Launceston Historical Society

George Town and District Historical Society

West Tamar Historical Society

Way Back When...  People  Places  Events

The Reiby Brothers
 
Peter Cox

In August 1792 the convict transport Royal Admiral entered Port Jackson. Aboard was the convict Mary Haydock, an orphan who had been raised by her grandmother, and who, at the age of thirteen, had been convicted of horse stealing. This young convict would become the head of a great trading empire, and two of her sons were to number among the most respected colonists in Van Diemen's Land.

In 1794 Mary married Thomas Reibey, a sailor. Thomas was given land for a farm on the Hawkesbury River, and he also became a shipping merchant. The family moved to Sydney where they built a fine home, called “Entally” after a suburb of Calcutta, India. By the early 1800s Thomas owned several boats that traded between Sydney, the Hawkesbury and the Hunter River, and were engaged in sealing in Bass Strait. Following his death in 1811, Mary took over the business and she operated it successfully, as well as looking after her family of seven. Her shrewd financial dealings made her one of the richest people in the colony.

By then Mary's two eldest sons, Thomas and James, were old enough to help with the business. Both boys had been sent to sea, being prepared for their part in extending the Reiby mercantile empire. In 1815 the 19 year old Thomas, became master and owner of the schooner John Palmer, trading between Sydney and Launceston. He married Richarda Allen and in June 1817 sailed with his bride to take up land on the banks of the South Esk River, which he named “Entally”. Seventeen-year old James, disowned by his mother, left for Hobart Town in March 1816. There he married a widow, Rebecca Breedon, and they established a shop stocked with goods worth £40, obtained on credit.

At Launceston, Thomas prospered. He set up his merchant store on the banks of the North Esk River and in 1820 he built the first wharf of the fledgling port at the foot of St. John Street. He continued to skipper ships, taking wheat, seal skins, oil and vegetables to Sydney, and returning with general merchandise for sale at his store.

At the end of 1822 James closed his business in Hobart Town and moved north to enter into partnership with his brother. He had been driven out by the competition and low profits arising from the glut of goods brought in from England for sale by the new settlers. Nevertheless sensible financial management, aided by Rebecca's business acumen, enabled the transfer to Launceston to be easily made. These qualities also had brought a grudging acceptance of the marriage from Mary.

The two brothers decided to carry on business jointly at Launceston. James took up a land grant near to “Entally”, but he left the management of the farms to Thomas, while he concentrated on the merchandise and shipping business.

Thomas developed “Entally” into one of the foremost farms in the colony. The two brothers had over 3,000 acres of land, 500 head of cattle and 2,000 sheep. Thomas spent £600 on his house at “Entally”, built on the crest of a hill overlooking the South Esk River and the village of Hadspen. A sketch of “Entally” by Emma von Steiglitz in 1835 showed it as a one-story house, with stone towers at each end, allegedly with musket holes to defend the inhabitants from attack by bushrangers.

Unfortunately none of Mary Reiby's sons reached old age, and she outlived them all. James's health began to fail in the 1830s, and he died childless in 1845. Thomas died in 1842, but not before he had developed “Entally” into a rich estate, the income from which would enable his sons, also named Thomas and James, to live the life of gentlemen.

Illustration: Emma von Steiglitz' 1835 sketch of Entally House published in The Examiner, 8 June 1988, p.24.

An edited version of this article was published in The Examiner Saturday,10 December 2005, p.34 as

“Convict's sons forged a noteworthy empire”

Normal copyright provisions apply
Webmasters: you are welcome to use the information on this page by
linking to it, but you may not copy this page to post on another site.