User:WyndhamoftheCollge/George Wyndham

George Wyndham grazier, wine grower and horsebreeder. George Wyndham (1801-1870), pioneer Australian farmer, pastoralist and vigneron was born at Dinton House, Wiltshire, UK, the great-grandson of Wadham Wyndham. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge. His property "Dalwood" in the Hunter Valley (now known as "Wyndham Estate" and owned by Pernod Ricard) is the oldest continually-operating vineyard in Australia.

Early Career In 1824 he went to Canada as Secretary to a British Government Commission of Inquiry to establish the price for one million acres of land to be acquired for development by the Canada Company. When Inquiry Commissioner John Galt, became Secretary of the Canada Company, he founded Guelph in 1827, naming the main street Wyndham in honour of George's assistance to the Commission.

Emigration to Australia Margaret Jay married George at the Ambassador's Chapel, Brussels, 26th April, 1827. Following his marriage, and his refusal of a Government position, he decided to emigrate to New South Wales as the Colonial Office was offering a free grant of 640 acres (260 hectares) for every £500 ($1000) of capital, with a maximum of 2560 acres (1040 hectares).

George and Margaret arrived in Sydney on Christmas Eve 1827 on the "George Home" with several servants, cattle, sheep, horses, pigs, hounds, goods and chattels. He purchased 2080 acres (842 hectares) at Branxton in January 1828 and renamed it Dalwood after one of his father's farms at Dinton. Construction of the house was commenced in 1829 or possibly 1828.

The purchase of adjoining land, a Grant and lease at Merriwa, and the taking up of land under licence at Collyblu on the Liverpool Plains, Bukkulla and Nullamanna near Inverell and Keelgyrah on the Richmond River enabled George to expand his pastoral activities over some 200,000 acres or 1,284 square miles (80,937 hectares).

Wyndham was an agricultural pioneer, importing Australia's first Hereford cattle in 1827 and introducing the Shiraz and Semmilon grape varieties to Australia.

Family Life George's wife Margaret was educated in England. She also spoke fluent French and Italian and was an accomplished pianist. George and Margaret had 14 children, losing only one to ‘Colonial Fever’ (thought to be malaria) and one at birth. She taught herself to bring up her family and to run a large establishment.

Descendants of George and Margaret include Australian poet Judith Wright.

Dalwood House Dalwood House is one of the most important houses in the Hunter Valley. Begun by George Wyndham in 1829 on a 2000 acre property bounded by the Hunter River, 8 kilometres north of Branxton, by the 1980s Dalwood House had fallen into disrepair and was in imminent danger of collapse. The walls were cracked and leaning, the iron roof was rusted and its doors and windows were no longer in place. Over the years it had suffered from the effects of foundation movement, rising and falling damp, vandalism and neglect.

The building was extensively rejuvenated for the Australian Bicentenary in 1988 but today is again in need of restoration.