Obituaries Australia

John Black, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 15 January 1914

Mention was made in last month's issue of The Review of the death of Mr. John Richard Black, best known in connection with Wallangra Station, N.S.W. This month we publish the late Mr. Black's photograph and a brief account of his life. Born in Ireland in 1832, be came to Australia in '39 with his father, Lieutenant Humphrey Gunn Black, who was born in County Longford, Ireland. The voyage to Sydney was a rather eventful one. At the Cape of Good Hope the ship was wrecked, but no lives were lost. Lieutenant Black settled at Windsor, and there the late Mr. Black received his education.

In 1851 he went to Queensland to gain pastoral experience, and in 1854 took charge of Wyaga, a station owned by Messrs. Russell and Taylor. When this property was sold he took over the management of another of the firm's properties, Dunmore. In 1862 be joined the late Mr. Edward Lamb in partnership, and with him took up Yamala, at Peak Downs, about 500 miles north of the Darling Downs. This partnership continued for eleven years, and they then sold the property, and Mr. Black for a few years took no active part in pastoral matters. He subsequently purchased Wallangra, Milchengowrie, and Blue Nobby, in New South Wales, and Myall Plains, in Queensland, and later on formed the estates into a company, which he called the Wallangra Pastoral Company, he being the managing director, and his four sons as partners being the local managers. Mr. John Y. Black manages Wallangra, Mr. James H. Black Blue Nobby, Mr. Alexander H. Black Milchengowrie, and Mr. Richard Black Myall Plains.

The late Mr. Black married in 1867 Miss Josephine Rens, daughter of Mr. Gilbert Cory, of the Paterson, N.S.W., who predeceased him, and his family consists of two married daughters and four sons, three of whom are married.