Collection RS62 - Castra Settlement

Andrew Crawford (1815-1899), army officer and immigration promoter, was born on 23 January 1815 at Devonport, Plymouth, England, the third son of Andrew Crawford, naval officer, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Linzee Penfold. At 18 he joined the East India Co. as an ensign and for thirty-eight years in India served in various regiments through many campaigns. In October 1867 the Tasmanian parliament passed An Act to amend the Immigration Act of 1855, and An Act to enable the Governor to Reserve Land for Settlement by Persons coming from India. The latter, to remain in force for three years but later extended, set aside 50,000 acres (20,234 ha) for Indian settlers. A committee known as Castra & Co. was set up in the Bombay Presidency and by 1876 Crawford had chosen for himself and other Anglo-Indians 9700 acres (3925 ha) at Castra. for more information see: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/crawford-andrew-3285