Babich Josip Petrov 1895 1929 Northland Nz

edmondsallan - Hello - I thought we might have a look around from Auckland to the Cape and see some more on our European settlers . They will not be in any particular order or date My other assistant
" old faithful " told me at the time to be more constructive when filing Research . Oh well , very hard to undo past mistakes .
Babich, Josip Petrov
Gum-digger, wine-maker, farmer. In 1916, in a windowless tin shed on the desolate gumfields of New Zealand's far north, the young Josip Petrov Babich trod grapes with his feet, fermented wine and opened a wine-shop. From that humble beginning has grown Babich Wines, a leading example of the family-owned companies of Dalmatian origin that have played a crucial role in the emergence of the New Zealand wine industry.

He was born Josip Babić on 23 October 1895 at Runović, Dalmatia, a part of Austrian-ruled Croatia known for its red wines. He was the son of Petar Babić, a farmer, and his wife, Iva Selak. There were no schools in Runović, but Josip learned to read and write from his father, who had become literate while serving in the Austrian army.

To escape economic hardship and military conscription, in 1910 Josip and his brother Stipan journeyed to New Zealand to join their three brothers, Jakov, Mate and Ivan, who were already toiling in the northern gumfields. Arriving in Auckland as a 14-year-old, unable to speak English and with little money, Josip at first worked as an errand boy and cook at a Dalmatian gumfields camp, before becoming a gum-digger himself.

In 1916 the Babich brothers planted Isabella vines and established a pocket-sized vineyard at Kaikino, north of Awanui. Three surviving glass negatives, with 'Kaikino Wineshop 1916' scratched on the plates, show a tin shed near the Babich homestead. Inside are a stack of barrels (the word 'Babich' chalked on their heads), copper jugs, syphon tubing, a funnel, bottles and a worn bottle-cleaning brush. For a £1 sale, Josip would sometimes make an 80-mile delivery trip on horseback, a dozen bottles of port slung over his saddle.

Babich was once prosecuted for selling two bottles of wine to a customer, when the law required a minimum sale of two gallons. When the police witness's evidence proved inconsistent, the case was dismissed, but Babich's lawyer, H. H. Ostler, urged his client to 'get away from this place. There's no future for a winemaker up here'.

In 1919 Josip Babich and three of his brothers shifted to land they had bought earlier at Henderson in west Auckland. At first the property was farmed jointly, but later it was divided between the brothers. A tall, strongly built man, Josip cleared the land, milked cows, grew vegetables and planted fruit trees - and established another vineyard.

Wine-making resumed in the 1920s, with Babich hawking his port and sherry in bottles, half-gallon jars and clay jeroboams of varying sizes around the streets of Auckland. For decades the family grew a variety of fruit, as well as grapes. The company's name, at first New Era Orchard and Vineyard, later changed to Pinot Vineyards, Northern Vineyards and finally Babich Wines. On 31 July 1929, Josip Babich married another Dalmatian immigrant, Mara Grgich, in Auckland. The couple were to have three daughters and two sons. I love their wine, and have done so for many a year . What about you - ?? till we meet again -Regards - edmondsallan