to Dinah, who he fondly called Nina, at the house they rented at Sunnyside in Brougham Street Nelson, some one hours drive away, to send a trap down the next day. Then they dined at Madame Taylors and had tea there in the evening.
The following day they selected items of Alexander's luggage to take with them, letters, Daragotypes etc and drove up to Sunnyside arriving at 5 pm much to the excitement of his cousins Alexander (12) called Aleck, David (11) called Datty, Charles (7) Maria Georgina (10) called Georgy and Constance (5). Then the next day they put Admiral in the trap and drove back to Hale's store to fetch Alexander's portmanteau which had a collection of photographs in it. Admiral went well and Alexander handled her nicely. So the rest of the day was spent looking over the photographs.

As I previously mentioned, our father had purchased land from the New Zealand Company in the Wairau Valley near Blenheim. Apart from the freehold, it included leashold land in the Omaka Riverbed being parts of Sections Nos 121, 170, 171, 142, also parts of No. 4 of Block 1, No. 5 of Block 1, No.6 of Block 1, and No. 7 of Block 1.
As soon as Alexander had cleared his matters in Nelson he departed for the Wairau to make preparations for farming the land. Getting to the Wairau from Nelson however was a two day journey. He could take a coastal sailing ship to the Wairau River or the steamer to Picton but he would have to leave his horse behind or pay the cost of sending it by boat. He could go by horesback via Tophouse or take the road over the Mokitap. The road over the Mokitap was rough and steep but once having reached the Pelorous River, the riding was easy down through Havelock until the Wairau River was reached which allowed entry to the valley. If rain had been heavy the river would be high and he would not get across. He remembered that this was the place where some years previously his Uncle's bullock wagon had been swept away and the driver drowned.
The route through Tophouse did not have the steep grade of the Mokitap but was longer and much of it through dense bush. It still had the Wairau to cross but much further upstream where there was less water. But this was mid summer and there had been little rain for many weeks. The Wairau should be low. He would take the road over the Mokitap. He would be on his own without company.
Although his Uncle David owned 26,000 acres just across the river, from his land, he had little interest in it and had leased it out some years ago to James Balfour Wemyss who had stocked the land and built a mud house at Craiglochart in which he lived. Then Henry Redwood became interested in the lease of the property, and his son Tom lived on the place and managed it for his father.
Alexander's first problem was to provide some basic accommodation for himself and then to get some sheep and build some fences for them and to break up the land for growing horse feed. The initial fences would be constructed in wattling which comprised wooden standards with twiggy material woven between them. The sheep, which were attended by a shepherd would be enclosed there during the night. Alexander was back in Nelson on 25th September after having broken up 25 acres of the land at Valleyfield.

Back in Scotland, grandfather Monro Tertius was in poor health. He died on 10th March 1859.
On 10 June 1859 I sailed from Great Britain in the "Alpine". The "Alpine" arrived in Port Otago on Sunday the 11th September with immigrants. She left the Clyde on the 10th June with upwards of 500 souls on board, and passed Eagle Island the following day. Light winds and fine weather were experienced for the first six weeks of the passage, and the Equator was crossed on the 24th of July. The meridian of the Cape was passed on the 7th of August. On the 24th the iron reefing gear of the main topsail yard was carried away, which prevented any sail being set on the main yards for three days, during which the accident was repaired.
Off the coast of New Zealand spoke the "Mato-aka," bound for Auckland. Made the Snares (65 miles SSW of Stewart Island) on the l0th September, and on the next day we anchored at Otago, after a fair passage of 93 days from land to land, during which no very heavy weather was experienced, nor anything calling for more special remark. The "Alpine" is one of the finest ships that has ever anchored in Port Otago. The cabin passengers on the " Alpine," previous to our arrival in harbour, presented an address to Captain Crawford expressing their gratitude. I added my signature, GH.Binning Monro.
Things did not go so well for the immigrant passengers below deck. Eight children passengers died during the passage and an adult with consumption. The Immigration officer in Dunedin charged the master with breaches under the " Passenger Act 1855" of single men to be berthed in separate compartments, number and sex in one berth, construction and privies, light and ventilation, certain articles prohibited as cargo and ballast and storage of cargo, water and provisions, size of messes and issue of cooking provisions, passenger cook and cooking apparatus, medicine and medical comforts, sale of spirits.
Then I had to wait in Port Otago 13 days until the coastal steamer "Prince Alfred" called to take me to Nelson arriving there on 1st October 1859.
The "Prince Alfred" arrived early in Nelson and there was no one at the wharf to greet me so I hired a conveyance to take me to Sunnyside. Alexander was in town with Uncle David negotiating some business with Fraser when some of the passengers off the "Prince Alfred" came in. From them they learned that I had arrived and so Alexander posted away up to Sunnyside while Uncle David followed going round by the Bank. Uncle David then walked home and I found him there before me. He thought me taller than Alexander with a somewhat different face and rather delicate looking. Had a long chat with him and Alexander and then drove round the beach to see about my luggage.
The next day, we all went to church and the following day, a beautiful day, my luggage came round and we were all busy at the delightful occupation of unpacking the things. The cousins in the state of great pleasure. The grown-up folks almost the same. Henry Sewell called and we had a chat and Elliott came also to join in the talk. C.Elliot was a property salesman with his offices in Trafalgar Street whilst Sewell, a colleague of Uncle David's, was an elected member of the Government.
After breakfast the next day, we went up the country to Uncle David's run at Bearcroft. It is about 15 miles to the West on the Banks of the Waimea River, about 2 hours drive. The property is 170 acres plus the riverbed which is 25 acres.
Aunt Nina and Alexander rode. Uncle David drove me and Datty. Got up about 12. The garden looks well and things are coming forward nicely. Looked about us in the meadows and visited the horses and cattle. Had some dinner about 2. After dinner Uncle David went down to the North School houses to see how the school was getting on. He found 23 children present and 3 of the books. Just as he was leaving, their neighbours, the Blundells, made their appearance there. Uncle asked Mrs.Blundell to call at Bearcroft which she did. When the Blundells were gone Aunt Nina and Uncle David and Datty went up to old Redwoods where they were hospitably treated and stopped all night. A party was planned for tomorrow evening so invitations were sent out.
I had to return to Port Otago for a short time and got back from there in the "Lord Worsley" on 6th March 1860.

Now that Alexander and I had arrived in Nelson it was time to put in place plans for us to farm our father's land. Because we were still very young, Alexander 21 and I 19, our father had asked Uncle David to help us with some of the planning. Uncle David, whilst not exactly our manager, was to be responsible for the financial transactions of the sale of wool in England and remittance of funds. Consequently there was a session of discussion between we three on what was the best way to derive an income from the land we held.
There had been articles in the Nelson Examiner about the commercial opportunities of horse breeding and Alexander was very interested in horses. Then there was sheep farming which was thought to be most suited to the Wairau land. The land had never carried grazing animals and grew native aniseed. Alexander had spoken to Wemyss and Tom Redwood who said the ground would carry 4 sheep to the acre. Much more than was common in Scotland.
We made some calculations of the cost of breaking up and laying down the land on the plain. The 25 acres already broken up will cost as follows. Breaking up 25/-. Cross ploughing and harrowing 15/-. Sowing 13/-. Fencing £2 per acre. We may say £5 per acre. The interest upon this at 10 % is 10/- and if it will keep 4 sheep to the acre the rental paid for each sheep will be 2/6d. It may be done cheaper however. With one's own team the laying down might be done for £2 per acre including the cost of grass seed and the fencing in proper shaped blocks would not exceed £1 per acre. 4 sheep to the acre would then be grazing at 6/- or 1/6 for each sheep. But being with fences there would be no shepherding.
There was also a decision to be made as to whether we would have separate farms or work together as a partnership.
We read with interest in the local newspaper, The Nelson Examiner, a report on horse breeding, taken from the Sydney Empire, of June 4th. There cannot be any doubt that the climate of New Zealand is peculiarly favourable for horse breeding, for to no other cause can we attribute the extraordinary success of the Nelson horses on the Australian turf. This fact, if turned to proper account, may hereafter become of the greatest importance to this colony. The Homebush contests in Australia, just now concluded, may be supposed to be useful to station owners, as proving to them how very much may be done by each individual owner in the improvement of his stock, if proper care and attention is paid to them; for it is now placed beyond a doubt that the superiority attained over Australians best horses last year by those then imported from New Zealand, was no mere accidental success snatched by a combination of lucky accidents as maintained by many in Victoria in reference to our own success there. For we have the fact established, that a very little and very young colony, whose area for grazing and whose number of horse stock to select from, is perfectly insignificant when compared with ours, and having the further disadvantage of a dangerous sea transit, can send, one season after another, not one horse only, but a number of horses to compete for our highest prizes and become not only rivals, but almost uniform victors in the contest. Now, this, though apparently having only an interest to the sporting world, may come to have an important bearing in a commercial point of view, when taken in connection with the large money outlay of the East India Government in their purchases of horses for their cavalry and artillery service : those purchases will be influenced, no doubt, by the relative character of the horses in the different countries, from which they can draw their supplies. We have hitherto been in the habit of supposing that our adjoining Australian colonies, and the Cape colony, have been our only competitors in the supply of this item of export, but we learn that a late committee of inquiry in India has recommended the horses from South America, are those most desirable for the Indian Government to purchase. This would almost imply that the New South Wales horse is not now the class of animal he used to be, when he took preeminence of all others in the Southern hemisphere, not only for speed but endurance. The latter quality is, without doubt, the one which our racing prizes should most aim at fostering, as it is the one taken into account by those who purchase for cavalry or artillery purposes, and, indeed, also for all colonial and business purposes. It cannot fail, however, to strike any one who has visited our other colonies, that the want of substance in our everyday horse stock is more apparent here than in other markets and this, we think, arises from the breeders in Van Diemen's Land and Victoria having been very enterprising in introducing heavier breeding stock on their runs, and, although their outlay in so doing may have been at first very heavy, they find the wise economy of it by the greatly improved prices they obtain, for their increase, besides being a class of animal always marketable.

When he was in town cousin Aleck had seen a model ship which took his fancy. Uncle David went down with his boys to see the small ship at Nosgroves. Bought it for £1. Got it home and presented to Aleck who is delighted with it. I promised to rig it anew for him. We tried it in the pond and found it floats beautifully.
Party in the evening. The Major, Andrew and Mrs Richmond, Mrs Huddleston and Miss Huddleston, Archdeacon Paul and Miss Paul, The two Miss Hacketts, Mr Haast, Knyvett, Keppel, Walmsley. Music and 20 questions. The latter exceedingly slow. The questioners taking far too much time to arrange their questions. Broke up about 12.
On Sunday, Aunt Nina and the others went to church. Uncle David had a headache and stopped at home. He went down into the garden with Constance and cut asparagus for dinner. In the afternoon Aunt Nina and Uncle David went to call upon Mrs A. Collins. Found her at home with her mother and had a long chat. At home in the evening.
The next day Uncle went down to town to buy various things for the rigging of Aleck's boat such as whipcord, wire, eyelets etc. and in the evening we continued discussions about farming practice.
Old Strong came after breakfast and informed us that the "Roxana", a sailing vessel which had had a rough trip from the Wairau, had arrived and that Alexander's horse, which was on board, was alright. Later that week, before breakfast, Uncle David and I drove round to see Clyde Champion landed. He was hoisted in his box on to the Albion wharf and backed out. The poor brute could hardly stand on his legs at first but soon recovered himself. Home to breakfast.

Aunt Nina was on Primrose, Uncle David on Beau, Alexander on Corporal and I on the white pony accompanied by Mr Blundell and Laura Wall started for Dramdua about 11 o'clock. We had a nice ride up there and were very hospitably treated. After luncheon we had a stroll on the beach. Then had tea and left about 6 for home.
The evening cold and clear. The horses behaved themselves well and everything went off successfully.

On 17th October Uncle David and Datty took the steamer to Christchurch via Wellington and from there to look over their run at Culverden.
I was 19 years old on my birthday on 28th November 1859.
When Uncle David and Datty returned on 3rd December, I took the trap to the wharf to meet them.

I left for the Wairau on 15th December 1859 in the morning. I intended to ride Jessie but she kicked at Corporal so much that I was obliged to take the grey pony. Henry on Jessie escorted me as far as Stoke.
Uncle David intended to proceed to the Wairau next Monday by the "Tasmanian Maid" which leaves at 3 pm but on the Monday he wrote a letter to me saying that he had delayed his trip because the English mail had not arrived.

Alexander and I were both back in Nelson on Friday 9th March 1860. Uncle David, Alexander and I went down to see about this new country that William Travers, a solicitor, suggested we apply for. We went to call upon him at his home but he was out. We found him in town and got a rough tracing from him and other information and in accordance with that Alexander and I lodged an application.
On Sunday the family went to church in the forenoon. The Bishop preached. In the afternoon Uncle David walked up with Aunt Nina and me and some of the children to look at the College buildings. They are getting on fast and look very well.
The following day, in the afternoon Aunt Nina and Alexander went out for a ride.
Later in the week Uncle David had a holiday with all the children. Hired the Yankees 2 seated golf cart and drove up to Bearcroft with Aunt Nina and Georgie. Constance, Charlie, Alexander, Aleck, Datty and Mr Meyer rode. At Bearcroft we looked round the place which is in very good order and had some dinner under the Acacia tree. We then went on to Ernstone and looked round there. Then to the Blundells. They were all out. Then to the Saxons where we saw Mrs Saxon and two of the young ladies. Then by the Catholic chapel to Bearcroft where we gathered some flowers and got up some bulbs for the Miss Coopers and then home. Datty and Uncle David riding. Uncle David on Primrose, Datty on Prince.
Alexander and I returned on Thursday 5th April 1860, about 2, in time for Datty's ninth birthday.
We told our Uncle David that we had serious misgivings about the suitability of the Wairau for sheep raising. We don't think this new country will do. It was the end of summer and there had been no rain in the Wairau for many weeks. Everything was parched brown and dusty. The price of wool was only 9d a lb, and we only had a small holding barely enough to have an income. We needed more land.
On Saturday in the forenoon went down to town about various matters. After luncheon went up to call on the Saxtons. Aunt Nina and Uncle David in the trap, Aleck and Datty and Alexander riding. When we came back saw the smoke of a steamer. Aunt Nina went down with some of the children to Jacksons.
When they returned they brought the news that the steamer was the "Airdale" and that it was reported that the Waikato tribes had sent to the Governor to say that unless he made peace in 5 days they would burn New Plymouth town down. I went down to town to inquire about this and found Stafford at Mrs Taylors who confirms the report. There was a public meeting in the Court house afterwards which the men attended and a good deal of excitement in consequence of the rumor. Stafford came home with them and stayed at Sunnyside. When we got home we found that two young ladies Misses Carrington, refugees from Taranaki, had arrived.

Tuesday was the first day of the races. We went and took all the cousins. Uncle David drove one of my traps with Miss Carrington and her sister. I drove another with Aunt Nina and their other chicks. Datty and Aleck rode. The sport was very poor and the attendance not so good as on former years.
The second race day was Thursday. Uncle David and Aunt Nina and the children went. When they were gone the Miss Murrays came to Sunnyside and waited until Uncle David came home. They stopped for tea. In the evening we had some music and then pushed the table to one side and danced.
They are good natured and merry girls and seemed to enjoy themselves very much. We had a good lesson in the Polka Magurka. They went home in one of my traps, Alexander driving and that they also enjoyed very much. The Race Ball was on Friday evening getting back to Sunnyside at 3 in the morning.
The following day, Monday 16th April 1860, Uncle David went to the Land Office and withdrew his deposit £50 for an application for a run. Paid it into the Bank. Paid Sherratt his account and Balme. Saw Edwards about Wards run in the Upper Awatere.
He is to consult Ward's brother-in-law Captain Fearon and let Uncle David know if he will sell to Alexander and me.
The next day we breakfasted earlier than usual and about 1/2 past 9 hired the American omnibus and set off for Bearcroft, the 3 Miss Murrays, 2 Miss Carringtons, Miss Isabella Huddlestons, Aunt Nina, Uncle David, Alexander and I. Fleming went up to try to buy some sheep at the sale but he came back without making any purchase. Old Mr Gordon came down to Bearcroft in the afternoon and walked about the garden. Uncle David went up to Ernstone. Mr Dakers has not yet gone in. The party got down about 1/2 past 8. The horses stuck in the river.
On Wednesday, Uncle David saw Edwards and Fearon again about Ward's run. They are to write to Ward and ask him if he is willing to sell.
Ward's run of 34,000 acres is in the Upper Awatere between Castle Creek and Molesworth Creek. It is generally very steep with about 8000 acres of downs. There is no road to it at all and everything has to be packed in by horse. A shearing reserve is located in the lower valley between Glenlee and Blairlich runs, to which sheep could be driven to be shorn and from which the wool could be taken by dray to the mouth of the Wairau where it is loaded on shallow draft vessels and then conveyed to sailing ships at Port Underwood.