Sir George Grey (1812-1898), originally an explorer of the West Australian coast, became Governor of the near- bankrupt colony of South Australia in 1840. Although he was popularly resented for his drastic economic measures, over five years he nearly balanced the colony's budget and he did introduce some valuable reforms. Grey's wilfulness and refusal to work in consultation with his colleagues marred his subsequent terms as Governor in New Zealand (from 1845 to 1853) and then South Africa (from 1854 to 1861), where his volatile idiosyncrasies alienated not only the indigenous inhabitants, but the War Office, the Treasury and the Colonial Office. He returned as Governor of New Zealand in late 1861, but after a number of hasty and high-handed decisions he was dismissed for defiance of orders in 1868. Grey's marriage, too, was a prolonged disaster. His biographers have generally concluded that he was a man of great ability, but very poor judgement.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Ross A Field 2008
The Ian Potter Foundation (13 portraits supported)
Ross A. Field (12 portraits supported)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
Dr Sarah Engledow explores the lives of Sir George Grey and his wife Eliza, the subjects of a pair of wax medallions in the National Portrait Gallery's collection.
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