Elizabeth Macarthur

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Elizabeth Macurthur: oil painting by an unknown artist; from the collection of the State Library of New South Wales

Elizabeth Farm

Elizabeth Macarthur (born 14 August 1766, died 9 February 1850) is generally acknowledged as being at least jointly responsible for founding the wool industry in Australia. She was born in Devon, England, the daughter of a country gentleman, Richard Veale, and his wife, Grace. She married John Macarthur in 1788 and travelled to the recently founded colony of New South Wales with him in 1790 when he took up his commission with the New South Wales Corps.

[edit] Marriage to John Macarthur

John named his property at Rosehill, near Parramatta, Elizabeth Farm after her. Elizabeth ensured that it was a good environment where her children could be properly raised and educated in what was otherwise a rough military and convict settlement. Elizabeth gave birth to eight children, six of whom survived and were important members of the society. Her sons, James and William, were both important figures in agriculture and exporting, and both served on the NSW Legislative Council. Elizabeth died in 1850, having first been estranged from her husband and then surviving him by fifteen years.

[edit] Role in founding Australian wool industry

During her husband's eight-and-a-half year exile in England, Elizabeth successfully took over the running of their sheep property at Camden, the largest property in New South Wales at the time. She saw to the management of convict labour, the choosing of rams and breeding to improve the flock. Communication between Elizabeth and John, in England looking after transport and export markets, was essential to the success of the enterprise and establishing New South Wales as a reliable supplier of quality wool.

Elizabeth is generally acknowledged as being at least jointly responsible for founding the wool industry in Australia.^[1]

Elizabeth was the first educated woman to arrive in New South Wales and her letters are an important record of the early convict transports and life in the colony. She had a "privelleged position" in the society and "held court amongst officers of the New South Wales Corps, naval officers and members of the colonial administration". Though Governor Phillip was the only governor she associated with, as her husband's business activities and actions later were "too controversial for any governor to seek the company of the Macarthur family". ^[2]

[edit] Legacy

The Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute is named in her honour. It is the largest Centre of Excellence operated by New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, employing 200 scientists and located at Camden Park.^[3]

Elizabeth Macarthur is commemorated on the 1995 Australian five dollar coin which was struck for inclusion in a special Masterpieces in Silver collector proof set entitled Colonial Australia..^[4]

[edit] References

1. ^ The Macarthurs and the merino sheep. Culture and Recreation Portal. Australian Government Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. Retrieved on 2006-06-04.
2. ^ Conway, Jill (1967). Macarthur, Elizabeth (1766 - 1850). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved on 2006-06-04.
3. ^ About EMAI. State of New South Wales, Department of Primary Industries. Retrieved on 2006-06-04.
4. ^ 1995 Macarthur Five Dollars. Australian Stamp & Coin Co Pty. Ltd. (2003). Retrieved on 2006-06-04.