Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/415

 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY 389 Mr. W. P Auld THE few score sturdy, coiirao^eous explorers who at one time and another sought to penetrate the arid interior of AustraHa are now nearly all swallowed up in death, but the records of their hardy exploits will live as long as the annals of the colonies last. Among those who will thus live in the history of South Australia is William Patrick Auld, who was born in England '^m^^m^^^^mfl^m^^^^'^^^^^^^ in 1840. shortly afterwards his father, the late Mr. Patrick Auld. decided to come to Australia, and he arrixed in Adelaide in 1841, his family following a year later. Mr. Auld, sen., established himself in Hindley Street as a wine and spirit merchant. He sold his business in 1849 to Messrs. Disher and Milne (afterwards Sir William Milne). At this juncture he re- turned to England with his familv, and remain(d there until 1852, in which ear he again came to -South Australia, leaving his wife and three children, among whom was Mr. W. P. Auld, in the old country, specially to .secure a good education for the latter. In 1842 Mr. P. Auld had jjurchased, at ^i per acre, about 230 acres of land near Adelaide from the Govern- ment. He afterwards erected a residence at this place. In 1847 he planted a few 'in(s here, and upon his return to South Australia decided to devote himself to viti- culture. He laid out the now celebrated Auldana Vineyards in port-wine grapes, but soon discovered that these were unsuited to the heat of the climate. His wines were popular from the beginning. In 1858 he opened an office in Gilbert Place for the purchase of South Australian wines, and conducted a substantial local business. He also had an extensive connection with Melbourne, until the duty of 6s. per gallon killed the trade. He subsequently established extensive cellars at the locality now occupied by the Union Bank buildings. Through his instrumentality. South Australian vignerons sent samples of local wines to the London Exhibition of 1863, where they attracted some attention and received first-class honors. In 1871 Mr. P. Auld went home and opened a business in Hammer & Co., Pkuto