Name/TitleCox Homestead 1861
About this objectWilliam Cox (1764-1837) is best known for constructing the first road over the Blue Mountains in 1814, following the earlier crossing by Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth.
Cox and his family became substantial landowners in the new colony. By 1810 he and his sons had taken up land in the Mulgoa district and later ran flocks in the Mudgee district. Cox received the first grant of land west of the mountians, 2000 acress across the river from Bathurst which he called Hereford. Cox’s large estate at Clarendon near Windsor was one of the finest in the colony, employing over 50 convicts. In 1819 his wife died, leaving five sons. Two years later Cox married again, adding to his family three sons and a daughter.
William Cox Jr of the 46th Regiment married the daughter of Captain Piper and purchased the estate of Hobartville near Windsor in 1816 and later took up properties near Muswellbrook and Warialda. He and his father purchased 8000 acres in 1825 to form the estate of Negoa. William Cox (the elder) died in 1837. His numerous sons also left their names on the records of the early pastoral development of the State.
Further research is required to determine which of Clarendon, Hobartville, Negoa, Wimbourne, Hereford, Burrandong or other Cox family properties this watercolour represents. The pencil annotation of 1861 is believed to potentially have been added later and the actual date is more likely from the 1830s or 40s.
MakerUnknown
Period19th century
Medium and MaterialsPaper and watercolour
Place MadeNew South Wales, Australia
Inscription and MarksThe pencil annotation of 1861 is believed to potentially have been added later and the actual date is more likely from the 1830s or 40s.
Object TypeLandscape Paintings
Object numberSF001434
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial - No Derivatives (cc)
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The mug is decorated with an underglaze and a blue transfer print. On the body, it is titled ‘Emigrants to Australia’. This type of body and glaze was discontinued by 1840. Comparison of the handle shape and the profile of the foot, point to the attribution of manufacture by the Davenport Factory.
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The Delta carried 29 crew and passengers, while sailing from Melbourne to Batavia in ballast when wrecked at Kenn Reefs on 30 May 1854 whilst under the command of Captain J.G. Kunst. This vessel loss supports the pattern of shipwrecks located on a well-travelled shipping route that was poorly charted until the mid-nineteenth century. The crew of the Delta could see four other shipwrecks at Kenn Reefs at the time of their vessel’s loss.
Important image of a ship associated with Matthew Flinders, that would shortly become one of the most famous early shipwrecks in eastern Australian waters. This is a fine ship’s portrait, by one of the great exponents of the art