Ashford, Thomas — Streets of Bunbury

(c. 1813-1873)

Thomas Ashford was a boatman and publican born around 1813 (reference; reference). However, according to the Western Australian Bicentennial Dictionary he was born in 1807. The dictionary also states he arrived in the area on the Parkfield, that he was a shoemaker in Australind and an agent for the Inquirer newspaper at Bunbury in 1850. He first appears in the newspapers in 1853, advertising a cottage to let in Bunbury that contained five rooms and a well that provided excellent water (reference). In 1856 he announced in The Inquirer and Commercial News newspaper that he was a licensed boatman of Bunbury who would be shipping goods for a price (reference).

In 1857 Thomas signed a petition against the introduction of Female Convicts to the Swan River Colony (reference). In 1858 he travelled to Perth from Bunbury on the cutter Zillah (reference).

Thomas left the colony from Bunbury in 1861 but returned to work with William Spencer (reference). Thomas Ashford was a contractor for the old Commissariat building on Arthur Street in partnership with William Spencer (reference). Thomas and William Spencer partnered in other ventures in Bunbury, including the Wellington Hotel (reference). The partnership between the two as hotelkeepers of the Wellington Hotel was dissolved on 31 December 1872 (reference). Thomas and William had previously dissolved partnerships, such as in 1862 (reference). According to the Western Australian Bicentennial Dictionary Thomas worked as an innkeeper in partnership with his son between 1869 to 1872.

Thomas was also a part of the community. He donated four Spanish silver coins dating between 1721 to 1726 to the Swan River Colony museum in 1867, which became the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip (reference). He also purchased some of the shipwrecks in Bunbury to salvage the timber (reference).

Thomas died on 24 October 1873 at 60 years old (reference).