Thomas Hudson Beare (pioneer)


Thomas Hudson Beare, commonly referred to as T. H. Beare, was an early settler of South Australia, regarded as the colony's first storekeeper. His daughters Elizabeth and Arabella have each been cited as the first of the fleet to set foot on South Australian shores, and his wife Lucy as the first white woman to die in South Australia.

History

Thomas H. Beare of Netley, Hampshire, his wife Lucy, and their four children arrived at Kangaroo Island, South Australia aboard, one of the "First Fleet of South Australia", on 27 or 28 July 1836. Lucy, who had given birth on board the ship to a daughter who died shortly after, died within six weeks of giving birth again, this time to a healthy daughter, Mary Ann Beare.
Charlotte Hudson Beare, a sister of Thomas, was also a passenger. She married Samuel Stephens, the Colonial Manager, on 24 September 1836. This marriage, the second in the Colony and the source of much gossip on account of their age difference, was performed by Captain George Martin aboard the anchored at Nepean Bay.
Shortly after arrival, Beare, William Giles and Henry Mildred imported a batch of Merino ewes from Van Diemens Land to Kangaroo Island, some of the first brought into the colony, though stock losses on the unusually long trip aboard the were considerable.
In 1838 he purchased section 101, Hundred of Adelaide, and named it Netley, by which name the modern suburb is known.
He supported his brother-in-law John Wrathall Bull in his claim against John Ridley as the true inventor of the stripper, having built the prototype.
His widow raised their five remaining dependent children by teaching music, and died at the home of her step-daughter Mrs. F. E. Archer.

Family

Thomas Hudson Beare married Lucy Ann Loose in 1819. Their children included:
  • William Loose Beare JP married Agnes Charlotte Alston on 17 July 1854. He is remembered for using John Wrathall Bull's stripper, built by Samuel Marshall, to harvest wheat at "Netley", his father's property, and testifying to Bull's priority. He farmed at "Bungaree" station, then lived in Clare, where he built a fine house later owned by John Christison, retired to Glenelg.
  • Lucy Anne Beare married Francis Duval on 28 December 1843 and lived at Mypolonga. A report that she married again in 1860, to Thomas Howell Plummer, can be discounted. In her last weeks she was nursed by her friend Catherine Helen Spence, who acted as guardian to her five orphaned children.
  • Arabella Charlotte Beare, claimed to be first of the new settlers to set foot on Kangaroo Island, married G. H. Williams, solicitor, of Auburn, and Quorn. married solicitor George Edwin Williams on 8 September 1849, lived at Auburn.
  • Elizabeth Beare, also credited with being the first child ashore in South Australia, by order of captain Morgan and carried by second mate Bob Russell. She died from burns sustained at "Netley" when her dress caught fire
  • Girl child, name unknown, was born 1836 aboard, perhaps in South Australian waters, died on the same ship some time between 5 May 1836 and 27 July 1836. She has been claimed as South Australia's first white birth.
  • Mary Ann Beare married Frederick Edwards Archer on 29 December 1860. She acted as nurse to her step-mother.
Beare married again on 24 October 1840, to Lucy Bull, by whom he had nine children. She had emigrated with her brothers Joseph Bull and John Wrathall Bull and his family aboard Canton, which arrived in May 1838.