Horsley Cove

In 1805, Governor King granted Lieutenant Colonel George Johnston of Annandale farm 2000 acres of land at Prospect, for his part in putting down a convict uprising at Castle Hill in the previous year. Johnston called the farm "King's Gift". Johnston died in 1823. A related place is Horsley near Dapto (Wollongong), which was a grant /19 to George Weston's elder brother, William Francis Weston, known as "Mr Johnston's Meadow". William Francis Weston died in 1826 leaving a widow and five small children, and it is possible that George Weston came to Australia to advise and help his sister in law, Elizabeth around this time. The Horsley (Fairfield) land was given by Col. Johnston to his daughter…

Captain & Mrs George Weston spent the following two years in India, returning to Sydney with their two children in July 1831. In that year they took up their property, living in a large Indian tent attended by Indian servants until the house was completed. In 1832, the homestead was built by then, together with major outbuildings (kitchen, stables, blacksmith's shop and barn). The well-wooded land produced timber carted to sawmills for many years. The Westons' predominant interests were agriculture and raising stock, including fine bloodstock race horses. Captain Weston (from reports in the Australian between 1831 and 1841) was involved with the Cumberland Turf Club, the Australian Race…