Highlights
- A Melburnian’s research uncovers unknown details of the Greek Australian history
- According to Mr Markos’ findings, the first Hellene arrived Down Under in 1811
- He married at 99 years of age, died two years later and had fought with the British in a major naval battle
Until now, the first verified arrival of Greeks Down Under was documented in 1829: a group of seven sailors convicted of piracy, although according to historical accounts their ‘crime’ was preventing the British from supplying Ottomans with weapons.
In any case, oral tradition has it that Greek settlers had set foot in Australia even earlier, but it wasn’t until now that such claims were verified.
George Manuel arrived in the vast country of the south in 1811, Costas Markos reveals based on archival and primary sources.
“I first read about him in a 1938 newspaper extract, making mention of his wedding. He married at 99 and died in 1878, meaning when he was 101 years old, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by the press at the time,” Mr Marcos tells SBS Greek.
NSW Cumberland Argus, 26 October, 1938. Source: Costas Markos
The reason behind his decision to exchange marriage vows at that age, he says, was rather ‘practical’ wanting to bequest his fortune to the person who would look after him.
Another interesting fact emerging from his bio is that he had fought alongside British Navy officer Horatio Nelson at the major naval battle of the Nile against Napoleon Bonaparte.
“He was also imprisoned twice, once in 1832 and then in 1860,” Mr Markos adds.
Mr Marcos’ research into the history of Greek immigrants in Australia spans 18 years.
He says the timing of making public rare findings this year was purposeful, as a tribute act honouring the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution.
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