George Edward Grey
Encyclopedia
Sir George Grey, KCB
(14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand
, Governor of Cape Colony (South Africa), the 11th Premier of New Zealand
and a writer.
, Portugal, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Grey, of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
, who was killed at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain just a few days before. His mother, Elizabeth Anne, on the balcony of her hotel in Lisbon, overheard two officers speak of her husband's death and this brought on his premature birth. She was the daughter of a retired soldier turned Irish clergyman, Major the Rev. John Vignoles. Grey was sent to the Royal Grammar School, Guildford
in Surrey, and was admitted to the royal military college in 1826. Early in 1830, he was gazetted ensign in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
. In 1830, his regiment having been sent to Ireland, he developed much sympathy with the Irish peasantry whose misery made a great impression on him. He was promoted lieutenant in 1833 and obtained a first-class certificate at the examinations of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
in 1836.
In 1837, at the age of 25, Grey led a catastrophically ill-prepared expedition of exploration of north-west Australia – only one man of his party had seen northern Australia before. It was at that time believed that a great river entered the Indian Ocean from the north-west of Australia, and that the country it drained might be suitable for colonisation. Grey, in conjunction with Lieutenant Lushington, offered to explore this country and on 5 July 1837 he sailed from Plymouth
in command of a party of five, the others being Lushington; Mr Walker, a surgeon and naturalist; and two corporals of the Royal Sappers and Miners. Others joined the party at Cape Town
, and early in December they landed at Hanover Bay. Wrecked, almost drowned, and completely lost, with Grey wounded in a skirmish with Aborigines
, they traced the course of the Glenelg River
before giving up and retiring to Mauritius
to recover.
Two years later, Grey returned to Western Australia and was again wrecked with his party, at Kalbarri; they were the first Europeans to see the Gascoyne River
, but then had to walk to Perth
, surviving the journey through the efforts of Kaiber, a Whadjuk
Noongar
, who organised food and what water could be found (they survived by drinking liquid mud). At about this time, Grey became one of the few Europeans to learn the Noongar language
of south-west Western Australia.
, his fiscally responsible measures ensured the colony was in good shape by the time he left to govern New Zealand.
, there were violent clashes between settlers and Māori in several parts of the North Island
, mainly over land claims. In the Nelson area, ignoring opposition from Ngāti Toa
, settlers tried to occupy land in the Wairau district, and 22 settlers and at least four Māori were killed in a bungled attempt by an armed party to arrest the powerful chiefs Te Rauparaha
and Te Rangihaeata
. In the far north of the country, Ngā Puhi chiefs Hone Heke
and his ally, Kawiti
, acting out of fear that the Europeans would take all their land, had risen in revolt against the authority of the British. Despite the fact that most of Ngā Puhi sided with the government, the British had been disastrously beaten at Ohaeawai
. Grey, armed with the financial support and the troops that had been denied to FitzRoy, occupied Kawiti
's fortress at Ruapekapeka
, which Kawiti had already evacuated. The continued hostilities had effectively wrecked the Ngā Puhi economy and eventually Heke and Kawiti sued for peace, with Waka acting as an intermediary. Grey accepted their offer and reassured the Māori that there would be no punitive land confiscation. In the south, he arrested Te Rauparaha and imprisoned him. Grey's actions brought the fighting to an end for the next ten years. Grey blamed the disputes in the north on Henry Williams
and other missionaries, regarding them as 'no better than land-jobbers' whose desire for land would require 'a large expenditure of British blood and money'.
During Grey's first tenure as Governor of New Zealand, he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
(1848). Grey was to greatly influence the final form of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
, after the 1846 Act
was largely suspended at his request (Grey was briefly "Governor-in-Chief"). Grey oversaw the establishment of the first provinces of New Zealand
.
He earned particular respect for his handling of Māori affairs from 1845 to 1853. He took pains to show Māori that he observed the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi
, assuring them that their land rights would be fully recognised. In the Taranaki
district, Māori were very reluctant to sell their land, but elsewhere Grey was much more successful, and nearly 33 million acres (130,000 km²) were purchased from Māori, with the result that British settlements expanded quickly. Grey was less successful in his efforts to assimilate the Māori; he lacked the financial means to realise his plans. Although he subsidised mission schools, requiring them to teach in English, only a few hundred Māori children attended them at any one time.
Grey gave land for the establishment of Auckland Grammar School
in Newmarket, Auckland in 1850. The school was officially recognised as an educational establishment in 1868 through the Auckland Grammar School Appropriation Act of the Provincial Government
. Today Auckland Grammar School is a leading academic and sporting school in New Zealand.
Grey was again appointed Governor in 1861 following the granting of a degree of self-governance to New Zealand, serving until 1868. His second term as Governor was greatly different from the first, as he had to deal with the demands of an elected parliament.
Grey was greatly respected by Māori, and often travelled with a company of chiefs. He induced leading chiefs to write down their accounts of Maori traditions, legends and customs. His principal informant, Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikāheke, taught Grey to speak Māori.
Grey bought Kawau Island
in 1862, on his return to New Zealand for his second term as governor. For 25 years he lavished large amounts of his personal wealth on the island's development, including enlarging and remodelling Mansion House, the former residence of the copper mine superintendent. Here he planted a huge array of exotic trees and shrubs, acclimatised many bird and animal species, and amassed a celebrated collection of rare books and manuscripts, artworks and curiosities, and artefacts from the Māori people over whom he had ruled.
Grey launched the Invasion of the Waikato
in 1863 to take control of the rich Māori agricultural region. The war brought many British troops to New Zealand: at one time there were more there than anywhere else in the world. In the later 1860s the British government determined to withdraw Imperial troops from New Zealand. At the time the Maori chiefs Te Kooti
and Titokowaru
had the colonial government and settlers extremely alarmed with a series of military successes. With the support of the Premier
Edward Stafford
, Grey evaded instructions from the Colonial Office to finalise the return of the regiments, which had commenced in 1865 and 1866. In the end the British government recalled Grey in February 1868. He was replaced by Sir George Bowen.
from 5 December 1854 to 15 August 1861. He founded Grey College, Bloemfontein
in 1855 and Grey High School
in Port Elizabeth in 1856. In South Africa Grey dealt firmly with the natives, but endeavoured by setting apart tracts of land for their exclusive use to protect them from the white colonists. He more than once acted as arbitrator between the government of the Orange Free State and the natives, and eventually came to the conclusion that a federated
South Africa would be a good thing for everyone. The Orange Free State
would have been willing to join the federation, and it is probable that the Transvaal
would also have agreed. However, Grey was 50 years before his time and the colonial office would not agree to his proposals. In spite of their instructions, Grey continued to advocate union, and, in connection with other matters, such as the attempt to settle soldiers in South Africa after the Crimean War
, he several times disregarded his instructions.
When all the circumstances are considered it is not surprising that he was recalled in 1859. He had, however, scarcely reached England before a change of government led to his being given another term, on the understanding that his schemes for the federation of South Africa should be abandoned and that he would in future obey his instructions. Grey was convinced that the boundaries of the South African colonies should be widened, but could not obtain the support of the British government. He was still working for this support when, war with the Māori having broken out, it was decided that Grey should again be appointed governor of New Zealand. When he left his popularity among the people of Cape Colony was unbounded, and the statue erected at Cape Town
during his lifetime describes him as "a governor who by his high character as a Christian, a statesman, and a gentleman, had endeared himself to all classes of the community, and who by his zealous devotion to the best interests of South Africa and his able and just administration, has secured the approbation and gratitude of all Her Majesty's subjects in this part of her dominions".
In 1875 he was elected Superintendent
of Auckland Province
. He stood in the general election for both the Auckland West
and the Thames
electorates in the 1875 general election. In the two-member Auckland electorate, only Grey and Patrick Dignan
were put forward as candidates, and were thus declared elected on 22 December 1875. The two-member Thames electorate was contested by six candidates, including Julius Vogel
(who was Premier
in 1875), William Rowe
and Charles Featherstone Mitchell. On election day (6 January 1876), Grey attracted the highest number of votes and, unexpectedly, Rowe beat Vogel into second place (Vogel also stood in Wanganui
, where he was returned). Hence Grey and Rowe were declared elected for Thames. A protest against Grey's election was lodged with the returning officer the following day, stating that Grey had not been eligible to stand in Thames as he had already been elected in Auckland West. This petition was filed to the House of Representatives at the end of January.
With this controversy going on for several months unresolved, Grey advised in mid June 1876 in a series of telegrams that he had chosen to represent Auckland West. On 8 July, the report of the committee inquiring into his election for Thames was read to the House. It was found that this was in accordance with the law, but that he had to make a decision for which electorate he would sit. On 15 July 1876, Grey announced that he would represent Thames, and he moved that a by-election be held in Auckland West for the seat that he would vacate there.
Grey opposed the abolition of the provinces
, but his opposition proved ineffective, and the provincial system was abolished in 1876. On the defeat of Harry Atkinson
as Premier on 13 October 1877, he was elected Premier by Parliament. His government did not operate particularly well, with Grey seeking to dominate the government and coming into conflict with the Governor. His term as Premier is regarded by historians as a failure. Towards the end of 1879, Grey's government got into difficulties over land tax. Eventually, Grey asked for an early election, in 1879
.
Grey was elected in both the Thames and the City of Christchurch
electorates in September 1879. Grey came first in the three-member Christchurch electorate (Samuel Paull Andrews
and Edward Stevens
came second with equal numbers of votes, 23 votes ahead of Edward Richardson
). Richardson petitioned against Grey's return on technical grounds, as Grey had already been elected in the Thames electorate. The electoral commission unseated Grey on 24 October, with Richardson offered this vacancy a few days later. Grey kept the Thames seat and remained a member of parliament through that electorate.
In the 1881 election
, Grey was elected in Auckland East
and re-elected in the 1884 election
. In the 1887 election
Grey was returned for the Auckland Central
electorate.
In 1889, Grey put forward the Election of Governor Bill, which would have allowed for a "British subject" to be elected to the office of Governor "precisely as an ordinary parliamentary election in each district."
Grey was now suffering from ill health and he retired from politics in 1890, leaving for Australia. On returning to New Zealand, a deputation requested him to contest the Newton
seat in Auckland in the 1891 by-election. The retiring member, David Goldie
, also asked Grey to take his seat. Grey was prepared to put his name forward only if the election was unopposed, as he did not want to suffer the excitement of a contested election. Grey declared his candidacy on 25 March 1891. On 6 April 1891, he was declared elected, as he was unopposed. In December 1893, Grey was again elected, this time to Auckland City. He left for England in 1894 and did not return to New Zealand. He resigned his seat in 1895.
Grey died in London on 19 September 1898, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral
.
in the Wairarapa
region of New Zealand's North Island, the Grey River in the South Island's West Coast
region (and thus indirectly the town of Greymouth
at the river's mouth), and the Auckland
suburb of Grey Lynn
; Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa; the Division of Grey
, an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. Grey Street, Melbourne
is also believed to have been named after George Edward Grey.
Falcon College
in Zimbabwe named one of its six hostels after Grey. In South Africa, Grey was instrumental in the founding of Grey High School
, Port Elizabeth, Grey College, Bloemfontein
and Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg
. The town of Lady Grey
is named after his wife.
, an historical drama miniseries
based on Grey's life, was made by TVNZ and the National Film Unit
in 1977, featuring Corin Redgrave
in the title role. Despite critical acclaim, the miniseries attracted controversy at the time because of its then-large budget. http://www.filmarchive.org.nz/tracking-shots/close-ups/The-Governor.html
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a soldier, explorer, Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
, Governor of Cape Colony (South Africa), the 11th Premier of New Zealand
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
and a writer.
Early life and exploration
Grey was born in LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal, the only son of Lieutenant-Colonel Grey, of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
The 30th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1702 and amalgamated into The East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.-Predecessor regiment:...
, who was killed at the Battle of Badajoz in Spain just a few days before. His mother, Elizabeth Anne, on the balcony of her hotel in Lisbon, overheard two officers speak of her husband's death and this brought on his premature birth. She was the daughter of a retired soldier turned Irish clergyman, Major the Rev. John Vignoles. Grey was sent to the Royal Grammar School, Guildford
Royal Grammar School, Guildford
The Royal Grammar School is a selective English independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 who left provision in his will to 'make a free scole at the Towne of Guldford'; in 1512 a governing body was set up to form...
in Surrey, and was admitted to the royal military college in 1826. Early in 1830, he was gazetted ensign in the 83rd Regiment of Foot
83rd Regiment of Foot
The 83rd Regiment of Foot was a British infantry regiment that served in the American Revolutionary War...
. In 1830, his regiment having been sent to Ireland, he developed much sympathy with the Irish peasantry whose misery made a great impression on him. He was promoted lieutenant in 1833 and obtained a first-class certificate at the examinations of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in 1836.
In 1837, at the age of 25, Grey led a catastrophically ill-prepared expedition of exploration of north-west Australia – only one man of his party had seen northern Australia before. It was at that time believed that a great river entered the Indian Ocean from the north-west of Australia, and that the country it drained might be suitable for colonisation. Grey, in conjunction with Lieutenant Lushington, offered to explore this country and on 5 July 1837 he sailed from Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in command of a party of five, the others being Lushington; Mr Walker, a surgeon and naturalist; and two corporals of the Royal Sappers and Miners. Others joined the party at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, and early in December they landed at Hanover Bay. Wrecked, almost drowned, and completely lost, with Grey wounded in a skirmish with Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, they traced the course of the Glenelg River
Glenelg River (Western Australia)
The Glenelg River is a river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.The headwaters of the river rise in the Elizabeth and Catherine Range then flow in a north-westerly direction past the Whately Range and discharge into Maitland Bay then through George Water, into Doubtful Bay and finally the...
before giving up and retiring to Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
to recover.
Two years later, Grey returned to Western Australia and was again wrecked with his party, at Kalbarri; they were the first Europeans to see the Gascoyne River
Gascoyne River
At 760 km, the Gascoyne River is the longest river in Western Australia.The river rises below Wilgoona Hill in the Robinson Ranges west of the Gibson Desert and it flows into Shark Bay and the Indian Ocean at Carnarvon....
, but then had to walk to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, surviving the journey through the efforts of Kaiber, a Whadjuk
Whadjuk
Whadjuk, also called Wadjuk, Whajook and Wadjug, is the name according to Norman Tindale for the Aboriginal group inhabiting the Western Australian region of the Perth bioregion of the Swan Coastal Plain, and extending below Walyunga into the surrounding Jarrah Forests...
Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
, who organised food and what water could be found (they survived by drinking liquid mud). At about this time, Grey became one of the few Europeans to learn the Noongar language
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
of south-west Western Australia.
Marriage and children
Grey married Eliza Lucy Spencer (1822–1898) at King George's Sound, West Australia, on 2 November 1839. She was the daughter of Sir Richard Spencer RN KCH (1779–1839). Their only child died aged 5 months. It was not a happy marriage.Governor of South Australia
Grey was the third Governor of South Australia, from 1841 to 1845, as the British government was concerned about the treatment of aborigines by settlers, and Grey was known to have sympathies with the indigenous people. He oversaw the colony during a difficult formative period. Despite being seen as less hands-on than his predecessor, George GawlerGeorge Gawler
-External links: – Memorials and Monuments in Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK...
, his fiscally responsible measures ensured the colony was in good shape by the time he left to govern New Zealand.
Governor of New Zealand
Grey served as Governor of New Zealand twice: from 1845 to 1853, and from 1861 to 1868. He was arguably the most influential figure during the European settlement of New Zealand during much of the 19th century.First term
Grey was appointed the third Governor of New Zealand in 1845. During the tenure of his predecessor, Robert FitzRoyRobert FitzRoy
Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy RN achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality...
, there were violent clashes between settlers and Māori in several parts of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, mainly over land claims. In the Nelson area, ignoring opposition from Ngāti Toa
Ngati Toa
Ngāti Toa , an iwi , traces its descent from the eponymous ancestor Toarangatira. The Ngāti Toa region extends from Miria-te-kakara at Rangitikei to Wellington, and across Cook Strait to Wairau and Nelson....
, settlers tried to occupy land in the Wairau district, and 22 settlers and at least four Māori were killed in a bungled attempt by an armed party to arrest the powerful chiefs Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha
Te Rauparaha was a Māori rangatira and war leader of the Ngāti Toa tribe who took a leading part in the Musket Wars. He was influential in the original sale of conquered Rangitane land to the New Zealand Company and was a participant in the Wairau Incident in Marlborough...
and Te Rangihaeata
Te Rangihaeata
Te Rangihaeata , was a Ngāti Toa chief, nephew of Te Rauparaha. He had a leading part in the Wairau Affray and the Hutt Valley Campaign.-Early life:...
. In the far north of the country, Ngā Puhi chiefs Hone Heke
Hone Heke
Hone Wiremu Heke Pokai was a Māori rangatira and war leader in Northern New Zealand and a nephew of Hongi Hika, an earlier war leader of the Ngāpuhi iwi. Hone Heke is considered the principal instigator of the Flagstaff War....
and his ally, Kawiti
Kawiti
Te Ruki Kawiti was a prominent Māori rangatira . He and Hone Heke successfully fought the British in the Flagstaff War in 1845–46....
, acting out of fear that the Europeans would take all their land, had risen in revolt against the authority of the British. Despite the fact that most of Ngā Puhi sided with the government, the British had been disastrously beaten at Ohaeawai
Ohaeawai
Ohaeawai is a small village at the junction of State Highway 1 and State Highway 12 in the Far North District of New Zealand, some 250 km from Auckland. Nearby is the site of the bloody Battle of Ohaeawai fought at Pene Taui's pā during the Flagstaff War in 1845...
. Grey, armed with the financial support and the troops that had been denied to FitzRoy, occupied Kawiti
Kawiti
Te Ruki Kawiti was a prominent Māori rangatira . He and Hone Heke successfully fought the British in the Flagstaff War in 1845–46....
's fortress at Ruapekapeka
Ruapekapeka
Ruapekapeka is a pā 14 kilometres southeast of Kawakawa in the Northland Region of New Zealand. It is one of the largest and most complex pā in New Zealand, that was designed specifically to counter the cannons of the British forces. The earthworks can still be seen just south of Kawakawa...
, which Kawiti had already evacuated. The continued hostilities had effectively wrecked the Ngā Puhi economy and eventually Heke and Kawiti sued for peace, with Waka acting as an intermediary. Grey accepted their offer and reassured the Māori that there would be no punitive land confiscation. In the south, he arrested Te Rauparaha and imprisoned him. Grey's actions brought the fighting to an end for the next ten years. Grey blamed the disputes in the north on Henry Williams
Henry Williams (missionary)
Henry Williams was one of the first missionaries who went to New Zealand in the first half of the 19th century....
and other missionaries, regarding them as 'no better than land-jobbers' whose desire for land would require 'a large expenditure of British blood and money'.
During Grey's first tenure as Governor of New Zealand, he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(1848). Grey was to greatly influence the final form of the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted self-government to the colony of New Zealand...
, after the 1846 Act
New Zealand Constitution Act 1846
The New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to grant self-government to the colony of New Zealand, but it was never fully implemented...
was largely suspended at his request (Grey was briefly "Governor-in-Chief"). Grey oversaw the establishment of the first provinces of New Zealand
Provinces of New Zealand
The Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
.
He earned particular respect for his handling of Māori affairs from 1845 to 1853. He took pains to show Māori that he observed the terms of the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
, assuring them that their land rights would be fully recognised. In the Taranaki
Taranaki Province
The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876...
district, Māori were very reluctant to sell their land, but elsewhere Grey was much more successful, and nearly 33 million acres (130,000 km²) were purchased from Māori, with the result that British settlements expanded quickly. Grey was less successful in his efforts to assimilate the Māori; he lacked the financial means to realise his plans. Although he subsidised mission schools, requiring them to teach in English, only a few hundred Māori children attended them at any one time.
Grey gave land for the establishment of Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School
Auckland Grammar School is a state secondary school for years 9 to 13 boys in Auckland, New Zealand. It had a roll of 2,483 in 2008, including a number of boarders who live in nearby Tibbs' House, making it one of the largest schools in New Zealand...
in Newmarket, Auckland in 1850. The school was officially recognised as an educational establishment in 1868 through the Auckland Grammar School Appropriation Act of the Provincial Government
Auckland Province
The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:...
. Today Auckland Grammar School is a leading academic and sporting school in New Zealand.
Second term
Grey was greatly respected by Māori, and often travelled with a company of chiefs. He induced leading chiefs to write down their accounts of Maori traditions, legends and customs. His principal informant, Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikāheke, taught Grey to speak Māori.
Grey bought Kawau Island
Kawau Island
Kawau Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf, close to the north-eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. At its closest point it lies off the coast of the North Auckland Peninsula, just south of Tawharanui Peninsula, and about by sea journey from Sandspit Wharf, and shelters Kawau Bay...
in 1862, on his return to New Zealand for his second term as governor. For 25 years he lavished large amounts of his personal wealth on the island's development, including enlarging and remodelling Mansion House, the former residence of the copper mine superintendent. Here he planted a huge array of exotic trees and shrubs, acclimatised many bird and animal species, and amassed a celebrated collection of rare books and manuscripts, artworks and curiosities, and artefacts from the Māori people over whom he had ruled.
Grey launched the Invasion of the Waikato
Invasion of the Waikato
The Invasion of Waikato or Kingitanga Suppression Movement was a campaign during the middle stages of the New Zealand Wars, fought in the North Island of New Zealand from July 1863 to April 1864 between the military forces of the Colonial Government and a federation of Māori tribes known as the...
in 1863 to take control of the rich Māori agricultural region. The war brought many British troops to New Zealand: at one time there were more there than anywhere else in the world. In the later 1860s the British government determined to withdraw Imperial troops from New Zealand. At the time the Maori chiefs Te Kooti
Te Kooti
Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki was a Māori leader, the founder of the Ringatu religion and guerrilla.While fighting alongside government forces against the Hauhau in 1865, he was accused of spying. Exiled to the Chatham Islands without trial along with captured Hauhau, he experienced visions and...
and Titokowaru
Titokowaru
Riwha Titokowaru became a Māori leader in the Taranaki region and one of the most successful opponents of British colonisation anywhere....
had the colonial government and settlers extremely alarmed with a series of military successes. With the support of the Premier
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
Edward Stafford
Edward Stafford (politician)
Sir Edward Stafford, KCMG served as the third Premier of New Zealand on three occasions in the mid 19th century. His total time in office is the longest of any leader without a political party. He is described as pragmatic, logical, and clear-sighted.-Early life and career:Edward William Stafford...
, Grey evaded instructions from the Colonial Office to finalise the return of the regiments, which had commenced in 1865 and 1866. In the end the British government recalled Grey in February 1868. He was replaced by Sir George Bowen.
Governor of Cape Colony
Grey was Governor of Cape ColonyCape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
from 5 December 1854 to 15 August 1861. He founded Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa, one of the 23 elite, historically significant and prestigious Milner Schools...
in 1855 and Grey High School
Grey High School
Grey High School is an elite school for boys located in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grey High School is not to be confused with Grey College in Bloemfontein, Free State.-History:...
in Port Elizabeth in 1856. In South Africa Grey dealt firmly with the natives, but endeavoured by setting apart tracts of land for their exclusive use to protect them from the white colonists. He more than once acted as arbitrator between the government of the Orange Free State and the natives, and eventually came to the conclusion that a federated
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
South Africa would be a good thing for everyone. The Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
would have been willing to join the federation, and it is probable that the Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
would also have agreed. However, Grey was 50 years before his time and the colonial office would not agree to his proposals. In spite of their instructions, Grey continued to advocate union, and, in connection with other matters, such as the attempt to settle soldiers in South Africa after the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, he several times disregarded his instructions.
When all the circumstances are considered it is not surprising that he was recalled in 1859. He had, however, scarcely reached England before a change of government led to his being given another term, on the understanding that his schemes for the federation of South Africa should be abandoned and that he would in future obey his instructions. Grey was convinced that the boundaries of the South African colonies should be widened, but could not obtain the support of the British government. He was still working for this support when, war with the Māori having broken out, it was decided that Grey should again be appointed governor of New Zealand. When he left his popularity among the people of Cape Colony was unbounded, and the statue erected at Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
during his lifetime describes him as "a governor who by his high character as a Christian, a statesman, and a gentleman, had endeared himself to all classes of the community, and who by his zealous devotion to the best interests of South Africa and his able and just administration, has secured the approbation and gratitude of all Her Majesty's subjects in this part of her dominions".
Premier of New Zealand
In 1875 he was elected Superintendent
Superintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
of Auckland Province
Auckland Province
The Auckland Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-Anniversary Day:...
. He stood in the general election for both the Auckland West
Auckland West
The former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate on the western outskirts of Auckland, was known as West Auckland from 1984 to 1993. The earlier electorates were known as City of Auckland West from 1861 to 1890, and then Auckland West from 1905 to 1946.-History:The "City of Auckland West" electorate...
and the Thames
Thames (New Zealand electorate)
Thames is a former New Zealand electorate, in the Thames-Coromandel District. It existed from 1871 to 1946.-Geographic coverage:The electorate is based on the town of Thames. At times, it covered the Coromandel Peninsula.-History:...
electorates in the 1875 general election. In the two-member Auckland electorate, only Grey and Patrick Dignan
Patrick Dignan
Patrick Dignan was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Auckland, New Zealand.He represented the Auckland West electorate from 1867 to 1870 when he was defeated, and from 1875 to 1879 when he resigned....
were put forward as candidates, and were thus declared elected on 22 December 1875. The two-member Thames electorate was contested by six candidates, including Julius Vogel
Julius Vogel
Sir Julius Vogel, KCMG was the eighth Premier of New Zealand. His administration is best remembered for the issuing of bonds to fund railway construction and other public works...
(who was Premier
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
in 1875), William Rowe
William Rowe (politician)
William Rowe was a 19th century Member of Parliament in the Auckland Region, New Zealand.He represented the Thames electorate from 1876 to 1879 when he retired....
and Charles Featherstone Mitchell. On election day (6 January 1876), Grey attracted the highest number of votes and, unexpectedly, Rowe beat Vogel into second place (Vogel also stood in Wanganui
Whanganui (New Zealand electorate)
Whanganui is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first established in 1855 for the 2nd Parliament and has existed continuously since then.It is currently held by Chester Borrows MP.-Population centres:...
, where he was returned). Hence Grey and Rowe were declared elected for Thames. A protest against Grey's election was lodged with the returning officer the following day, stating that Grey had not been eligible to stand in Thames as he had already been elected in Auckland West. This petition was filed to the House of Representatives at the end of January.
With this controversy going on for several months unresolved, Grey advised in mid June 1876 in a series of telegrams that he had chosen to represent Auckland West. On 8 July, the report of the committee inquiring into his election for Thames was read to the House. It was found that this was in accordance with the law, but that he had to make a decision for which electorate he would sit. On 15 July 1876, Grey announced that he would represent Thames, and he moved that a by-election be held in Auckland West for the seat that he would vacate there.
Provinces of New Zealand
The Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
, but his opposition proved ineffective, and the provincial system was abolished in 1876. On the defeat of Harry Atkinson
Harry Atkinson
Henry Albert "Harry" Atkinson served as the tenth Premier of New Zealand on four separate occasions in the late 19th century, and was Colonial Treasurer for a total of ten years...
as Premier on 13 October 1877, he was elected Premier by Parliament. His government did not operate particularly well, with Grey seeking to dominate the government and coming into conflict with the Governor. His term as Premier is regarded by historians as a failure. Towards the end of 1879, Grey's government got into difficulties over land tax. Eventually, Grey asked for an early election, in 1879
New Zealand general election, 1879
The New Zealand general election of 1879 was held between 28 August and 15 September to elect a total of 88 MPs to the 7th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 1 and 8 September. A total number of 82,271 voters turned out to vote.The election came about when George...
.
Grey was elected in both the Thames and the City of Christchurch
Christchurch (New Zealand electorate)
Christchurch was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand. It existed three times. Originally it was the Town of Christchurch from 1853 to 1860. From the 1860–61 election to the 1871 election, it existed as City of Christchurch. It then existed from the 1875–76 election until the...
electorates in September 1879. Grey came first in the three-member Christchurch electorate (Samuel Paull Andrews
Samuel Paull Andrews
Samuel Paull Andrews was a 19th century politician in Christchurch, New Zealand. Originally from the Isle of Wight, he was the first working class man to become a Member of Parliament in his chosen country.-Early life:...
and Edward Stevens
Edward Cephas John Stevens
Edward Cephas John Stevens MLC was a New Zealand politician in provincial government in Canterbury, and a member of both the lower and upper houses of parliament. A businessman, he controlled the Christchurch Press for many decades...
came second with equal numbers of votes, 23 votes ahead of Edward Richardson
Edward Richardson
The Hon Edward Richardson, CMG, MLC was a civil and mechanical engineer, and Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Born in England, he emigrated to Australia and continued there as a railway engineer...
). Richardson petitioned against Grey's return on technical grounds, as Grey had already been elected in the Thames electorate. The electoral commission unseated Grey on 24 October, with Richardson offered this vacancy a few days later. Grey kept the Thames seat and remained a member of parliament through that electorate.
In the 1881 election
New Zealand general election, 1881
The New Zealand general election of 1881 was held 9 December to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 8th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 8 December...
, Grey was elected in Auckland East
Auckland East
Auckland East was a New Zealand electorate, situated in the east of Auckland.-History:The Auckland East electorate was established for the 1860-1861 elections, when the Auckland electorate was split in half. It consisted of most of modern Auckland's central business district...
and re-elected in the 1884 election
New Zealand general election, 1884
The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...
. In the 1887 election
New Zealand general election, 1887
The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....
Grey was returned for the Auckland Central
Auckland Central
Auckland Central is a New Zealand electoral division returning one member to the New Zealand House of Representatives. Its current representative is Nikki Kaye, a member of the National Party; she has represented the seat since 2008....
electorate.
In 1889, Grey put forward the Election of Governor Bill, which would have allowed for a "British subject" to be elected to the office of Governor "precisely as an ordinary parliamentary election in each district."
Grey was now suffering from ill health and he retired from politics in 1890, leaving for Australia. On returning to New Zealand, a deputation requested him to contest the Newton
Newton (New Zealand electorate)
Newton was a 19th century parliamentary electorate in Auckland, New Zealand.-History:Newton existed from 1861 to 1893. It was created for the 3rd New Zealand Parliament and ran to the end of the 11th Parliament, and was represented by seven MPs:...
seat in Auckland in the 1891 by-election. The retiring member, David Goldie
David Goldie
David Goldie was the Mayor of Auckland City from 1898 to 1901 and a Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He was a prominent timber merchant, and a strict Primitive Methodist who resigned as Mayor of Auckland rather than toast the visiting Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York with alcohol...
, also asked Grey to take his seat. Grey was prepared to put his name forward only if the election was unopposed, as he did not want to suffer the excitement of a contested election. Grey declared his candidacy on 25 March 1891. On 6 April 1891, he was declared elected, as he was unopposed. In December 1893, Grey was again elected, this time to Auckland City. He left for England in 1894 and did not return to New Zealand. He resigned his seat in 1895.
Grey died in London on 19 September 1898, and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
.
Places and institutions named after Grey
Places named after Grey include GreytownGreytown, New Zealand
Greytown or Te Hupenui, population 2,001 , is a town in the Wellington region of New Zealand. It lies in the Wairarapa, in the lower North Island...
in the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
region of New Zealand's North Island, the Grey River in the South Island's West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
region (and thus indirectly the town of Greymouth
Greymouth
Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
at the river's mouth), and the Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
suburb of Grey Lynn
Grey Lynn
Grey Lynn is an inner residential suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand, located three kilometres to the west of the city centre. Originally a separate borough, Grey Lynn amalgamated with Auckland City in 1914....
; Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal
Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal
Greytown is a town situated on the banks of a tributary of the Umvoti River in a richly fertile timber-producing area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-History:...
, South Africa; the Division of Grey
Division of Grey
The Division of Grey is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir George Grey, who was Governor of South Australia 1841-45 ....
, an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. Grey Street, Melbourne
Grey Street, Melbourne
There are 14 Grey Streets in metropolitan Melbourne, but by far the best-known is Grey Street in St Kilda, once a grand residential street but now with a reputation as a centre of prostitution....
is also believed to have been named after George Edward Grey.
Falcon College
Falcon College
Falcon College is a private institution of higher learning for boys aged 12–18 in the southern Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe. It was founded in 1954 near Esigodini , 55 km southeast of Bulawayo on the remains of the Bushtick Mine...
in Zimbabwe named one of its six hostels after Grey. In South Africa, Grey was instrumental in the founding of Grey High School
Grey High School
Grey High School is an elite school for boys located in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Grey High School is not to be confused with Grey College in Bloemfontein, Free State.-History:...
, Port Elizabeth, Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College, Bloemfontein
Grey College is a public school for boys located in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa, one of the 23 elite, historically significant and prestigious Milner Schools...
and Grey's Hospital in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. The town of Lady Grey
Lady Grey, Eastern Cape
Lady Grey is a rural village in the Eastern Cape in South Africa near the border with Lesotho. It is situated in the foothills of the Witteberg mountains, about 55 kilometers east of Aliwal North and 260 km from the capital of the Free State Province, Bloemfontein...
is named after his wife.
Popular culture
The GovernorThe Governor (TV series)
The Governor was a 1977 New Zealand television miniseries or docudrama on Sir George Grey, co-produced by TV One and the National Film Unit, with Grey played by English actor Corin Redgrave...
, an historical drama miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
based on Grey's life, was made by TVNZ and the National Film Unit
National Film Unit
The National Film Unit was a state-owned film production organisation in New Zealand. Founded in 1941, it mostly produced newsreels, documentaries and promotional films about New Zealand, and for many years was the only significant film production facility in the country...
in 1977, featuring Corin Redgrave
Corin Redgrave
Corin William Redgrave was an English actor and political activist.-Early life:Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson...
in the title role. Despite critical acclaim, the miniseries attracted controversy at the time because of its then-large budget. http://www.filmarchive.org.nz/tracking-shots/close-ups/The-Governor.html
External links
- Grey Collection, some 14,000 items given to the Auckland Free Public Library in 1887 by Sir George Grey
- Grey's development of Kawau Island
- Works edited by Grey in the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre Collection by James Milne
- Sir George Grey in the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
- Comments on scope of the Collection donated in 1861 by Sir George Grey, to the South African LibraryNational Library of South AfricaThe National Library of South Africa is the agency of the government of South Africa which maintains a national library of all published materials relating to the country.-Creation under the National Library Act:...
containing the earliest South African printed specimen by Johann Christian RitterJohann Christian RitterJohann Christian Ritter was a German in the service of the Dutch East India Company who came to South Africa in 1784. He was the first to print in the Cape, the earliest record is an almanac titled "Almanach voor't jaar 1796"....
and many other manuscripts, incunabula and books. - George Grey entry on AustLit with links to works available in full text. (subscription required outside Australia)