Lieutenant Thomas Henry Owen

Newcastle 1824

Lieut. Thomas Henry Owen was appointed to the 3rd regiment on 21 August 1817. He arrived as part of the Guard on the convict ship Henry in 1823. He was Engineer of Public Works and Naval Officer at Newcastle in 1824 when Governor Brisbane paid an impromptu visit to the township......

Lieutenant-Colonel Thornton, C. B. has taken the Command in Chief as locum tenens of His Excellency Sir Thomas Brisbane, K.C.B. during his excursion to Moreton Bay in His Majesty's brig Amity, which, through contrary winds, put into Newcastle on the 12th ult. where His Excellency was pleased to express his gratification at viewing the improvements of that rising Dependency, from which he did not take his departure until the 15th, as more particularly mentioned in the following extract of a letter, dated Newcastle, 21st November 1824.

'On Thursday morning, the 11th instant, the brig Amity, in company with the cutter Mars, hove in sight in the East quarter ; the wind at E. N. E. which, in the course of the day, shifted to N.E. and prevented the brig, which was to leeward, from weathering Port Stephens, and she was necessitated to tack, and stand to sea.

On Friday morning, about 1O A. M. both vessels again made their appearance, the wind still at N.E and the Amity was observed standing in for the harbour, with a signal flying, to denote that an officer of rank was on board. About 2 p.m., both vessels came to anchor off this town and shortly after His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Mr. Oxley (Surveyor-General), landed on the North, shore of the harbour, where the Governor remained about an hour.

His Excellency then returned to the brig Amity, and accompanied by the Honourable the Chief Justice Forbes , Messrs. Oxley, McArthur, and Stephen, proceeded to our Government-house to pay a visit to Mrs. Gillman (the Commandant being at that time absent) and then returned to the vessel. On the Governor's leaving, a salute of 17 guns was discharged from the battery and the light company of the Buffs, on duty at this station, were under arms to receive His Excellency, under the orders of Lieutenant Owen.

Immediately on the arrival of the Amity, an express was dispatched to acquaint Captain Henry Gillman , who was at Wallis Plains, a distance of 25 miles from Newcastle, of the circumstance, and Captain Gillman returned to this Settlement in four hours and a half from the time the express started, and immediately proceeded on board the Amity to pay his respects to the Governor.

The following morning, Saturday, His Excellency, accompanied by the Chief Justice and the Gentlemen, came on shore and walked to the light and signal stations, from whence they proceeded to inspect the public buildings; and after having taken refreshments at the Commandant' s, returned on board the Amity, with the exception of the Chief Justice who was so much indisposed as to make it advisable for him to remain on shore at Captain Gillman's.

The same evening His Excellency honored Captain Gillman with his company, and his Suite, at dinner. At night there was a festival of black natives, which the Governor condescended to be present at, and ordered to be furnished with a plentiful supply of victuals and drink. His Excellency was on board his vessel, about ten at night; the Chief Justice remaining on shore at Captain Gillman's. The next morning, Sunday, the Governor, with his Party, attended Divine Service at the Church and having taken apartments at the Commandant's, and afterwards dined with him and Mrs. Gillman, they returned on board the Amity.

The next morning the wind proving favourable, the Amity got under weigh about 8 o'clock, and proceeded to Moreton Bay , in company with the Mars.

Whilst we are happy to say that His Excellency appeared to be in excellent health and spirits, we are glad we have it in our power to add, that the Chief Justice was quite restored to health, when he took his departure from this Settlement [1]

Port Macquarie

Lieut. Owen was appointed Commandant to Port Macquarie penal settlement in 1827, succeeding Major A. C. Innes in that role. He may have departed the colony on the Prince Regent in December 1827 with the headquarters and detachments of the Buffs, bound for Bombay.

Last Will and Testament

In 1837 Captain Thomas Henry Owen made out a Will -

being of sound body and mind but knowing well the uncertainty of this life' - naming his beneficiary Alicia Chatterton, daughter of Lieutenant and Brevet Captain Thomas Chatterton of the 3rd Regiment. He bequeathed all his wordly possession and money in his possession or due to him to dispose of as she thought fit, compliant with the requests of his friend Major Gerald Rochfort of the Third Regiment as Executor. [3]

In 1845 the 3rd Regiment returned from Bengal to England and in 1846 they were stationed at Gosport. In October 1846 they moved to Ireland. [4]

On 25th May 1846, the Will of Thomas Owen, late of Meerut in the East Indies, was read. David Russell Crawford, husband of Alicia Crawford formerly Chatterton, a minor, was named beneficiary on behalf of his wife who was granted use and benefit of the proceeds.

Notes

* Two natives from the Hunter River tribe accompanied this expedition to Moreton Bay.

1) The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and was one of the oldest regiments in the British Army - Wikipedia

References

[1] Hobart Town Gazette 24 December 1824

[2] The Gleaner 26 April 1827

[3] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, Piece Description: Piece 2036: Vol· 8, Quire Numbers 351-400 (1846) Source Information Ancestry.com. England & Wales

[4] Historic Canterbury - The Buffs

Map of the township of Newcastle in 1830 showing where various buildings, wells, coal works and roads were located........ Plan of The Town of Newcastle, New South Wales, by John Armstrong, Australian Agricultural Company Surveyor.

Townsfolk at Newcastle in 1831

William Atkinson - Wardsman at the hospital

Francis Beattie - Innkeeper Crooked Billett

Samuel Beckett - Sawyer

Ann Binder - Publican Australian Inn

George Brooks, Colonial Surgeon

William Buchanan - Supt. of Public Works and Postmaster

Private Burtonshaw - 57th regiment

Thomas Buxton - Sawyer and Shopkeeper

Henry Canny - Overseer at the Hospital

James Cox - Sheriff's Bailiff

Henry Croasdill - Superintendent A.A. Co.

William Croasdill - Clerk A.A. Company

John L. Deane - Landing Waiter

Frederick Dixon - Publican

John Henderson - Superintendent of Mining AA Co

John Butler Hewson - Constable

Richard Hill - Schoolmaster

John Hillier - Innkeeper Ship Inn

Charles Hughes - Acting Pilot

Simon Kemp - Innkeeper

Duncan Kennedy - Constable

John Kingsmill - Gaoler

Alexander Livingstone - Harbour Master

John Mayo - Shoemaker

Charles Neville - Deputy Postmaster Landing Waiter

James Pawsey - Landing Waiter, Innkeeper

Alexander Phelp - Baker, Lodge keeper

Edward Priest - Whitesmith

Captain Ranclaud - Gentleman

Peter Reilly - Constable

William Rouse - Constable

John Smith - Publican, landowner

William Smith - Boatbuilder

Thomas Stafford D.A.C.G.

Rev. Charles Pleydell Neale Wilton

Samuel Wright - Commissioner for taking Affidavits

F. Dunbar - 2nd Lieutenant 39th regiment

Convicts at Newcastle in 1831

Daniel Bradburne per Adrian

John Brown per Guildford

William Brown per Canada

George Byford per Marquis of Huntley

Michael Callaghan per Norfolk

Patrick Carroll per Forth

James Close per Grenada

George Delbridge per Lord Sidmouth

John Dent per Vittoria

Samuel Ellis per Hindostan

James Gallagher per Isabella, ticket of leave holder appointed constable in 1831

Mary Ann Green per Princess Royal

Daniel Henry per Countess of Harcourt

John Hanley per Countess of Harcourt

John Hodgkiss per Canada

John Holden per Norfolk

John Jones per Earl St. Vincent

John Jones per Recovery

Thomas Jones per Countess of Harcourt

Gilbert Kelso per Castle Forbes

Daniel Kenna per Prince Regent

William Kilminster Baring

Thomas Light per Midas

Bernard McDaid per Ferguson

John McNamara per Ann and Amelia

John Moore per Minerva

Mary Mullally per Elizabeth

Charles Nash per Minerva

Patrick Rice per Phoenix

Robert Roberts per Florentia

James Rusher per Shipley

William Salisbury per Tottenham

John Smith per Pilot

William Smith per Sesostris

John Surgay per Albion

Samuel Turnpenny per Albion

Alexander Walsh per Earl St. Vincent

Charles Watkins per Speke

Prisoners in Newcastle Gaol 1831

Henry Beard per America

Mary Blackmore per Roslin Castle

George Boddington per Eliza

John Boyle per Guildford

Samuel Brewin per America

William Butler per Norfolk

William Byrnes per Countess of Harcourt

Joseph Carr per Champion

Thomas Coates per Minerva

Thomas Cook per Eliza

Patrick Daley per Henry Porcher

Ann Davis per Forth

William Dunn per Andromeda

Michael Farrel per Sir Godfrey Webster

George Fielder per Norfolk

Patrick Flinn per Prince Regent

Charles Green per Florentia

Edward Green per Midas

Sylvester Grogan per Hercules

John Hancock per Asia

James Howard per Baring

Isaac Johnson per Florentia

William Kay per Norfolk

John Kennedy per Minerva

John Leonard per Edward

John Maloney per Sophia

James Maxwell per Phoenix

Harry McGee per Castle Forbes

Thomas McGraw per Midas

Daniel Meehan per Sir Godfrey Webster

John Millett Scarborough 1790

Christopher Motley per Ann and Amelia

Richared Mottram per England

John Murphy per Phoenix

Eleanor Naughton per Lady Rowena

Patrick Phillips per Phoenix

John Poole per Claudine

William Ross per Dunvegan Castle

Christine Smith

William Smith per Lord Melville

Winifred Stewart per Roslin Castle

Ann Storrit per Princess Royal

John Tapp per Countess of Harcourt

Ellen Weekes per Sovereign

Isaac Wisheart per General Stewart