Verge family (John Verge), Order of baptism, 1836-1849, King Charlie and King Michie breastplates, ca. 1840-1860 and family portrait, possibly of Sarah Evans (nee Clegg), ca. 1860

fonds

1836 - ca.1860

Graphic Materials, Objects, Textual Records, Photographs

1037171

0.01 metres of textual material - printed, manuscript
1 photograph - ambrotype
2 crescent-shaped breastplates - brass, engraved, hole at each apex - 7.8 x 15.2 cm, 6.1 x 12.3 cm

John Verge (1782–1861) a pioneer European settler in New South Wales was an architect, builder and grazier. He arrived at Sydney in 1828 aboard the Clarkstone from London, bringing his son with him; his wife chose to remain in England. In Australia Verge had four children with Mary Clegg, nee Alford, whom he later married in 1858 after the death of his first wife. Most of his architectural work in Sydney appears to have been between 1830 and 1837 and primarily in domestic and professional architecture. In 1838 he settled on the Macleay River in Northern NSW and by 1841 was living on a property of 2560 acres, Austral Eden. The system of bestowing breastplates, or king plates, was begun by Governor Macquarie and he alone had the right to bestow plates on Aboriginal chiefs. After his departure from the colony in 1820, under Governor Brisbane, settlers took the liberty of making and conferring breastplates directly. The two Verge plates were bestowed on Aboriginal people from the Macleay River area where there was a history of conflict between the Aboriginal landholders and European settlers with deaths on both sides. The association of these two breastplates with John Verge is indicative of a presumption of cordial relations between Verge and the Aboriginal people of Austral Eden. The existence of these breastplates is indicative of another facet of his life beyond his architectural practice.

References:
Library correspondence file
Australian Dictionary of Biography. http://adb.anu.edu.au/ (accessed July 10, 2013)
Poignant regalia : 19th century aboriginal breastplates & images ... / Tania Cleary. Glebe, NSW : Historic Houses Trust of NSW, c1993. p. 49
Bonhams and Goodman, Fine Furniture and Decorative Arts [catalog], Tuesday 20 October 2009, Sydney, pp 10-11

By descent through the family of John Verge's second wife, Mary.

Item 01
Order of baptism recording the births of John Verge's children, 1836-1849

Item 02
Mr. Verge's, King Charlie [Aboriginal breastplate, ca. 1840-1860]

Item 03
Mr. Verge's, King Michie [Aboriginal breastplate, ca. 1840-1860]

Item 04
Verge family ambrotype portrait, possibly of Sarah Evans (nee Clegg), ca. 1860

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales