Background
Armytage was born at Ticknall, Derbyshire, England in 1795, and was educated at schools in Yorkshire. He was the son of George Armytage (senior), who died in Australia in 1853, having emigrated at the age of eighty-seven.
Armytage was born at Ticknall, Derbyshire, England in 1795, and was educated at schools in Yorkshire. He was the son of George Armytage (senior), who died in Australia in 1853, having emigrated at the age of eighty-seven.
Armytage junior subsequently studied engineering in London until his twentieth year, when, on 28 February 1815, he sailed for Australia in the Hebe.
Armytage reached Sydney in August 1815. In the following year he landed in Van Diemen"s Land (now Tasmania), where he was allotted a few acres of land at Bagdad, which were increased to 500 acres in 1817. In 1826 he received a further grant of 1,000 acres (400 ha), built upon it the first watermill in Tasmania, and, in spite of troubles with Indigenous Australians and bushrangers, became successful.
He died of erysipelas in 1862, his widow surviving him until 1873.