Georgina Boileau page

GEORGINA KINNEAR

From a painting of "Grandmother Kinnear"
probably Georgina Kinnear, nee Boileau.

Blanch Isabella Georgina Boileau was born at 20 Bruton St., Berkley Square, London on December 8, 1789. She appears to have been well educated and was fluent in both French and English. She appeared to have some well-connected acquaintances in both London and Paris, though it is unclear whether they were her own acquaintances or those of her husband, John Kinnear, who was a well-to-do merchant banker - or at least, they lived as if he was well-to-do! In April 1838 at the age of 57 he was convicted of fraud against the Bank of England and sentenced to transportation for life.

Georgina (She seemed to prefer to forget about the 'Blanch Isabella' part of her name) followed her husband to the colony of New South Wales and set up a general store in opposition to the Government stores in Port Macquarie. This venture lasted about six months before she went bankrupt. She then became licensee of the 'new' Hotel Royal at Port Macquarie. This also lasted around six months before she was again bankrupt.

She was a tryer, if not a huge success!

Entries in her diary, records she kept and poetry written by her show that Georgina was a devoted wife and mother to both her own five children and her five step children from her husband's first marriage.

Georgina drowned at Wollongong in 1855 trying unsuccessfully to save her grand daughter from drowning.

From a research paper written by Mr. I Simmons, Hastings District Historical Society, Port Macquarie. May 1991.:

Port Macquarie's first notable business woman was undoubtedly Mrs. Georgina Kinnear, a forceful character often described as "a woman before her time", who attempted to break the monopoly held by the Cohen family, storekeepers, by establishing a general store on or adjacent to the sie of the Royal hotel in Horton Street in 1839.

Her provocative advertisement in the "Australian" newspaper of 10th August 1841 is but a small sample of her aggressive marketing technique..........

PORT MACQUARIE

Who first established in this district, a circulating library? Georgina Kinnear
Who first opened here, a booksellers and stationers' shop? Georgina Kinnear
Who first brought here for sale, music and musical in-struments? Georgina Kinnear.
Who first brought into this remote region for sale, articles illustrative of the advanced state of the arts? Georgina Kinnear.
Who first broke up the monopoly here, of bread, which was grinding to the poor and vexatious to the rich? Georgina Kinnear.
Who opened the bake house and reduced the price of bread at one stroke 25 per cent.? Georgina Kinnear.
Who first befriended the poor and reduced the price of the 2-lb. loaf from 9d. to 6d. at one stroke? Georgina Kinnear.
Who first treated the inhabitants of the town to bread equal to that or London and Paris, instead of a bread worse than dampers they had toolong been doomed to eat? Georgina Kinnear.
Who has broken up the iron monopoly so long held by the Jews and forestallers in the trade of every necessity of life? Georgina Kinnear
Who, by her example, has excluded rudeness and repul-sive manners from the shopkeeper and the tradespeople and so rendered courtesy necessary to success? Georgina Kinnear
Who by her activity and enterprise, has given the tone to laudible rivalry for improvement hitherto unknown here? Georgina Kinnear.
Who opened the first and only warehouse here for storage goods on hire or in transit to and from the interior to Sydney? Georgina Kinnear.
Who was the first and is now the only person here who sells newspapers and lends them out on hire, greatly adding to the march ofintellectual education and civilisation? Georgina Kinnear.
Who has given employment to numerous persons, and by a system of rewards, instead of punishments, has never troubles the Police Magistrate to coerce any servant? Georgina Kinnear
Who sells a great many articles very cheap, and some articles very dear, but always gives "to hoot" courtesy and civility alike to the poorand the prisoner, as to the rich and powerful? Georgina Kinnear
Who during her short career, has done large business, but does not owe, in the town or district one penny? Georgina Kinnear.
Who deserves encouragement? Let readers answer for themselves.

'ON SALE - Wines, spirits, beer, groceries, books; stat-ionery; woollen and linen drapers. Farm produce bought and sold on commission.Goods warehoused, liberal credit to honest people, although they may be poor, excepting drunkards. Has a commission to buy any quantity ofgood new maize at 2/- a bushel and boards of good quality 19/- per 100 feet. Cash on delivery. NO VAUNTING. SMALLPRETENSIONS, INFLEX-IBLE INTEGRITY. Note - This advertisement will not be re-peated, therefore read it twice or thrice.

Horton Street, Port Macquarie, 20th March, 1841.

Despite her efforts the monopoly was too strong and a few months later another advertisement appeared in the same paper which tells a little of her affairs.

HOTEL ROYAL - PORT MACQUARIE

This magnificent establishment was opened on the 1st July, 1841, under the auspices of the most influential persons of the district and under the direction of Mrs Georgina Kinnear.

Port Macquarie, as to climate, has been pronounced by very eminent medical men, the MONTPELIER of N.S.W. The comfort and luxuries, if you visit the Hotel Royal, will render it MONTPELIER itself.

Extensive and commodious coach house and stablery.

By private intimation, a suite of apartments may be provided for private parties, ready to receive them on arrival by the steamer.

This venture was also unsuccessful, for on the 22nd September she filed her schedule in the Insolvency Court, a major creditor being Dr. Charles Fattorini (claimed to have been a natural son of Napoleon) for the sum of 1021 pounds 12 shillings 6d.