George Gatonby Stead (1841 – 1908)

George Gatonby Stead was born in London, England. At the age of 9, his parents moved his life to South Africa where he lived until he was 24. During that time he became a excellent rider and good shot with a rifle. On returning to England in 1865, he soon decided to emigrate to Canterbury, …

Joseph Palmer – Our First Permanent Banker – 1855

‘Cautious and sensible’ Joseph Palmer had been in the banking business since he was twenty-four years old. Born on 6th April 1826, there is very little about his childhood; he first appears in historic documents when he began as a clerk for the Union Bank in London. In March 1851 he arrived in Australia on …