George Robinson Elliott (1820 - 1889)

Born 18 Aug 1820 in Newington, Surrey, England

Died 18 Jun 1889 at age 68 in Norwood, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

George was born in 1820. He passed away in 1899.

The three brothers Elliott arrived in Sydney from England in 1844. ( ^[1] ) The eldest son in a family of nine children, was George Robinson Elliott (1820-1899), who was a medical practitioner, who set up practice in Balmain in 1847 with consulting rooms in Wynyard Square. His brother Frederick was a pharmaceutical chemist, and he had a pharmacy at the corner of Bridge and George Streets, Sydney.

In the late 1850’s these two brothers prompted by difficulties in obtaining supplies, purchased the wholesale dug and indent business of Youngman & Co. The firm thus created was Elliott Bros. The two brothers, one a doctor and the other a pharmacist, were well placed to appreciate the opportunities developing in New South Wales for both the drug and chemical industry. In 1862 they purchased 16 acres (6ha) on the foreshore of Iron Cove, Balmain (West) as the site of a factory for the manufacture of sulphuric acid (common name Vitriol), and other chemicals.

There third brother, James, took over management of the works in 1870, living in a cottage above the works. The Illustrated Sydney News of November 1872 reported that equipment to use sulphuric acid to make other compounds had by then been installed. Hydrochloric acid was being made from salt, and nitric acid from sodium nitrate. Bone superphosphate production had been expanded to supply the northern sugar fields, and whale oil and potash were then being used to prepare a liquid soap (wool scouring soap), stated to render Australian wool beautifully white and soft for the English market.

Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Tuesday 20 June 1899, page 4. ^[2] ELLIOTT. — On the 18th instant, at Pendennis, Upper Norwood, England, George Robinson Elliott, M.R.C.S., Eng., aged 78 years.

Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931), Tuesday 12 September 1899, page 7. ^[3] WILL OF THE LATE MR. G. R. ELLIOTT. ESTATE VALUED AT NEARLY £150,000. Of the sum of £8466 7s paid in stamp duty last week in respect of probates and letters of administration, the will of Mr. George Robinson Elliott, of the firm of Elliott Brothers, wholesale chemists and druggists, of O'Connell-street, Sydney, was responsible for £7496 5s, being the amount paid in respect of his estate, which for pro-bate purposes was sworn at £149,920 2s 6d. Mr. Elliott; died, at Beulah Hill, Norwood, Surrey (Eng.), on June 15 last, Messrs George Charles Elliott and James Frederick Elliott, of Balmain (sons of the deceased), and Mr. John Bagot, of Bowral, being appointed trustees, and executors of his will. His widow (Sazie Gertrude Elliott), and Mr. John Bagot, were appointed guardians of the children, who had not attained their majority. All the properties which at the time of his death were vested in the deceased as trustee, or mortgagee, were bequeathed to the executors, so that any moneys belonging to him on such trust, or mortgage should be dealt with as part of his personal estate. The whole of the real and personal estate was bequeathed' to the trustees to sell, or convert into money at their discretion, the capital invested or employed in the firm of Elliott Brothers' to be allowed to remain in the company's business so long as they deemed fit. The money arising from the estate, was directed to be invest-ed in real or Government securities, or in fully paid-up shares, stocks, or debentures in any public Company in New South Wales, the United Kingdom or India. Out of the income of the trust estate the widow was to be paid a legacy of £1000 immediately after his death, and an annuity of £1750, unless she married again, when it was to be reduced to £500. To his daughter, Anne Gertrude Stennett (wife of Mr. John Stennett), and his sons, G. C. and J. R. Elliott, legacies of £1000 were made; £500 was bequeathed to James Robert Elliott (deceased's brother), of Balmain; £250 each to five sons of the deceased, and a number of small amounts to servants of the deceased. Out of the capital from the trust estate over and above the legacies above mentioned, the trustees were directed to appropriate the sum of at least £60,000 for investment in stocks, etc., other than the stock, shares, or securities of the firm of Elliott Brothers; the same to stand as an indemnity for the annuities against the contingency of any depreciation in value of his capital in "Elliott Brothers." Provision was made for the payment of a considerable sum to each of the children by his former and present marriage on their attaining the age of 26 years.

The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW: 1842 - 1954), Saturday 23 June 1866. ^[4] ELLIOTTS CHEMICAL WORKS. FEW people are aware that another important branch of colonial industry has been established within the last fifteen months and is now being carried on successfully. We allude to the chemical works at Balmain, the property of the Messrs. Elliott, who are well known as wholesale chemists of Pitt-street. These gentlemen have, during the last few years had great and constantly increasing demand for sulphuric acid, and being unable to obtain a sufficient supply by importation from England, they determined upon the manufacture of the article for themselves..................................In addition to the above, the Messrs. Elliott have erected apparatus, by means of which they refine the common sulphur, and to transform it into the flour-sulphur as used by chemists for medicinal purposes, and by flock masters for dressing scabby sheep. The whole of these works are now in full operation, and additional appliances are being erected.

Sources

1. ↑ Colin Bowes - “Chemistry in Australia,” Issue: July Vol 55, No. 7, Year: 1988, Pages: 235-238.
2. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3695931
3. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/113258090
4. ↑ http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13133187

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