Richard Goldsmith Meares
Encyclopedia
Richard Goldsmith Meares (1780-1862) was an early landholder and public official at the Swan River Colony
in Western Australia.
, and Elizabeth Goldsmith; his family's background was Anglo-Irish
, his father's businesses were concerned with wine. He attended the Royal Academy
to pursue an early interest in art, but a career as an officer in the British Army
began after the outbreak of war with France.
Meares commissions began as ensign with the North Yorkshire militia in 1803, a promotion to the regular 7th Fusiliers followed soon after that; he eventually acquired the rank of cornet and sub-lieutenant in July 1810 with the 2nd Life Guards. His service included participating the Peninsula War, and a significant involvement in the Battle of Waterloo
. He retired from his last position as a lieutenant while with the 8th Regiment of Foot in 1818, and occupied himself with art and horticulture. He left England aboard the Gilmore, a ship of colonists bound for the new colony in Western Australia
, arriving with his family and servants in December 1829.
. After seeking assistance from Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet, he was offered a generous parcel at Van Diemen's Land
, but moved instead to the upper reaches of the Swan in 1832. He was appointed to the position of police superintendent of Guildford, Western Australia
on 22 August 1834, shortly after the government's formation of ex-servicemen into a mounted police
force.
Meare's name, and that of his son, Seymour, is recorded in the Diary of George Fletcher Moore as part of the expedition engaged in the Pinjarra Massacre in October of the same year. His position as a law enforcement officer ended when the Mounted Corps was disbanded the following year, and he took the role of Justice of the Peace
then Government Resident for the Murray district in 1837. After acquiring land in the Avon region, he became Resident Magistrate for the York
district until he retired in 1859. The region was beset with disputes between local people and those of neighbouring districts while under his administration, his nature and correspondence being described as quirky or quarrelsome; the publicity generated by these was a source of concern to the establishment at Perth
. His name is reported as Captain Meares in contemporary papers, said to be pride in the rank he had purchased in the prestigious 2nd Life guards. A solicitor gave this account of proceedings,
Meare's wife was Ellen, or Eleanor, née Seymour, born at Newcastle upon Tyne, whom he had married in 1808; she died at the colony in 1854. Their eldest son was Seymour Meares, who later settled at Pinjarra; of the earlier incident there he reported seeing eighteen graves, the subject of ongoing discourse in Western Australian history.
He died 9 January 1862, and is buried in the town's cemetery.
valley. His role as the government's Resident was extended to the collection of taxes and statistician, and the foundation of local governance and societies. Meares helped establish the York Fair, and served on other committees, his equestrian interests helped conceive the York Race Club and another for the importation of thoroughbred
s. Having brought his interest in horticulture to gardens at Guildford, he also introduced vineyards and a novel barley crop to York.
Brief notices are given on Meares' able draughtsmanship, his sketches, and other works.
The well-appointed house at Guildford was named "Bower". A single artwork by Meares remains, a drawing of a mill at York, though records of others, since destroyed, include one of his residence at York.
The walls of his residence, a typical rammed earth
construction, contained murals by Meares, depicting scenes from Waterloo and "the battle of Pinjarrah". A character sketch of Meares in the early colony was given in an article in Cornhill Magazine
by Edmund Du Cane.
His legacy to botany as a collector includes forwarding of material for James Mangles (1786–1867) around the years 1835-42.
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
in Western Australia.
Early life
Richard, born April 1780, was the son of William Meares of Killinboy, County WestmeathCounty Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, and Elizabeth Goldsmith; his family's background was Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
, his father's businesses were concerned with wine. He attended the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
to pursue an early interest in art, but a career as an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
began after the outbreak of war with France.
Meares commissions began as ensign with the North Yorkshire militia in 1803, a promotion to the regular 7th Fusiliers followed soon after that; he eventually acquired the rank of cornet and sub-lieutenant in July 1810 with the 2nd Life Guards. His service included participating the Peninsula War, and a significant involvement in the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He retired from his last position as a lieutenant while with the 8th Regiment of Foot in 1818, and occupied himself with art and horticulture. He left England aboard the Gilmore, a ship of colonists bound for the new colony in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, arriving with his family and servants in December 1829.
Western Australia
In 1829 Meares travelled to Western Australia to join the new colony on the Swan River, its later capital, initially in makeshift arrangements at Rockingham beach, then at The Rocks, Clarence, while awaiting the realisation of his £500 investment with Thomas PeelThomas Peel
Mr. Peel, he moans, took him from England to Swan River, West Australia, means of subsistence and of production to the amount of £50,000. Mr. Peel had the foresight to bring with him, besides, 300 persons of the working-class, men, women, and children. Once arrived at his destination, "Mr. Peel was...
. After seeking assistance from Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet, he was offered a generous parcel at Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
, but moved instead to the upper reaches of the Swan in 1832. He was appointed to the position of police superintendent of Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford, Western Australia
Guildford is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located 13 km northeast of the city. Its Local Government Area is the City of Swan.-History:Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply...
on 22 August 1834, shortly after the government's formation of ex-servicemen into a mounted police
Mounted police
Mounted police are police who patrol on horseback or camelback. They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque or ceremonial, but they are also employed in crowd control because of their mobile mass and height advantage and...
force.
Meare's name, and that of his son, Seymour, is recorded in the Diary of George Fletcher Moore as part of the expedition engaged in the Pinjarra Massacre in October of the same year. His position as a law enforcement officer ended when the Mounted Corps was disbanded the following year, and he took the role of Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
then Government Resident for the Murray district in 1837. After acquiring land in the Avon region, he became Resident Magistrate for the York
York, Western Australia
York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97 km east of Perth in the Avon Valley near Northam, and is the seat of the Shire of York...
district until he retired in 1859. The region was beset with disputes between local people and those of neighbouring districts while under his administration, his nature and correspondence being described as quirky or quarrelsome; the publicity generated by these was a source of concern to the establishment at 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....
. His name is reported as Captain Meares in contemporary papers, said to be pride in the rank he had purchased in the prestigious 2nd Life guards. A solicitor gave this account of proceedings,
"In another case before the same magistrate, in which Mr. Seymour Meares, son of Capt. Meares, was complainant, and Thomas White, a lately imported Englishman, was defendant, on a charge of breach of contract, the father insisted on sitting as a magistrate, stating, "that he wished to see justice done to his son." This conduct was persisted in, although protested against by the defendant. Mr. H. Landor and Capt. Meares, after hearing the son's statement, and reading some letters from Mr. M. Clarkson, also protested against because the writer was not present to be cross-examined, sentenced White to two months imprisonment in Fremantle Jail, in presence of his weeping wife and an infant baby at her breast, and a crowd of amazed spectators."—Letter in Perth Gazette, January 1843.
Meare's wife was Ellen, or Eleanor, née Seymour, born at Newcastle upon Tyne, whom he had married in 1808; she died at the colony in 1854. Their eldest son was Seymour Meares, who later settled at Pinjarra; of the earlier incident there he reported seeing eighteen graves, the subject of ongoing discourse in Western Australian history.
He died 9 January 1862, and is buried in the town's cemetery.
Legacy
Richard Goldsmith Meares last years were in the Avon RiverAvon River (Western Australia)
The Avon River is a river in Western Australia. It is a tributary of the Swan River totalling 280 kilometres in length, with a catchment area of 125,000 square kilometres.-Catchment area:...
valley. His role as the government's Resident was extended to the collection of taxes and statistician, and the foundation of local governance and societies. Meares helped establish the York Fair, and served on other committees, his equestrian interests helped conceive the York Race Club and another for the importation of thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s. Having brought his interest in horticulture to gardens at Guildford, he also introduced vineyards and a novel barley crop to York.
Brief notices are given on Meares' able draughtsmanship, his sketches, and other works.
The well-appointed house at Guildford was named "Bower". A single artwork by Meares remains, a drawing of a mill at York, though records of others, since destroyed, include one of his residence at York.
The walls of his residence, a typical rammed earth
Rammed earth
Rammed earth, also known as taipa , tapial , and pisé , is a technique for building walls using the raw materials of earth, chalk, lime and gravel. It is an ancient building method that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods...
construction, contained murals by Meares, depicting scenes from Waterloo and "the battle of Pinjarrah". A character sketch of Meares in the early colony was given in an article in Cornhill Magazine
Cornhill Magazine
The Cornhill Magazine was a Victorian magazine and literary journal named after Cornhill Street in London.Cornhill was founded by George Murray Smith in 1860 and was published until 1975. It was a literary journal with a selection of articles on diverse subjects and serialisations of new novels...
by Edmund Du Cane.
His legacy to botany as a collector includes forwarding of material for James Mangles (1786–1867) around the years 1835-42.