Mabberley, Plant introduction and hybridisation in colonial NSW 
549 
The Sydney directorship 
In the winter of 1847, Bidwill was involved in mineral prospecting in New South 
Wales'^, visiting Molong and Wellington in appalling snow and ice, praising the 
Molong mine as a whole hill of copper^ and finding a large-fruited 'Casuarim'. In 
Sydney (?Clovelly, Watson's Bay) he had amassed a collection of Cape Gladiolus 
and other species of Iridaceae, having been much encouraged by Herbert**, though 
Herbert's death that year deprived him of his most important correspondent. He 
also had a flowering ‘Erythrim cornea' but it did not have flesh-coloured flowers and 
was very different from any seen before*^. Now Bidwill was asking Hooker for 
correspondents to enlarge his collection (he had 21 species of Gladiolus and many 
hybrids) but he was also soliciting Hooker's support in his nomination by the new 
Governor Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy (Captain Robert FitzRoy's half-brother), to 
manage the Sydney Gardens. 
The death in June 1839 of Allan Cunningham (b. 1791) in Sydney after his return 
from New Zealand was followed by a decline in the fortunes of the Botanic Gardens 
in Sydney (Bidwill & Woodhouse 1927: 115). Under the 'Acting Superintendent' 
James Kidd, the gardens became neglected. Macarthur, who used to instruct Kidd to 
supply material from the Gardens for export to Britain in exchange for material 
apparently sent thence to Camden Park**, had proposed Leichhardt*^ to run them, 
soliciting Hooker's support, but Alexander McLeay was apparently against the 
'German adventurer' and wrote to Hooker to send someone from England (Gilbert 
1986: 68). However, Hooker had said that a salary proposed at £200 was too small, 
and that it should be at least £300^”. Bidwill, who had returned to Sydney from New 
Zealand on the Hope in 1839, some three days after Cunningham's funeral, first 
approached Flooker about the post on his next return from New Zealand in 1844 
and later when in Tahiti, he raised it with Macarthur. 
With the cessation of transportation in 1840 and collapses in commodity prices, the 
Colony was in depression and, in July 1844, Kidd was made 'Acting Superintendent' 
until someone was sent out. Having lost to McLeay over Leichhardt, Macarthur pushed 
for Bidwill in May 1846™ as his name had been put before the Committee overseeing 
the Gardens. The Committee was a subcommittee of that for both the Australian 
Museum and the Gardens: it included Macarthur, McLeay, King and Deas Thomson 
(Gilbert 1986: 58). McLeay now put Bidwill's name to Hooker, while Macarthur was 
pressing him to put it to the Governor, Sir George Gipps. In June, Macarthur was 
suggesting that on his return from the strife-tom Tahiti, Bidwill should come to Camden 
Park, all expenses paid, until the appointment was sorted out. The Committee was 
ready to elect him until the Colonial Secretary's views became known, for '1 think 
James [Macarthur, then in London) has influence enough with Mr [William E.J Gladstone 
to bring your qualifications under his favourable notice'^. There was still no news in 
August, when Gipps had been replaced by FitzRoy but Macarthur was still encouraging 
Bidwill™, 'How greatly I should rejoice to see you comfortably situated at the 
B. Garden'. Then James Bowman died on 23 August 1846 and with Edward at 21 
considered too young to run Ravensworth, Macarthur proposed that Bidwill come 
back from Tahiti to manage the estate on a salary of £200 a year, living with Edward™, 
though there was still no news from Bidwill by November™. 
Gladstone asked the new Governor to get a report from Council to see how the declining 
Gardens could be restored (Gilbert 1986: 71). On 27 February 1847, FitzRoy reported 
that £200 salary could be made available for a person from England to take up the 
post™; presumably being aware of Hooker's advice that £200 would not be appropriate, 
he added that if no-one could be found in Britain, 'I believe a competent person may 
