George McCulloch. George McCulloch was a British businessman and art collector who was the mastermind behind the formation of the Broken Hill Mining Company, a precursor of BHP Billiton.
He was the son of James McCulloch, a contractor, and Isabella Robertson, a farmer's daughter. George's father died of cholera in January 1849 when George was one year old, and he was brought up by his mother, who was assisted by his uncle John Robertson, a farmer.
As a young man, circa 1865, McCulloch travelled to Uruguay, South America where his older brothers, John and Allan, were stockmen. At age 21, he returned to Glasgow and, in 1869, formed a partnership with James Patterson, leasing a shipyard at Port Glasgow.
McCulloch Patterson and Co., shipbuilders, built several vessels, including the Isabel, Vale of Doon, Loch Dee, Vale of Nith, Firth of Clyde, Maitland, and the Loch Urr, though they made a small loss on most of these vessels; the pair were eventually forced to file for bankruptcy in February 1871. In May 1871 McCulloch sailed for Melbourne, Australia, where his cousin, Sir James McCulloch, was a prosperous merchant and politician.
About 1875, his cousin gave him a job as manager of the Mount Gipps Sheep Station in New South Wales, which extended to approximately 400,000 acres of land leased from the government. George was also given a 1/8 share in the Mount Gipps Pastoral and Mineral Company by McCu
He was the son of James McCulloch, a contractor, and Isabella Robertson, a farmer's daughter. George's father died of cholera in January 1849 when George was one year old, and he was brought up by his mother, who was assisted by his uncle John Robertson, a farmer.
As a young man, circa 1865, McCulloch travelled to Uruguay, South America where his older brothers, John and Allan, were stockmen. At age 21, he returned to Glasgow and, in 1869, formed a partnership with James Patterson, leasing a shipyard at Port Glasgow.
McCulloch Patterson and Co., shipbuilders, built several vessels, including the Isabel, Vale of Doon, Loch Dee, Vale of Nith, Firth of Clyde, Maitland, and the Loch Urr, though they made a small loss on most of these vessels; the pair were eventually forced to file for bankruptcy in February 1871. In May 1871 McCulloch sailed for Melbourne, Australia, where his cousin, Sir James McCulloch, was a prosperous merchant and politician.
About 1875, his cousin gave him a job as manager of the Mount Gipps Sheep Station in New South Wales, which extended to approximately 400,000 acres of land leased from the government. George was also given a 1/8 share in the Mount Gipps Pastoral and Mineral Company by McCu
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