'George JARVIS' (c.1788-1825)
Lachlan Macquarie's Indian-born manservant
In a letter to Samuel Manesty in January 1807, Macquarie described his manservant as "a smart Portuguese Boy". This somewhat disingenuous description masked the fact that Macquarie had purchased him as a five or six-year old boy in the slave market in Cochin in 1794 for 85 rupees. Later, Macquarie arranged for his education and emancipation. The ethnicity or nationality of George is currently unknown, though there is the strongest likelihood that he was from mixed parentage and would have been known to his contemporaries as a topass or topaz.
During the journey through Persia and Russia, 'George' had an important role to perform in guarding Macquarie's possessions and attending to his personal needs. Later, during the voyage across the Caspian Sea, he would also become unofficial cook for the travellers.
At the time of the 1807 overland journey 'George' was approximately eighteen (18) years of age.
'George' would remain Macquarie's devoted servant for three decades and accompany him not only throughout India (1794-1806), but also to Egypt (1801), Iraq, Persia, Russia, Denmark (1807), Australia (1809-1822), Britain and Europe (1822-1824). He was present at Macquarie's deathbed in London in July 1824 and escorted his master's body and coffin back to Scotland by ship. Macquarie made provision for George in his Will but his faithul servant died 6 months later on the Macquaries' 'Jarvisfield' estate on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, in mid-January 1825.
