Archibald Clunes Innes
Encyclopedia
Archibald Clunes Innes was a soldier and pastoralist from Thrumster, Caithness
, Scotland
. When he arrived in Australia in 1822 he was a captain in the Third Regiment (Buffs), on the ship “Eliza”, in charge of 170 convict
s.
Innes was a commandant at the Port Macquarie
penal settlement from November 1826 to April 1827. He then spent time in Sydney as brigade major before becoming a superintendent of police and magistrate at Parramatta, until 1829. Captain Innes returned in 1830 and settled on his grant of 2,568 acres (1,039 ha) of land near Port Macquarie where the 22 room Lake Innes house was built, using convict labour, in several stages between 1831 and 1843. In 1837 Innes had 85 convicts working for him at Port Macquarie. His wife Margaret, (daughter of Alexander Macleay
), was also an early grantee and received land at Crottys Plains on the Wilson River near Rollands Plains.
Major A.C. Innes owned Innestown on the Manning River
and Yarrows (Yarras) on the Hastings River
. He was one of the first squatters
in the New England
district when, in 1836, he held Waterloo Station. Some of his other New England properties included Kentucky
Station, Beardy Plains, Dundee Station and Furracabad Station. Furracabad station
was subsequently the site of the town of Glen Innes
, which was named after him and laid out in 1851.
During the 1830s, Innes was one of Australia's richest colonists. However, in the 1840s credit squeeze, he lost just about everything and became bankrupt in 1852. He was later an assistant gold commissioner and magistrate at Nundle
and later police magistrate at Newcastle, New South Wales
.
Archibald Innes died at Newcastle on 29 August 1857.
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. When he arrived in Australia in 1822 he was a captain in the Third Regiment (Buffs), on the ship “Eliza”, in charge of 170 convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
s.
Innes was a commandant at the Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Port Macquarie is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, located about north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. The city is located on the coast, at the mouth of the Hastings River, and has an estimated population of 44,313....
penal settlement from November 1826 to April 1827. He then spent time in Sydney as brigade major before becoming a superintendent of police and magistrate at Parramatta, until 1829. Captain Innes returned in 1830 and settled on his grant of 2,568 acres (1,039 ha) of land near Port Macquarie where the 22 room Lake Innes house was built, using convict labour, in several stages between 1831 and 1843. In 1837 Innes had 85 convicts working for him at Port Macquarie. His wife Margaret, (daughter of Alexander Macleay
Alexander Macleay
Hon. Alexander Macleay MLC FLS FRS was a leading member of the Linnean Society and a fellow of the Royal Society.Macleay was born on Ross-shire, Scotland, eldest son of William Macleay, provost of Wick...
), was also an early grantee and received land at Crottys Plains on the Wilson River near Rollands Plains.
Major A.C. Innes owned Innestown on the Manning River
Manning River
The Manning River is a river in the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia that flows through the Manning Valley. It is one of Australia's few large river systems not to be dammed for water supply purposes anywhere along its catchment...
and Yarrows (Yarras) on the Hastings River
Hastings River
The Hastings River is a large river on the Mid North Coast of the Australian state of New South Wales that empties into the Tasman Sea, a branch of the South Pacific Ocean, at Port Macquarie....
. He was one of the first squatters
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
in the New England
New England (Australia)
New England or New England North West is the name given to a generally undefined region about 60 kilometres inland, that includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The region has been occupied by Indigenous...
district when, in 1836, he held Waterloo Station. Some of his other New England properties included Kentucky
Kentucky, New South Wales
Kentucky is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The village is situated about to the south of Uralla and to the north west of Walcha and approximately off the New England Highway. Kentucky is located by rail from Sydney in Sandon County on the Northern...
Station, Beardy Plains, Dundee Station and Furracabad Station. Furracabad station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
was subsequently the site of the town of Glen Innes
Glen Innes, New South Wales
Glen Innes is a parish and town on the Northern Tablelands, in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the centre of the Glen Innes Severn Shire Council. The town is located at the intersection of the New England Highway and the Gwydir Highway...
, which was named after him and laid out in 1851.
During the 1830s, Innes was one of Australia's richest colonists. However, in the 1840s credit squeeze, he lost just about everything and became bankrupt in 1852. He was later an assistant gold commissioner and magistrate at Nundle
Nundle, New South Wales
Nundle is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Nundle Shire Local Government Area, but most of this area, including the village of Nundle, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. The village is 400 km north of Sydney and...
and later police magistrate at Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.
Archibald Innes died at Newcastle on 29 August 1857.