Joseph Gilbert (winemaker)
Joseph Gilbert | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1800 Puckshipton, Wiltshire, England |
| Died | 1881-12-23 |
| Occupation(s) | Pastoralist, vintner |
| Known for | Establishing Pewsey Vale winery; South Australian pastoral ventures |
Joseph Gilbert (1800 – 23 December 1881) was a prominent South Australian pastoralist and vintner who operated from 1839 until his passing.
Originating from Puckshipton, Wiltshire, England, Gilbert was the second son among four brothers. He received his education at Marlborough College and honed his skills in viticulture and winemaking during his time in Europe.
In 1839, he emigrated to South Australia aboard the Buckinghamshire and promptly constructed a prefabricated Manning cottage with two rooms in Adelaide. Gilbert purchased land along the South Para River, introduced sheep from Van Diemen's Land, and subsequently relocated his flock to a property near Lyndoch. He named this estate "Pewsey Vale" and transformed it into a thriving pastoral enterprise.
The year 1847 saw Gilbert establish the Pewsey Vale winery in Eden Valley, around the same period as the founding of Jacob's Creek winery in the adjacent Barossa Valley. His winery featured extensive cellars and produced clarets, burgundies, and hocks that gained considerable commercial acclaim.
In 1848, he wed Anna Browne. As a wedding gift, her brothers—Dr. William James Browne and Dr. John Harris Browne—presented the couple with the "Wongalere" property near Williamstown. Joseph’s brother William leased Wongalere for a decade before management transitioned to Joseph’s son William.
In 1872, Gilbert secured leases numbered 3 through 5 in the Northern Territory north of Oodnadatta. His son William, alongside partners James Churchill-Smith and E. M. "Ted" Bagot, herded 1,000 cattle from Adelaide to the MacDonnell Ranges, thereby broadening the family's pastoral ventures.
Gilbert also participated actively in horse racing as part of the South Australian Jockey Club and owned notable horses such as Ace of Trumps, which won the Adelaide Cup in 1874.
Joseph and Anna Gilbert, together with several descendants, are interred at the Pewsey Vale Anglican Cemetery on land set aside from their estate in 1861; approximately half of the graves there belong to members of the Gilbert family.
Family
Joseph Gilbert married Anna Browne (26 April 1812 – 28 September 1873), sister to Dr. W. J. Browne, at "Wongalere" on 21 January 1848. Their children included:
- William Gilbert (12 October 1850 – 29 March 1923), born at "Pewsey Vale," who married Mary Young Clindening on 22 July 1879; he continued to expand the Pewsey Vale Estate.
- Jane Gilbert (14 August 1852 – 21 January 1936), who wed Edward Charles Stirling MB FRCS on 27 June 1877.
- Sarah Gilbert (24 June 1856 – 25 May 1936), who married Colonel John Adam Dalrymple-Fergusson on 31 July 1871 and later retired to England.
Recognition
The suburb of Gilberton, South Australia was named in honor of Joseph Gilbert.