November 1858. The Austro-Hungarian Imperial Navy frigate SMS Novara visits Sydney as part of a two-year, round-the-world scientific expedition intended to advance science while promoting Austro-Hungarian prestige.
On board was the Austrian economist and ethnologist Karl Scherzer. During the ships brief stay, Scherzer made the acquaintance of Wilhelm Kirchner, being entertained at the Kirchner home at Darling Point.
Sherzer was impressed. He found Francis Kirchner a gracious hostess and very attractive women. You would never think by looking at her, he later wrote, that she has seven children.
Sherzer was impressed too with Kirchners wealth, his home, the company office, the Grafton factories and farms.
The numbers quoted by Sherzer for Kir…
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