Source:
The Aldine centennial history of New South Wales illustrated / W. Frederic Morrison Morrison, W. Frederic Sydney. The Aldine Publishing Company, 1888
Details:
ALEXANDER MUNRO, Grazier and Vigneron, Greenwood, was born at Campbelltown, near Fort George, Scotland, on 9th August, 1812, and went when a child to Inverness where he lived till 1829, with the exception of one year spent at school at Ferintosh. He came to the colony in 1830, remained a few weeks in Sydney and then settled in Singleton, where he has ever since resided. He commenced business by the purchase of a team of bullocks, with which he started as carrier between Morpeth and Singleton, doing the work at as low a price per ton as the railway now charges. He continued at that work for two and a-half years, and was for several years alternately butcher, sheep shearer, storekeeper and baker, being in the latter trade eminently successful. He sent his bread so far as Government House, Sydney, and sold it as high as 3s 6d per 41b. loaf, enabling him to clear in cash £1100 in five months. At this time he was retailing flour at is per lb. In 1841 Mr. Munro built a weatherboard hotel in George-street, Singleton, and named it the Sir Thomas Mitchell Hotel, which he conducted for some years, and made sufficient money to buy the New Andel (now Toryburn) station on the Bundaira River. In 1853 he built the Caledonian Hotel, which he conducted for nine years. About 1858 he purchased another station, Terriaro, on the Namoi River, and in 1860 secured the station known as the Dobikin. Mr. Munro then sold Terriaro Station to Perry and Lloyd for £5000 Dobikin (after owning it fifteen years) to John Taylor for £22,000, and New Andel for £4100, retaining only a cattle station named Barraba. Between 1850 and 1860 he devoted his attention to vine growing at Bebeah, and there made his first wine. About 1876 he purchased the Greenwood estate from James Moore, and has now on the two properties seventy acres under vine culture. His plant alone in connection with wine-making is worth £7000, and he has taken over 220 first prizes for wine-including gold medal, Paris exhibition, 1878 and 18h2 ; gold medal, Amsterdam, 1883 ; gold medal, Indian exhibition, 1886; and gold medal, Bordeaux, besides numerous cups, medals, and trophies awarded in all parts of Australia and the world. Mr. Munro introduced gas into Singleton, and for that no praise which can be accorded him can be sufficiently strong, taking as he did upon himself the ordinary work of a corporation. He stands alone as being the sole proprietor of a gas supplying scheme. He was the first mayor of Singleton and held the position for four successive years. Mr. Munro, finding that the Presbyterian body had no cemetery, munificently purchased a block of land, and fenced it in, at a cost of £200. He donated £1000 towards the building of an extra wing to the hospital, of which he is president. He has endeared himself to the residents of Singleton by many unostentatious acts of charity, as instance, the poor at the benevolent asylum being treated to a weeks feasting during Jubilee week by his generosity. He gave an allotment of land as a site for a mechanics institute and is a leading man in that association. In short, Mr. Munros life and character are worthy to be written in bold letters in the Centennial History of New South Wales. He was married on the 28th July, 1838, at Singleton, by the Rev. Irving Heatherington, and is a member of the S.C., St. Andrews..
Details:
Obtained Ticket of Leave
Place:
Resided Ness House and Arderseir, Singleton
Source:
Singleton Pioneer Register p. 65
Details:
Born 1812 Fort George Scotland,. Occupation Hotel Keeper, Grazier, Vigneron. Spouse Sophia Lovell. 'Alexander Munro was Singleton's first Mayor 1866 - 1869. See Pioneer Register for details of descendants
Source:
Convict Indents. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4016]; Microfiche: 678
Details:
Alexander Munro age 18. Farmers boy from Inverness. Tried at Glasgow 9 April 1830. Sentenced to 7 years transportation for house breaking. 5ft 3 1/2in. Ruddy freckled complexion, brown hair, bluish grey eyes. No marks. Assigned to John Brown at Darlington on arrival
First Name:
Alexander & Isaac
Details:
Won contract for Conveyance of post office mails by three or more horse coaches from and to Morpeth, East Maitland and Maitland and Singleton
First Name:
Henry and Alexander
Place:
East Maitland, Maitland, Singleton
Details:
Tender for conveyance of mail by one horse mail cart daily and by 3 or more horse coaches, accepted
