Lot 4629

Description

Bank of New South Wales, Certificate on vellum for one share of Bank Capital Stock, one hundred pounds sterling entered in the name of Sarah Redfern at Folio 44 of the Stock Ledger, dated 1st day of January 1824, No 178, Entd. Jas C. Phelps, John Piper President, W. Walker, James Norton Directors. On back Received thirty pounds Sterling account of the within share, A.K. Mackenzie, Cashier, also, Indented ... William Redfern Esquire 14 March 1826. Very fine and extremely rare.

William Redfern, a surgeon's mate in the Royal Navy, was sentenced to death for his part in the naval mutiny of the Nore in 1797. After serving four years in an English jail he was transported to New South Wales in 1802. He was granted a conditional pardon after his arrival and in 1803 a full pardon. He was appointed an assistant surgeon in 1808 and in 1811 he succeeded D'Arcy Wentworth and became assistant surgeon of NSW and doctor to Governor Lachlan Macquarie. In 1817 he became one of the founders of the Bank of New South Wales. He died in 1833 leaving a very large estate and his wife Sarah survived him by about twenty years. The suburb of Redfern is named in his honour.