Frederick Sheppard Grimwade

Born in Norfolk, England, Grimwade arrived in Victoria in 1863. In 1867 he bought a pharmaceutical company and renamed it Felton Grimwade & Co.,^[2] which soon became the largest in the colony, prospering well into the next century. Today some of Australia's largest public companies have a lineage going back to his family and businesses.

Grimwade represented North Yarra Province in the Victorian Legislative Council from November 1891 to May 1904.^[3] He opposed gambling, workers' compensation, old-age pensions and the national harmonization of time zones, but he passionately and successfully advocated for the legalization of cremation.^[4]

Frederick Grimwade was buried in St Kilda Cemetery on 5 August 1910.^[5] His mansion, "Harleston" (1875), was later donated by his family to Melbourne Grammar School and renamed Grimwade House.^[6] His country retreat at Somers on the Mornington Peninsula, "Coolart", eventually became a public wetlands reserve.

Grimwade's children included Major General Harold Grimwade, who was a businessman and pharmacist and served as an artillery officer in France during World War I, and Russell Grimwade, who was a chemist, botanist, industrialist and philanthropist.