Sir Augustus Charles Gregory (1 August 1819 – 25 June 1905) was an English-born Australian explorer. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1819 ( MDCCCXIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar in the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Between 1846 and 1858 he undertook four major expeditions.
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Early years
Augustus Charles Gregory was born at Farnsfield, Nottingham, England. Farnsfield is a Village and Civil parish in Nottinghamshire in Sherwood Forest. Nottingham ( is a city in the Ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He was the second of five brothers born to Joshua Gregory and Frances Churchman. Joshua Gregory (1790– 20 August 1838) was an early settler in colonial Western Australia. Among his brothers were Francis Thomas Gregory, who also became a noted explorer. Francis Thomas Gregory ( 19 October 1821 – 24 October 1888) was an English -born Australian explorer and Politician
- Joshua William Gregory, born 1815, died 20 September 1850 aged 35.
- Augustus Charles Gregory, born 1 August 1819.
- Francis (Frank) Thomas Gregory, born 1821.
- Henry Churcham Gregory, born 1823.
- Charles Frederick Gregory, born 1825.
A C Gregory was educated privately by tutors and later by his mother. In 1829, the family emigrated to Western Australia onboard the Lotus, arriving at the Swan River Colony only four months after its establishment. Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia in 1829
The Gregory family were initially granted land on the left bank of the Swan River, but the soil was poor, and they later obtained two further grants, one at Maylands and another in the Upper Swan district. The Swan River Colony, established in June 1829, was the only British Colony in Australia established on the basis of land grants The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Maylands is a Suburb located approximately northeast of Perth on the northern bank of the Swan River. Upper Swan is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located in the City of Swan local government area. For much of the 1830s, Augustus took jobs to supplement the family's income. For a while he worked for a chemist, and later in partnership with his brother Joshua William as a contract surveyor. A chemist is a Scientist trained in the Science of Chemistry. In December 1841, he joined the Government Survey Office. The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution which dates from 1890 although it has been amended many times since then
Explorations
In 1846, with his two brothers, F. T. Gregory and H. C. Gregory, he made his first exploration. With four horses and seven weeks' provisions they left T. N. Yule's station 60 miles northeast of Perth on 7 August 1846 and explored a considerable amount of the country to the north of Perth, returning after an absence of 47 days during which they had covered 953 miles (1534 km). Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. For the game see 1846 (board game. Year 1846 ( MDCCCXLVI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display
Two years later, Gregory lead an expedition to examine the course of the Gascoyne River and, in particular, to look for new pasture-land. At 760km the Gascoyne River is the longest river in Western Australia. Pasture is land with Herbaceous vegetation cover used for grazing of Ungulate Livestock as part of a Farm or Ranch. The party left on 2 September 1848, crossing the Murchison River 25 September, but the country was very dry and it became difficult to water the horses. Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap The Murchison River is the second longest river in Western Australia. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Gregory decided to turn south again in the beginning of October, and on 6 October decided to rest the horses by the Murchison River. Events 105 BC - Battle of Arausio: The Cimbri inflict the heaviest defeat on the Roman army of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus The party returned to Perth on 12 November after having found good pastures successfully. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days Despite water supply difficulties, about 1500 miles (2414 KM) were covered in a period of 10 weeks.
In 1854 Gregory was asked to lead an expedition to the interior. Gregory had his brother, H. C. Gregory, as second in command and Baron von Mueller as botanist. Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, KCMG (German Müller) (June 30 1825 &ndash October 10 1896 was a German-Australian Physician Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life There were 19 men altogether, with 50 horses and 200 sheep. The party left Moreton Bay by sea on 12 August 1855, and Point Pearce was sighted on 1 September. Moreton Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of Australia 19 km from Brisbane, Queensland. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. On the next day their vessel grounded on a reef and it was impossible to float off until 10 September. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. At the end of the month the party split up, with one group going up the river in a schooner, while Gregory led the other over the range. A schooner (ˈskuːnɚ is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts Schooners were first used by the They were not reunited until 20 October. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony They reached Brisbane on 16 December 1856 after having surveyed an extensive swath of land. Brisbane ( is the state capital of Queensland. Brisbane is the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year
In September 1857 Gregory was hired by the government of New South Wales to search for traces of Ludwig Leichhardt, a fellow explorer who had disappeared on an earlier expedition. Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt ( October 23, 1813 - probably 1848 in Inner Australia was a Prussian explorer and naturalist A party of nine was formed with Gregory in command and his brother, C. F. Gregory, as second in command. On 24 March 1858 the expedition left Juandah. Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common On 21 April a tree marked with an L was found in latitude 24 degrees 35 min. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) and longitude 146 degrees 6 min. The Barcoo River was then followed to its junction with the Thomson. The Barcoo River in western Queensland, Australia rises on the northern slopes of the Warrego Range and unites with the Thomson River to form The Thomson River is situated in western Queensland, Australia, and forms part of the Lake Eyre Basin. On 15 May the country was so dry the expedition turned south to save the horses. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the Cooper's Creek was followed until it was close to the South Australian border, coming to Strzelecki Creek on 14 June. Continuing his course mostly to the south, on 26 June he decided to proceed to Adelaide, which was reached at the end of July 1858. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian is killed during the retreat from the Sassanid Empire. Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
Later life
Gregory undertook no further explorations but was appointed surveyor-general of Queensland in 1859 and held the position until 1879 when he retired. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent In 1882 he was made a member of the legislative council and continued to be a member until his death. He was interested in scientific research and was a trustee of the Queensland Museum. The Queensland Museum is a museum at South Bank in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. He was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society in 1858 and was knighted in 1903. History Founding members of the Society include Sir John Barrow, Sir John Franklin and Francis Beaufort. With his brother, F. T. Gregory, he published their Journals of Australian Exploration in 1884. He died unmarried in 1905.
References
- Birman, Wendy (1979). Gregory of Rainworth. Nedlands, Western Australia: University of Western Australia Press. ISBN 0-85564-165-7.
- Serle, Percival (1949). "Gregory, Augustus". Dictionary of Australian Biography. The Dictionary of Australian Biography, published in 1949, is a reference work by Percival Serle containing information on notable people associated with Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
- Works by Augustus Gregory at Project Gutenberg
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Robert Logan Jack and Robert Etheridge, Jr. |
Clarke Medal 1896 |
Succeeded by John Murray |
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