Lot 463

Description

The National Agricultural & Industrial Association Of Queensland, in bronze (51mm), by J.S.& A.B.Wyon, reverse inscribed, 'John D. Macansh/First/Prize/Six/Rams Fleeces/1883.'. Small oxidation spot, otherwise toned nearly uncirculated.

John Donald Macansh was a pastoralist and politician. He was born in Scotland in 1820, the son of a naval surgeon. He migrated to Sydney, New South Wales in 1838. In 1840 he moved to the Hunter River area and about 1846 he moved to Murrumburrah as a station manager for S.K.Salting and together they established a merino stud. In 1867 he bought a property near Narrabri in partnership with two of Salting's sons and then in 1875 he bought Canning Downs near Warwick in Queensland and in 1880 he also bought Albilbah. In 1882 he leased Brunette Downs in the Northern Territory.

In 1888 he accepted an appointment to the Legislative Council however he had little success in making any changes. On 1 August 1896 he died in Queensland while attending a meeting of the Glengallan Divisional Board and left a very large estate of nearly a quarter of a million pounds, a massive amount at that time.