Lot 2979

Description

Van Diemen's Land, bill of exchange, Hobart Town 16th March/35 (1835) handwritten by Edward Lord directing Cashier of the Derwent Bank to pay six pounds six shillings to the bearer. Spike and pin holes at left, otherwise very fine and scarce.

Edward Lord, a second lieutenant of Marines was on the expedition to Port Phillip in 1803 and was a member of the first contingent which established a settlement on the Derwent in 1804. In that same year he built the first private house in Hobart Town. By October 1806 he was the largest stock owner in Van Diemen's Land and by 1807 he was the second most senior officer second only to Governor David Collins. When William Bligh went to Van Diemen's Land in 1809 Lord vehemently opposed his prescence. When the Governor died in 1810 Lord took charge of the colony until he was replaced by order of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. Macquarie had a very low opinion of Lord and they were bitter enemies. Lord was a wealthy landowner, ship owner and trader and at one time was the richest person in Van Diemen's Land and an original proprietor of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land. He died in London in 1859. With research.