(Material researched & presented by Barbara Armstrong)

[1806 - 1883]

Thomas was born in February 1806 at Exeter, Devonshire, England. According to his death record, his parents were John and Susan Osmond.

Although Thomas had a relatively simple surname, he has appeared in various records (postal directories, rate records) under various spellings: Osmond, Osmonde, Ormond, Ossment, Osmand and Ermond.

On 16 October 1833 Thomas married Hannah Rodbear Ridler at St Stephen, Exeter. Their first child, Anna Maria, was born in 1834 at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon, while Charles Henry was born in 1838 at Crediton, Devon, both villages being near Exeter. Bessey Ridler (or Riddler) Osmond was born in 1836 and christened on 1 January 1837 at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon. She died in 1839 at Crediton.

According to the shipping records, Thomas, Hannah and their two children arrived in Melbourne on 30 July 1841 aboard the Westminster. (Thomas stated that the date was 31 July. The discrepancy is possibly because of the date on which the passengers were able to step foot on land.) Thomas' obituary stated that he had brought with him a stock of medicines '... intending to open a chemist's shop in Melbourne, but not considering the time favourable, he turned his attention to the cultivation of grapes and fruit ...' However, according to the shipping records, Thomas was listed as being a gardener and labourer, while Hannah stated that she was a housekeeper. At this time, Thomas' occupation in England is unknown, although he did state that he had 'been a chemist in the old country'.

Thomas leased a piece of land from Captain Lonsdale, on the banks of the Yarra, where he established a nursery. The land where Thomas established his fruit-growing business is now that piece of the land on the Yarra known as the Como Estate. (This was obviously prior to the purchase of that land by Sir Edward Eyre Williams.) Business went well for two years ' ... but then floods came and swamped the garden, and he lost all.'

In 1845 twins Elizabeth and John Thomas were born.

Following the failure of his orchard business, Thomas became a grocer, stating that he had a large shop in Flinders Lane West almost opposite the short-lived Adelphi Hotel which was located between Queen and Elizabeth Streets. The 1847 Post Office directory stated that he was 'off Bourke Street', while the Electoral Roll for 1848/49 stated that he had a dwelling house in Flinders Lane.

In 1850 an advertisement said that he had a stock of British lace for sale and that he was in Swanston Street, opposite the Victoria Insurance Office. By 1852 his grocery business was in Little Collins Street East, 'near Protestant Hall'. Later advertisements stated that the address was 161 Little Collins Street East, which would mean that he was on the northern side between Spring Street and Exhibition Street (then known as Stephen Street), only a few doors from Exhibition Street. In 1853 Miss Osmond advertised her 'Seminary for Young Ladies' at the same address. Presumably this was his eldest daughter. She would have been about 19 or 20 years of age.

In August 1854 Thomas advertised the sale of 'Homœopathic Cocoa' and that Mr Goodwin had disposed of his remaining stock to Mr Osmond. (T.H. Goodwin, homœopathic chemist, lived just around the corner in Exhibition Street. Many years later when she was celebrating her 100th birthday, Mrs Osmond claimed that her husband was Melbourne's first homœopathic chemist in Victoria. However, this honour should go to Mr Thomas Hill Goodwin.)

By December 1854 Thomas was declared insolvent and his estate was being advertised for sale.

According to his obituary, for several years Thomas operated a business in coffee roasting and grinding, supplying the different stores. After selling that premises he went gold-digging at Blackwood but had no success.

According to the Post Office directory for 1862 Thomas Osmond and Miss Osmond's school were located at 175 Victoria Parade, East Collingwood, between Smith Street and Cambridge Street.

On 18 October 1863 their oldest son, Charles Henry, died at age 24. While working as a drover and living in Kyneton, he drowned while trying to cross the Campaspe River.

Richmond's Rate Records for 1862 show that the family had moved to Elizabeth Street, Richmond. In 1866 Thomas' occupation was given as 'gentleman', while from 1867 to 1869 he was listed as 'teacher'. At that time Miss Osmond's school was listed in the Post Office Directories as being in Drummond Street, Carlton. Thomas appeared in Collingwood's Rate Records for February 1865, occupying a wooden grocer shop in Victoria Street. The confusion between locations and occupations could indicate that he was trying several opportunities to get ahead.

In 1868 Thomas had three entries in the Richmond Rate Records - one in Elizabeth Street and two on the southern side of Victoria Street. He had a grocery store in Victoria Street and was also leasing a property for a jam factory near the corner of Regent Street. His occupation was listed as 'jam manufacturer' with a yard and factory sheds. By 1871 the rate records show that he owned the brick residence next to the jam factory.

However, this venture also turned out to be disadvantageous. In February 1871 Thomas advertised the sale of all stock, plant and fittings for his jam manufacturing business. Nevertheless, Osmond's Jam Factory continued business through to 1873, with Thomas advertising for a man and boy to make jam pies, as well as 'a lad accustomed to label jam tins'.

By June 1873 his son, John Thomas, had established his own homœopathic pharmacy in Kew.

According to Thomas' obituary, in 1874 Thomas commenced business as a homœopathic chemist in High Street, St Kilda. In fact, he appeared as a chemist in St Kilda's Rate Records for December 1873, renting a shop and residence.

Thomas Osmond died on 22 October 1883. He had seen enormous changes to Melbourne during his lifetime. Walking back home in the evenings from Melbourne to his orchard on the Yarra (now in the area of Toorak/South Yarra), they saw nothing except an odd cow. In 1847, several years before the official announcement of the discovery of gold in Victoria, Thomas had evidence that gold was to be found. He had sold groceries to a person who showed him large quantities of mica, which Thomas knew usually indicated that there was plenty of gold nearby.

John Batman had died before Thomas and his family arrived in Melbourne, but the family knew Mrs Batman and her daughters very well. They were also acquainted with John Pascoe Fawkner and his wife. Mr Fawkner acted as god-father to their eldest daughter.

Hannah Osmond lived to be 103, dying in 1911. It was she who reported many of their early experiences in Victoria.

©   Barbara Armstrong

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