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Ballina & Richmond River GenWeb

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AINSWORTH

Captain Thomas Ainsworth b. 1812, Manchester (parents: Jonas Ainsworth & Susan), his wife <Helen Laverty (Lavaty), married 1841> & three children arrived in the Richmond area in 1847, from the South Coast. Thomas was transported to Australia as a convict, in 1831, then became shipwright, who owned his own small vessel 'Matilda Ann'. Thomas decided to settle his family in Ballina after bringing supplies from Sydney to the squatters on a number of occassions. On the return supply trips Thomas took tallow & cedar for sale for the settlers.

Thomas built the 'Sailor's Home' Hotel at East Ballina in 1853. It was here that the Mounted Police stayed before the massacre of Aborigines in the early 1850's. Thomas resided on North Creek before he drowned in the flood of 1864. He was only 53 years of age.

Thomas & Helen Ainsworth's children were James (1842), Jane & Susan. James married Christina Williams in 1863. Jane Ainsworth married Charles Coleman & Jane Ainsworth married James Ross.

James Ainsworth was one of the first selectors of North Creek. He was a sugar cane farmer, a timber getter & a carpenter. James retired to Ballina & served as an Alderman on the Ballina Council.

James & Christina had 7 sons & 4 daughters: Henry, James, Charles, William, George, Roy, Myrtle & Florence, although I only have 8 of them listed here.

* Lake Ainsworth at Lennox Head is named after this family.

* Below is a photo taken of the Ainsworth house in July, 2002.

Harold Allen, also known as Jump-Up Allen lived at East Wardell. Harold moved from Sydney to Wardell in about 1917 to cut cane. Elsie Crocket of Bega married Harold in 1920. Marie & Doris were their two children. Marie married Tommy Scroope & they had 8 children. An American serviceman named Charles Johnstone married Doris in 1914. They had 4 children in America.