trout

Sir George

A bit of a character from all accounts. Loved
showing visitors his subtropical gardens at Kawau.

When we were putting the Autograph Letters display
together I read heaps of people speaking of Grey's

generosity, including Charles Darwin, and I think
he supported an expedition by Speke into the African

interior. In the Rossdhu Book of Hours there's
a miniature of St George slaying the dragon, which

we use on promotions and postcards, and I'm sure
Sir George derived pleasure from looking at it.

Whenever Grey visited London he'd always pop into
Bernard Quaritch and go on a spending splurge. The

great bulk of his collection went much earlier
to the South Africans in Cape Town, though we didn't

do too badly. I can understand the anger
that went into beheading his statue in Albert Park,

but the protestors could have focused their
worthy attention on the living. His name is in gold

above the honours board at Auckland Grammar School
which I attended for five years and remember mixedly.