Harvey John
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1821 |
| Place of birth | Wick, County Caithness, Scotland |
| Date of arrival | 1839 |
| Principal occupation | Pastoralist, Founder of Salisbury |
| Date of death | 1899 |
| Place of death | Salisbury |
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John Harvey was born in Wick, Caithness, Scotland, in 1821. He sailed from England to South Australia, in 1839, aboard the ship "Superb". When passing through Capetown South Africa on his journey, he purchased a pot containing a few soursob bulbs for 2/6 and thus introduced the soursob into South Australia, with the idea of adding a valuable fodder plant for stock.[1]
For the year of 1843, John was assistant to Henry Calton proprietor of the Old Spot Inn, who also acted as Postal Officer using one room of the hotel as a Post Office for Gawler and the northerly settlements.[2] John transported the mail and parcels between Gawler and Adelaide; he would travel from Gawler to Adelaide on Mondays and Fridays each week, then return to Gawler on Tuesdays and Saturdays leaving the city at 11 o’clock.[2] The spring cart he used had room for four passengers and “seats could be booked at either Gawler Town or Adelaide for the fare of 7s 6d per person.”[2] John also assisted Henry Calton with the laying of the foundation stone for the new Old Spot Inn building (he suggests Calton greatly extended the building, adding many gables, during the time he owned the hotel).[2]
In his biography, John states "I also acquired land in the main area of Gawler Town. I built the first house in Tod Street, which I later leased to Mr. Golding, and while living there I sank the first well....I was growing wheat where Bassett Town is, on the site near the Gawler Railway Station."[2]
He went on to become the founder of the Township of Salisbury, named because his wife came from near Salisbury Plain in England.
He died at Salisbury in 1899, aged 77 years.
Detailed Histories
For detailed histories of John Harvey see:
- John Harvey (Australian politician) on Wikipedia
- "John Harvey" in "Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia",[3] pg 224 & 225
- Harvey A P (Aileen Patricia)(1990) "I Called It Salisbury: a Biography of John Harvey the Founder of Salisbury", Salisbury and District Historical Society, Salisbury, South Australia. [ISBN 0 9588286 1 X]
Memories of Harvey John
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- ↑ Cockburn, Rodney & Aldersey, A Dorothy (1974) "Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia", Lynton Publications Pty Ltd, Blackwood, pg 224.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Harvey A P (Aileen Patricia)(1990) "I Called It Salisbury: a Biography of John Harvey the Founder of Salisbury", Salisbury and District Historical Society, Salisbury, South Australia. [ISBN 0 9588286 1 X]
- ↑ Cockburn, Rodney & Aldersey, A Dorothy (1974) "Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia", Lynton Publications Pty Ltd, Blackwood.
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