My Family Tree

William was born on Norfolk Island on 7th January 1792. He was officially recorded as William Gaskins. In 1805 he moved to Sydney. No trace of his trip to Sydney can be found, it is thought that he may have traveled as a crewmember on the ship. Evidence of his interest in boats exists and it is this interest that may have lead to his early death.
He married Sarah Squire at St. Philip’s Church, Sydney, on 1st May 1812. Sarah was born in Parramatta on 7th August 1795, the daughter of James Squires, a brewer and Elizabeth nee Meson. Also in 1812, William went into business as a publican, operating the Trafalgar Square Hotel in Princes Street; this is now the site of the Sydney Harbour toll-gates.
William became a carpenter and builder, as his father had been. On 16th November 1816, William, along with his brother, Nathaniel, went to Tasmania. William secured a one hundred acre land grant near Launceston, on which he grew hops, wheat and Barley. These were shipped to Sydney, the wheat being ground in his brother Nathaniel’s mill, with the barley and hops going to James Squire’s brewery.
Whilst they were in Tasmania, they also erected a windmill. They had also entered into a contract to build a goal. They also built a chapel. William and Nathaniel were also registered as boat builders; they built a number of boats including a Barque, which they named “Olivia” after their mother. The “Olivia” traded between Launceston and Sydney, carrying the hops and barley from the Lucas farms and wheat ground in the Lucas mill.
The “Olivia” was bound for Sydney from Launceston loaded with Wheat, coffee and potatoes when she was totally wrecked to the south of Two Fold Bay on 29th November 1827. She was driven ashore during a gale. The eight people aboard managed to reach shore on a raft, but it was ten days before the arrived Bateman’s Bay
In 1824 William gave evidence to a judicial inquiry into an incident at New Norfolk, in which a gang of bushrangers raided the homestead of the McCarthy family, whom William had known on Norfolk Island and had been visiting at the time. He signed his statement with an X.
William returned to New South Wales, where he spent the rest of his life, building in Sydney and Parramatta. His business failed and he was heavily in debt.
In July 1828 William was aboard a ship on Sydney Harbour. He was either knocked or accidentally fell overboard in Paisley Bay. There were suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, it is thought he may have been pushed overboard by some one he owed money. As in the case of his father there is no record of an inquest.
William’s poor business practice had left the family destitute. By the end of 1828 his son George had been left to his own resources. Whilst his Daughter Martha, and another son James were placed in the Orphanage at Cabramatta. His widow Sarah was only able to survive with the help of an assigned convict Charles Turtle.
William’s brother John was declared insolvent in September 1828 and was pursued by the Audit Office of the British Government. The Sheriff sold up his father Nathaniel’s land grant at Minto on the 24th March 1829. This forced his mother to return to Launceston.
Sarah died at Kingstown, New South Wales, on the 23rd May 1877. William and Sarah had six cchildren.
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Child 4. William Lucas Born 7th January, 1792. By James Donohoe.
William Lucas was born on the 7th January, 1792, the son of Nathaniel Lucas and Olivia Gascoigne, at Sydney, Norfolk Island. William was officially recorded by the Administration as William Gaskins, along with his elder sisters. His name reverted to William (Nathaniel) Lucas administratively on his transfer to Sydney in 1805.
As no trace can be made of his actual transport to Sydney nor to other locations where his presence was noted, it seems that he travelled as a crew member on the ship. Evidence of an interest in boats exists and this activity is seen as contributing to his early death.
William was illiterate. In 1824 William gave evidence to a judicial inquiry into an incident at New Norfolk, V.D.L., in which a number of bush rangers raided the homestead of the McCarthy family, whom William had known on Norfolk Island and had been visiting at the time. An “X” marked his Statement.
This is consistent too with his marriage registration. However he was a skilled tradesman.
In particular, he was recorded as a boat builder in his early years. It appears that his father taught him the art of carpentry along with his brothers and included boat building in skills passed on.
On the 1st May, 1812, William married Sarah Squire, the daughter of James Squire, a brewer and businessman of Kissing Point and Elizabeth Mason, at St. Philip’s Church of England, Sydney.
William entered business in 1812 as a Publican, operating the Trafalgar Square Hotel in Princes Street, now the site of the toll-gates on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. His first son George was born there. Probably his eldest daughter Sarah was born there too.
On the 16th November, 1816, William went to Launceston seeking building contracts. He was followed by his brother Nathaniel, then brother John. In 1817, his mother and her remaining children joined them. The boys secured a contract including the Goal there and a Chapel.
The family took a particular interest in hop, barley and wheat farming and it appears that Olivia took the family to Launceston to develop a supply of wheat which would synchronize with the family windmill operations at Liverpool still being run by Nathaniel. John also built a windmill at Liverpool called Brisbane Watermill which augmented production.
William purchased 900 acres of land from Robert Campbell and secured a further grant of 100 acres fronting the South Esk River at it's junction with the Meander River, south of Launceston, where the family grew wheat and some barley for the Squire Brewery.
Originally, the family shipped the grain to New South Wales on ships owned by their former neighbours in Sydney, John Palmer and Robert Campbell. Some family members returned to Sydney with their cargo from time to time.
William’s father Nathaniel died in April 1818 causing the family to return to New South Wales in July, 1818 to pay their respects and to tidy his affairs. His father at the time was heavily in debt. A Mr. John Terry took over the Administration of the estate.
The loss of the Liverpool operation changed the perspective of the family business and vested in William a greater responsibility for the various family's financial affairs, a role for which he was poorly equipped.
The land at Launceston was later alienated to Youl estate. However, his mother, sought and obtained a further grant of 100 acres in her own right. This allowed the wheat growing side of the business to continue.
William and Sarah had another three children while living in Launceston, William (1819), James Bradford (1820), and Martha (1822).
In due course, their building business and wheat farming activities failed. William then returned to Sydney aboard the cutter “Governor Arthur” in July 1826. Olivia followed about a week later, alone.
William and John recommenced business in Liverpool as builders and won a contract to build the Court House there in early 1827. Not long after commencing construction their business failed again.
Meanwhile, Sarah and her four surviving children returned to Liverpool, travelling to Sydney aboard the “Hetty”. When the business failed William got a job as a storekeeper. In September 1827, William and Sarah had another son, Nathaniel.
William’s business failures persisted throughout the first half of 1828. In the Sydney Gazette of the 30th May 1828, Richard Guise published a notice which mentioned that William had surreptitiously obtained notes from him and cautioned the public against negotiating them. He repeated the notice in the edition of the 4th June.
In July 1828 William was aboard a ship on Sydney Harbour. He was either knocked out or fell overboard while the ship passed Parsley Bay. His body was not recovered. There were suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. No records of an inquest have been found.
William’s poor business sense and early death rendered his family destitute. By the end of 1828 his son George had been left to his own resources (he stayed with his grandmother Olivia Lucas)., whilst his daughter Martha, and another son James were placed in the Orphanage at Cabramatta. Sarah was to survive only with the help of an assigned convict Charles Turtle.
William’s brother John was declared insolvent in September, 1828 and pursued by the Audit Office of the British Government until as late as 1844 for the advance for the Liverpool Court House construction. The Sheriff sold up Nathaniel’s land grant at Minto on the 24th March, 1829, forcing Olivia to return to Launceston
permanently.
Children of William Lucas and Sarah Squire.
A. George E. Martha
B. Sarah F. John
C. William G. Nathaniel
D. James Bradford