Personalities > Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones (? – 1799) soldier and murderer, was a private in the NSW Corps in 1795 when his officers awarded him 55 acres at the North Eastern tip of Pyrmont. Such land grants were made as an incentive to develop agriculture to make the colony self-sufficient in food. This grant – Jones’ Farm – required him to live on the land, clear and cultivate it. Seeing its poor potential, Jones stayed away, and sold the land to Sergeant Ikin, who sold it to John Macarthur as soon as he could.

In 1799 Jones and his wife were charged with murdering a missionary: convicted, they were hanged, but (unknowing) bequeathed their name to a street and a bay in an area not yet known as Pyrmont.