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Thomas George Markwell. 

Thomas Markwell was born in Essex London in 1771 and was 20 years old when found guilty of theft of clothing to the value of  £2.8s.6d he was sentenced to death in 1787 but then commuted to 14 years  in the colony of NSW.Thomas Markwell arrived in 1790 to serve his sentence of 14 years transportation. He was assigned as a servant to Thomas Spencer at Richmond and was given his ticket of leave in 1806.

Thomas Markwell  arrived in 1790 in Australia on board one of the ships of the Second Fleet, the Scarborough, onboard the same ship was Edward Field  sailing out as a member of the NSW Corp.

In 1806 he soon gained prosperity and became the owner of sizable holdings around Agnes Banks. 

In 1807 at the age of 37  he married Maria Cheshire who was 15 years old at the time and 7 months pregnant.  Thomas had been in the colony for 17 years by now and ready to settle down to raising a family.  It was common for  the more established settler to take such a young bride.    They traveled from the Hawkesbury to Sydney with Maria being 7 months pregnant  for the ceremony with Rev Henry Fulton  performing the ceremony.  During the first 3 years of their marriage 2 children were born – Sophie in 1807 and Elizabeth in 1809.  Maria left Thomas and was not reconciled with him for another 14 years.  At that time there were many traumas with  floods and a major flood in 1809 which may have had a bearing on their relationship.

In 1821 he was given  a grant of land  in the Nepean  District on 50 acres of land  on the Castlereagh Road, given by Gov Macquarie in 1821. Markwell had received two grants of 50 acres, which by the 1828 census about a third was under cultivation. Unusually, Markwell also had 100 head of cattle and 700 sheep.

Perhaps this had a bearing on being reconciled with Maria.

In 1824 at the age of 31, once again Maria bore another daughter Ellen.  In 1826 their first son was born- Thomas, then John was born in 1828 .  Another daughter  Mary Ann was born in 1830. Then suddenly when Mary Ann was only one month old Maria passed away leaving  Thomas aged 53  with 4 small children under the age of seven.

His first daughters by this time was much older and no doubt helped their father with the upbringing of the younger children.   Elizabeth born in 1809 at this time was aged and Sophie  born in 1807 was aged had married  Henry Hewitt in April 1825 when her parent became reconciled. 

Thomas George Markwell 2^nd  was born on 27^th September 1826  aged 18,   married on the  16^th January, 1844 to Ann Esther Williams also aged 18 . Anne’s well known farming family was based in the Hawkesbury and  one of the first settlers to take stock over the range to the Liverpool Plains with George Cheshire.

The Markwells later settled in the area of  Wollombi.

George’s  Cheshires father Thomas,   aged 23 years old, also arrived in Australia in 1790 and came out with Joseph Perry charged with highway robbery for which they were sentenced to death, but commuted to transportation..  

At Yarramundi near Richmond, Thomas Cheshire  was murdered in 1824 aged 63 at the Markwells home after disturbing burglars. . George Cheshire’s  sister was Maria who had married Thomas Markwell in 1807.

Thomas Markwell 2^nd  had  8 children  - 4 daughters and 4 sons.  Eldest son Thomas George  was born in 1845.

Thomas at the age of 36 held the license for Rose Inn for 12 years from 1862 till 1870 when Edward Field took over the license. Thomas was 48 when he left the Inn business and the effect of changing circumstance due to Cobb and Co may have had an influence on the departure. He certainly was very wealthy due to the impact of the gold seekers travelling to the gold fields using his coaches and stopping at his Rose Inn.

Thomas’s brother John Markwell  kept a pub in Richmond and also had a house that he leased out on the  main Yarramundi road.  John & Thomas went to Mr Hogsfles’s school  with Mr Alfred Smith who published his recollections and memories in 1909.  John met an unfortunate end for he was found dead in the bush .  He went out for a load of wood and had it on and made a pot of tea.  He must have dropped dead or passed away very easily for he was found next morning resting with head on his arms near his billy.  His horses were standing there with the load on the dray and must have had a rough time standing all that time.

Thomas Markwell jnr  became the son-in law of  Thomas Cheshire.

Thomas Markwells children's history is interesting.

Elizabeth married George Pitt Wood at St. Peters, Richmond and they had 17 children over the next 25 years, 7 daughters and 10 sons.

Sophia married Henry Hewitt a farmer and publiccan.

Ellen married William Farlow who ran the  Waggon and Four Horses  in a two storey building.

Thomas  married Eather Williams whose family was the first to take  stock over the mountains.

John married Frances Skuthorpe whose family became well known in horses at Scone

Mary Ann married Thomas Marsden whose family was the Rev Samuel Marsden the chaplain.

Another Innkeeper:

John Perry

Held license for Perry’s Hotel, The One Tree Hill Inn

1870-1878

1879-1881 Anne C Perry

Perrys Hotel was erected by Henry Bell in 1834 and stood near the present Post Office. Originally it was built of galvanised iron.

John Pery was charged with  highway robbery along with Thomas Cheshire was to be the father- in –law of Thomas Markwell.  John Perry was to become the father of Ann Perry who married Jospeh Collit.