Ebenezer Vickery
Encyclopedia
Ebenezer Vickery was an Australia
n merchant
, manufacturer, pastoralist and philanthropist
.
and arrived in Sydney
with his parents and siblings aboard the Richard Reynolds in 1833. He was educated at W. T. Cape's
Sydney College
, and left school at age 16 to become apprenticed to T. Bowden, ironmonger. In 1849 he joined the mercantile firm of Richard Fawcett. His father concentrated on squatting in 1851 and Ebenezer took over the boot factory in George Street
. He married Jane Begg in 1851.
, adding general trading and importing. He became chairman of the Fitzroy Ironworks Co. in 1864 and though he reorganized the company financially, it failed for other reasons: this was Vickery's only business setback. Fitzroy iron was used the same year in the construction of his new chambers in Pitt Street
, the first building in the colony to utilize structural iron. Next year his Sydney factory, associated with J. E. Begg's Glenmore
tannery, employed twenty-five persons on the premises and about seventy-five outworkers.
He visited England
in 1866 and became interested in the shipping trade; he had the Parramatta built there and became part-owner of the several other ships. He was executive commissioner for Fiji
at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition
.
Vickery gradually built up a vast empire by hard work and sound business acumen. He acquired an interest in seven coal-mines; he owned two colliers and a colliery at Mount Keira
, was chairman of the South Greta
Coal Co. and of the Mount Kembla
Coal and Oil Co., and in 1896 took over the Coal Ciff
Coal Co. from the estate of Sir Alexander Stuart
.
He was one of the largest station-owners and property speculators in the colony: among the runs he held was Munyer near Moree
, which in 1884 covered 170000 acre (68,797 ha) (68,797 ha) and carried 2800 cattle and 9600 sheep.
He had much real estate in Sydney
and Waverley
and was a director of the City Bank of Sydney, the Pacific Fire and Marine Insurance Co., the Perpetual Trustee Co. and the Mutual Assurance Society of Victoria. He also was a member of the general committee of the New South Wales Free Trade Association and chairman of the New South Wales Trade Protection Society. In 1881 he took his sons Ebenezer and Joseph into partnership and in 1902 his entire business was incorporated as a public company under the style of E. Vickery and Sons Ltd; it became a proprietary company in May 1937.
radical divorce bill in April; speaking on the coal-mines regulation bill in October 1894 he strongly defended capitalism, attacked 'union leaders and socialistic agitators' and opposed the eight-hour clause and the proposed minimum age of 14 for boys in mines.
, Vickery made lavish donations to the Church. In 1901-02 he spent £10,000 on tent missions throughout New South Wales. He bought the Lyceum Theatre in Pitt Street
in 1905, spent £27,000 on alterations and gave it to the Church: it was opened in September 1908 as 'The Vickery Mission Settlement'. A founder and honorary treasurer of the Sydney Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
, he also gave money and help to the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
and was a benefactor to Sydney public charitable institutions. Self made and self contained, Vickery cared little about society or culture: his business, his family, his Church and his philanthropic work were his absorbing interests.
in California
, but died after an operation at Leeds
, England, on 20 August 1906. He was buried in Waverley Cemetery
, Sydney, not far from his fine residence, Edina, now the War Memorial Hospital. His estate was sworn for probate at £483,354, of which £11,000 was willed mainly to Methodist
charities.
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...
n merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, manufacturer, pastoralist and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
.
Early life
Ebenezer was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and 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...
with his parents and siblings aboard the Richard Reynolds in 1833. He was educated at W. T. Cape's
William Timothy Cape
William Timothy Cape was an early school master in Sydney, Australia; several of the Premiers of New South Wales attended his school....
Sydney College
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, and left school at age 16 to become apprenticed to T. Bowden, ironmonger. In 1849 he joined the mercantile firm of Richard Fawcett. His father concentrated on squatting in 1851 and Ebenezer took over the boot factory in George Street
George Street, Sydney
George Street is one of Sydney's most notable city streets. There are more high rise buildings and more ASX 100 companies located here than anywhere else in Australia, and is well known for being busy around-the-clock...
. He married Jane Begg in 1851.
Business Dealings
In 1860 Vickery moved to larger premises in Pitt StreetPitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
, adding general trading and importing. He became chairman of the Fitzroy Ironworks Co. in 1864 and though he reorganized the company financially, it failed for other reasons: this was Vickery's only business setback. Fitzroy iron was used the same year in the construction of his new chambers in Pitt Street
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
, the first building in the colony to utilize structural iron. Next year his Sydney factory, associated with J. E. Begg's Glenmore
Glenmore Park, New South Wales
Glenmore Park is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Glenmore Park is located 59 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Penrith and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region.Glenmore Park is south of...
tannery, employed twenty-five persons on the premises and about seventy-five outworkers.
He visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1866 and became interested in the shipping trade; he had the Parramatta built there and became part-owner of the several other ships. He was executive commissioner for Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition
Garden Palace
thumb|300px|Sydney's Garden Palace; an architectural drawing from the 1870s.The Garden Palace was a large purpose-built exhibition building constructed to house the Sydney International Exhibition ...
.
Vickery gradually built up a vast empire by hard work and sound business acumen. He acquired an interest in seven coal-mines; he owned two colliers and a colliery at Mount Keira
Mount Keira
Mount Keira is a 464 metre high mountain lying 4 kilometres northwest of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Its distinctive shape and proximity to Wollongong make it a major local landmark. It is noted for the views of the city from the popular summit lookout and its history of...
, was chairman of the South Greta
Greta, New South Wales
Greta is a small town in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, Australia in Cessnock City Council. It has a population of around 1000 people. It is largely a commuter town located midway between Cessnock, Singleton and Maitland...
Coal Co. and of the Mount Kembla
Mount Kembla
Mount Kembla is a mountain in New South Wales, Australia, as well a semi-rural township of Wollongong, which gets its name from the mountain.Kembla is an Aboriginal word meaning "plenty of game"....
Coal and Oil Co., and in 1896 took over the Coal Ciff
Coalcliff, New South Wales
Coalcliff is a town on the coast of New South Wales, Australia, between Sydney and Wollongong. Together with Stanwell Park it belongs to the Little Bulli indentation of the northern Illawarra coast strip.- History :...
Coal Co. from the estate of Sir Alexander Stuart
Alexander Stuart (Australian politician)
Sir Alexander Stuart KCMG was Premier of New South Wales from 5 January 1883 to 7 October 1885.-Early years:Stuart was born at Edinburgh, the son of Alexander Stuart and his wife Mary, née McKnight. Stuart was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and attended the University of Edinburgh, but did not...
.
He was one of the largest station-owners and property speculators in the colony: among the runs he held was Munyer near Moree
Morée
Morée is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.-See also:*Communes of the Loir-et-Cher department...
, which in 1884 covered 170000 acre (68,797 ha) (68,797 ha) and carried 2800 cattle and 9600 sheep.
He had much real estate 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...
and Waverley
Waverley, New South Wales
Waverley is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Waverley is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council....
and was a director of the City Bank of Sydney, the Pacific Fire and Marine Insurance Co., the Perpetual Trustee Co. and the Mutual Assurance Society of Victoria. He also was a member of the general committee of the New South Wales Free Trade Association and chairman of the New South Wales Trade Protection Society. In 1881 he took his sons Ebenezer and Joseph into partnership and in 1902 his entire business was incorporated as a public company under the style of E. Vickery and Sons Ltd; it became a proprietary company in May 1937.
Political career
Appointed to the Legislative Council of New South Wales in 1887, he confined his speeches to social and mining matters. He opposed the cremation bill but supported Sir Alfred Stephen'sAlfred Stephen
Sir Alfred Stephen was an Australian judge and chief justice of New South Wales.Stephen was born at St Christopher in the West Indies. His father, John Stephen , was related to Henry John Stephen, Sir James Stephen and Sir James FitzJames Stephen, all men of great distinction in England...
radical divorce bill in April; speaking on the coal-mines regulation bill in October 1894 he strongly defended capitalism, attacked 'union leaders and socialistic agitators' and opposed the eight-hour clause and the proposed minimum age of 14 for boys in mines.
Religion and Philanthropy
A staunch MethodistMethodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, Vickery made lavish donations to the Church. In 1901-02 he spent £10,000 on tent missions throughout New South Wales. He bought the Lyceum Theatre in Pitt Street
Pitt Street, Sydney
Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...
in 1905, spent £27,000 on alterations and gave it to the Church: it was opened in September 1908 as 'The Vickery Mission Settlement'. A founder and honorary treasurer of the Sydney Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
, he also gave money and help to the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA)
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
and was a benefactor to Sydney public charitable institutions. Self made and self contained, Vickery cared little about society or culture: his business, his family, his Church and his philanthropic work were his absorbing interests.
Later life
In 1905 at Camden Park, Menangle, Vickery married Deborah Ellis. They visited the United States of America and England for him to study modern evangelistic methods. He survived the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but died after an operation at Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England, on 20 August 1906. He was buried in Waverley Cemetery
Waverley Cemetery
The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. It is noted for its largely intact Victorian and Edwardian monuments. The cemetery contains the graves of many significant Australians including the poet Henry Lawson and...
, Sydney, not far from his fine residence, Edina, now the War Memorial Hospital. His estate was sworn for probate at £483,354, of which £11,000 was willed mainly to Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
charities.