Captain John Finnis

Capt Finnis
Capt John Finnis (1802-1872)
Master Mariner, Pioneer,
and Pastoralist

Association with Hahndorf

johnfinnis.jpeg

In January 1839 W. H. Dutton, on behalf of himself, Duncan MacFarlane, and John Finnis, bought the first South Australian special survey, as a result of which each partner acquired 1250 acres (506 ha) at Mount Barker and allotments in the near-by township. Part of John Finnis's share was later sold to the original German settlers which resulted in the creation of the township of Hahndorf.

(From Reg Butler´s Notes) - FINNIS, John (1802-1872). Finnis first came to South Australia in 1838 with Captain Sturt, in charge of overlanding cattle. He established a station on the present site of Hahndorf for fattening beasts for market. Early the next year, Finnis joined with WH Dutton and L McFarlane in the purchase of the First Special Survey, which included the Hahndorf station. The first Hahndorf settlers worshipped in one of Finnis’s stockman’s huts. During the 1840s, he captained vessels trading passengers and goods between Britain and Australia and New Zealand; later, his ship took South Australian miners bound by sea to and from the Victorian gold diggings.

Spelling of Name and Confusion

In his publication 'Captain John Finnis 1802-1872, A Brief Biographical Sketch', after carrying out research in England, Harold J. Finnis states :-
"The Church records, extant from the beginning of the seventeenth century, contain references to the name Finnis, with variations in spelling from time to time. In 1623, a baptism in the name Phinnis is recorded; then occurs Phineis, Phinees, Fineas, Finnes, till 1726, after which the spelling becomes established as Finnis, with an occasional terminal double 's' as the only variation."

It should be noted that there has been a certain amount of confusion and incorrect attribution between Capt. John Finnis and Boyle Travers Finniss in a number of publications and references. This includes the spelling of the respective surnames with the single and double terminal 's' being applied to each of the above at times in an incorrect manner.

Information received by A.M. Finnis from Bruce Ingram states -
In a 60 page booklet on Boyle Travers Finniss by Jenny Booth and Keith Borrow, on the first page the authors state :-
"The family name was Finnis, but his father, Captain John Finniss, added an 's' to avoid the French pronunciation of his name as 'finis'."
The note to this statement gives as a reference a letter from Lt. Colonel A.F. Weymss to cousin Muriel in Adelaide, 6 August 1961. (note: the Captain John Finnis(s) above is not the same person as the Captain John Finnis under discussion)

References

Harold J. Finnis (1889-1980) carried out considerable research into early pioneers of South Australia. His following publication provides a major source of information re Capt. John Finnis.

Other references available regarding Captain John Finnis include :-


Information Compiled by A.M. Finnis

The following are mainly extracts from the Finnis Genealogy Database plus additional information

Family Tree (part only)

Master Mariner

John Finnis was indentured at the age of 12 to Thomas Mercer of London, England to train as a mariner. His first command was in 1826 of the vessel 'Thomas'.
In 1830, Captain John Finnis arrived in Sydney, Australia, to engage in whaling in the Southern Fishery, which was at its height during the subsequent period. Initially, in partnership with J. Montefiore, he owned the barque 'Elizabeth' of 269 tons, visiting Ebon Atoll, Marshal Islands as a whaler on 16 October 1833. (-1-)
He returned from the sperm fishery to Sydney 25 November 1833, and subsequently, in 1836 he had charge of the 'William Wallace'.
In 1838, John Finnis arrived in Adelaide, South Australia in the 'John Pirie' with his wife and family, and set up residence. (-2-) (-3-)
He then took charge of the 'King Henry', a brig of 160 tons, taking passengers and cargo to New Zealand, returning to Port Adelaide in September, 1842.
In 1843, John Finnis purchased the schooner 'Joseph Albino' and sailed for Hobart Town and New Zealand, returning to Port Adelaide in January, 1844. (-4-)
A further voyage to Hobart and New Zealand ensued, followed by several to Port Lincoln and Spencer Gulf ports.
Late in 1844 and again in 1847, the 'Joseph Albino' sailed to London, Cape of Good Hope, Agra Paquina and Mauritius, finally returning to Port Adelaide in April 1849. (-5-)
In June 1849, the 'Joseph Albino' commanded by Thos. Allen set sail with passengers and mixed cargo for the gold fields in America. On arrival in California, the 'Joseph Albino' was siezed by the American Government and, despite representations on his behalf by the Australian Government, was never to be returned to John Finnis.
In 1850, he was master of the ´Jane Flaxman´ sailing between Adelaide and Yorke Peninsula and Port Lincoln, South Australia.

Overlander and Pastoral Pioneer

In 1838, Captain John Finnis as a principal owner brought 400 cattle overland from Sydney with Captain Sturt. He was in charge of the team which included George McLeod, Giles Strangeways and Robert Flood. He described the journey from Sydney as one of 'extreme anxiety, disgust and misery.'
He subsequently took up landholding at Mount Barker with Hampden Dutton, and brought 25,000 sheep overland in three flocks in 1839.
John Finnis introduced New Zealand flax to South Australia, for which he received a vote of thanks by the committee of the first Agricultural Show held in Adelaide.
John Finnis was South Australia's largest northern squatter at one time, with 12,000 sheep at Mount Dispersion, where he had moved due to the uncontrolled outbreak of scab amongst the sheep at Mount Barker. Mount Dispersion was later renamed, forming part of the Dutton property which became famous in pastoral circles as 'Anlaby'.

Mount Barker and Hahndorf

The very first application for a 'Special Survey' in South Australia was granted to W.H. Dutton, D. McFarlane and John Finnis on 11 January 1839. This involved fifty 80 acre sections in the Mount Barker district of South Australia of which four were set aside for the township of Mount Barker and three conveyed to Osmond Gilles (the Colonial Treasurer).
Ballots were held between the three partners for single sections and for suburban and township allotments.

(from Reg Butler´s Notes) - FIRST SPECIAL SURVEY. GF Angas, Chairman of the South Australian Company, had insisted on the inclusion of Special Survey land sales in the South Australian land regulations issued in 1835. However, Governor Gawler was the first person to put this idea into action. He sold the First Special Survey to Messrs Dutton, Finnis and McFarlane on 11 January 1839. The partners paid £4,000 in advance for the survey of 15,000 acres in the vicinity of present-day Mount Barker; these men had the first choice of 4,000 acres and the rest was sold to the public at the uniform price of £1 an acre. Nearly forty Special Surveys were made until Governor Grey successfully urged the abolition of the scheme.

Extracts from 'Aussie Heritage - Mt Barker Urban Conservation Area'

The first special survey in South Australia was undertaken in the Mount Barker district in 1839 on behalf of William Dutton, Duncan MacFarlane and John Finnis. In 1840 the partners had the township of Mount Barker surveyed and then offered most of their land for sale. The town developed as a large rural centre offering a wide range of services to surrounding areas. During recent years the population of the town has increased significantly and there is a need to protect the character of historical precincts while still allowing necessary development.
History and Significance
The first recorded sighting of Mount Barker was made by Captain Sturt from the lower reaches of the River Murray on 9 February 1830. At that time Sturt thought that the hill was Mount Lofty, but a report made by Captain Collett Barker in 1831 corrected this mistake. Captain Barker was later killed by aborigines near the Murray Mouth and Mount Barker was named in his honour. Mount Barker was first ascended by Europeans in November 1837 when (Sir) John Morphett and five other men spent two days exploring the area. By 1838 the district was being used by overlanders from New South Wales who took advantage of the good pasture to rest their herds near the end of their journey. By the end of 1838 a number of squatters had settled in the district. Descriptions of the area at that time were consistent in their praise of the fertility of the soil and the excellence of the pasture, and many thought of it as some of the best land to be found in Australia.
In 1835 a regulation had been issued allowing anyone who purchased a minimum of 4,000 acres (1619 ha) in South Australia to order a special survey of any compact district of up to 15,000 acres (6070 ha), and to select his land from the survey area. The Colonial Commissioners would direct the survey and lay out a town on a site not exceeding 576 acres (233 ha) which had been selected by the original purchaser. It was not until 1839 that the first Special Survey was ordered. On January 1839 William Hampton Dutton purchased 4000 acres for himself and two equal partners, and ordered a special survey of the district of Mount Barker. A plan of that survey was exhibited on 5 November 1839. Dutton and his partners were then allowed three weeks to select their land, after which the remaining 11,000 acres were opened for public purchase.
William Duttons partners were Duncan Mac''''''Farlane and John Finnis. John Finnis had first seen the area when he travelled overland with Captain Sturt in 1838, and by the time the special survey was ordered he had already set up a cattle station in the Mount Barker district. William Dutton and Duncan Mac......Farlane both arrived in Adelaide on the brig Parland on 26 December 1838, only two weeks before the survey was ordered. At that time interest in the Mount Barker district was high and Duttons purchase of the requisite amount of land preceded two other applications for special surveys in the district by only a few hours. One of these was made by John Barton Hack, a squatter in that area, who was also one of the members of the first party to ascend Mount Barker. The other application was made on behalf of the South Australian Company.
Of the fifty 80 acre (32 ha) sections selected by Dutton and his partners four sections were set aside for a township and a further three were set aside for Osmond Gilles, the Colonial Treasurer at the time of the survey. Of the four township sections one was divided into half acre allotments (0.2 ha) with reserves set aside for churches and schools (Section 4477), while the adjoining three were divided into 5 acre allotments (2.0 ha). The township was named after Mount Barker which is located about 5.5 km to the east. In April 1840 most of the land owned by Dutton, MacFarlane and Finnis was offered for sale in England. Other than attractive descriptions of the land itself, incentives to buy land included the availability of reliable domestic and agricultural labour from the nearby town of Hahndorf. This township, which lay within the survey area, had been settled by Silesian migrants with the assistance of William Dutton. Another advantage was that roads to New South Wales, Lake Alexandrina and Port Phillip country passed through the district.

Other Involvements

The 'Great Eastern Road' between the Mount Barker District in South Australia and the overland road to New South Wales and Port Phillip was commenced in January, 1841. John Finnis, then of Mount Barker, was appointed one of the Trustees for the finances and for collecting tolls for this project.
In 1844, Captain John Finnis was involved as an expert witness on a 'Legislative Council Enquiry regarding the Pilot Service at Port Adelaide.'
In 1849, he was appointed by the Colonial Secretary, Charles Sturt, on a wide ranging Commission 'to enquire and report on certain shipping places on the coast and rivers of South Australia.'
In November 1858, due to the inability of one James Allen, John Finnis produced the first volume of Hansard for the responsible Government in South Australia.

Retirement

Captain John Finnis lived in retirement for a number of years at Franklin Street, Adelaide, South Australia.
He journeyed back and forth to Rock Ferry, Liverpool, England for a while until his death in 1872.

The Person

In 'The Pastoral Pioneers of South Australia' it is stated :-
--- but it is clear that he had serious misunderstandings with his business associates, and his letters contain references to 'dirty works'. BR When a mariner (in the whaling industry) he was known as 'The Pirate'.
Mr A.T. Saunders says that, from his spelling, Mr Finnis was an uneducated man, but he was brainy and forceful, and seems to have done well financially.

Harold J. Finnis in his publication 'Captain John Finnis - A Brief Biographical Sketch' states :-
It would be difficult to deny that he was a man possessed of considerable courage; the very nature of his chosen vocation as a seaman demanded that quality. Nor must it be forgotten that he captained merchant vessels and whaling vessels at an early age whilst yet in his very early twenties. In the days of sails and the days of whales the lot of the Commander was no easy one. Only too frequently the management of his crew threw a heavier load on his shoulders than did the navigation of his vessel. John Finnis appears to have succeded in both. His selection by the owners to take over the command of the 'King Henry', whilst the displaced Captain still remained on board, suggests that his employees on this occasion had ample confidence in his ability to handle a delicate situation that might develop considerable difficulties at any moment.
It would appear that he held strong views and held them strongly. Witness his evidence before the Committee of the Legislature on the question of the Pilot Service at Port Adelaide. There is no suggestion of hesitancy in his opinion as set out there. His expressed attitude toward the aborigines, and the policy of the Government in relation thereto, equally left no room for doubt.
His overland journeys with sheep and cattle from Sydney to Adelaide, more particularly that of 1838 in partnership with Captain Sturt, suggests a capacity for physical endurance, more especially as he was more used to the sea than to the saddle. The same journey affords evidence of an impetuosity which may well have been characterestic.
also,
There is little record of John Finnis as a participant in public affairs. However, he contributed toward semi-public activities, as the overland journey of E.J. Eyre to Western Australia, the erection of the Church and School at Hahndorf, the 'S.A. Church Building Society'. He made a gift of a bell weighing 262 lb., with the inscription, 'cast in the foundry of W. Pybus & Son, North Terrace', to the Church of St. James, Blakiston.

Michael S Finnis (great great grandson) has in his possession a silver goblet once belonging to Captain John Finnis on which is embossed a crest (family crest?) under which is the motto --- 'FINNIS CORONET OPUS'

Capt. John Finnis - Master Mariner, Pioneer, and Pastoralist

The following are extracts from 'The Register' newspaper of articles by A.T. Saunders BR (These include extracts from the ship's log of the 'Joseph Albino' and miscellaneous letters by Capt. John Finnis)

[I] - An Old Book - 'The Register', Adelaide, Friday, February 6, 1925

In the West Terrace Cemetery, on the south side of the main road, is one of the most striking tombs, and it holds the remains of Capt. John Finnis, of the merchant service, a not very well educated but forceful man, who was known as 'The Pirate'. He was a companion of Capt. Sturt in the journey with cattle in 1838 from New South Wales to South Australia, being in fact the principle partner in that venture. He had an interesting career which I hope to retell and amplify in your columns some day. Thanks to Mr Ernest Whitington, of The Register literary staff, I have a book in which are copies of letters written for and signed by this Capt. John Finnis, which letters, no doubt, were written from his dictation, and are not only interesting, but also are of historic value, but which I shall not now deal with.

In the life of Capt. Sturt by Mrs Napier George Sturt, on page 136, Mrs Sturt writes that the 1838 overland party comprised Capt. Sturt, Clive Strangways, brother of T. Brewes Strangways, then Colonial Secretary of South Australia, Mr McLeod (who copied, and no doubt wrote, Capt. Finnis's Letters - McLeod was a friend of Capt. Sturt, they were together on Norfolk Island), and Capt. B.T. Finniss, of the merchant service. Mrs Sturt mixes up the army Capt. Boyle Travers Finniss, the Surveyer and subsequently, Acting Governor of this State, whose name ended with double 's' and John Finnis, the master mariner, whose name ended with one 's' and it is the later of whom I write.

Capt. Finnis, who had married the widow of Col. Cameron, and who was therefore stepfather, and whose wife was the mother of Mrs G.S. Kingston, the mother of Charles Cameron Kingston, brought his wife to Adelaide per the John Pirie (13/11/1838), and settled in North Adelaide, in the house of Mr G.S. Kingston.

On December 20, 1841, 'the brigantine King Henry, 160 tons, Capt. A. Drysdale, arrived here from Greenock, and was evidently in financial trouble, for The Register (8/10/1842) has an announcement of an auction of her, consequent on a bottomry bond for £1,000. She was, on arrival from Greenock, consigned to Messrs Frew, after whom Frewville was named, and evidently the captain of her (Drysdale) was removed by the firm of Frew, and Capt. John Finnis put in charge of her. She was apparently chartered by Gorton & Andrews (was the latter E.W Andrews of The Register; I think so, and also that he was connected with the Frew family), and some long delay occurred, as the date of the following letter shows, for she did not sail till 14/3/1842, and then under the command of Capt. John Finnis.

A Troubled Letter-writer

Copy of letter found on board the brig King Henry, addressed to the passengers by Gorton and Andrews, the charterers of the King Henry: BR February 23, 1842. To the passengers per King Henry, BR Gentlemen - We have just received your letter of the 21st, and lose not any time in replying to it. You must be well aware that the detention of the vessel cannot be ascribed to any fault of ours, but arose from circumstances over which we had no control. We have now the pleasure of informing you that arrangements are in the course of completion which will enable us to get her off shortly, and in the meanwhile we have to assure every passenger on board that, however great the loss may be to ourselves, we will take care that none shall be a loser, either in rations or comforts, by the delay which has unfortunately occurred. BR Gorton and Andrews.

Apparently Capt. Drysdale was on board, and in a miserable plight, as appears in Capt. Finnis's letter from Rapid Bay. BR Brig. King Henry, Rapid Bay, March 19, 1842. BR James Frew, Esq, Adelaide. BR Dear Sir - After beating about till Thursday night against winds and heavy sea, I was compelled to bring up at this place with the loss of a small boat from the stern and all the boats adrift on deck. I have put all to rights, filled up the casks with water, and only wait a change in the weather to start again. I find the ship is very short of sails, therefore I am compelled to be cautious and careful of them. The noble captain is on board, but as yet I have not seen him; he is living on the bounty of the steerage passengers, and as long as he remains quiet I will not interfere with him. There is every appearance of a change. BR In haste - John Finnis.

An Opinion of Auckland

Capt. Finnis gives a decided opinion respecting Auckland in the following letter. The Capt. Porter mentioned was evidently the owner of the brigs Dorset and Porter, who had settled in Port Lincoln by 1840, and sunk his money, and who bulks largely in the early history of Port Lincoln. BR Bay of Islands (N.Z.), May 20, 1842 BR J. Frew, Esq, Adelaide BR Dear Sir - I am happy to inform you that the brig is safe in this port. I sailed from that damned place Auckland on Sunday last, and I certainly must say of all the places that a man could bring a ship to that is the worst for landing cargo and the impositions of the different parties you have to deal with. Unless the goods were landed by the ship's boats and laid at the store for them, they would not take them. The consequence is my boat is pretty well knocked to pieces, and the detention of the ship is more than the freight is worth. In consequence of a letter given the passengers I brought to that place by Mr. Andrews, I have had a benefit with them, and has been the means of detaining the ship longer at that place than I otherwise should have stopped. But this will be explained on my arrival at Adelaide. There was not the least chance of selling the brig at that place or anything else, for a good reason - there is no cash in the place. I made Capt. Porter take three tons of salt at £6 per ton to pay a part of the ship's expenses, and that not being enough, I was compelled to draw on the manager of the Bank of South Australia for £13 4/. You will oblige me by attending to this draft for fear I should not have funds in the bank to meet it. - John Finnis

The King Henry and Capt. Finnis arrived in Port Adelaide from Hobart (2/9/1842), when Capt. Finnis gave up command of her, and she made several voyages to and from Port Lincoln under Capts. Long and Robertson. BR The schooner Joseph Albino, Capt. Hannah, arrived (25/6/1843) at Port Adelaide from Great Britain, and in the papers of 14/7/1843 is advertised for sale. Capt. John Finnis bought her, and in 1849 she sailed for California with gold seeking passengers, and was there siezed by the U.S.A. customs, and abandoned by her crew. Capt. Thomas Allen was her master, and as he could do no better he left her at anchor in San Francisco with no one on board, and returned to Port Adelaide in the Mazeppa.

Curious Entries

On September 29, 1843, the Joseph Albino commanded by Capt. John Finnis, sailed from Port Adelaide for Hobart Town and New Zealand, and Capt. Finnis had with him his letter book, the blank leaves of which he used to note in pencil his sights for latitude and longitude, the chronometer time, and usual nautical notes. BR The first entry is Tuesday 12/12/1843, which and for some time simply records the figures for navigation. BR The schooner arrived at Hobart (1/10/1843), and sailed for New Zealand (10/10/1843). BR On January 2, 1844, he writes - Dam bad weather and no luck. He was then apparently bound to Port Adelaide from New Zealand, and arrived at Port Adelaide 27/1/44. BR He notes (26/1/44) - Past the Pages 10 am. BR I was asked why these rocks of Kangaroo Island are called 'The Pages'. I do not actually know, but the reason seems clear. The Antechamber Bay is in Kangaroo Island, and the 'Pages' were usually found in or near the antechambers of royalty and the nobility, and hence Antechamber and Page. BR The next voyage was again to Hobart and New Zealand, and the schooner sailed from Port Adelaide 4/4/44, the first entry being 4/4/44 - Mount Lofty east by south 18 miles. BR Tasman head was N.N.E. six miles (11/4/1844), and the next entry is 25/4/44. So the schooner had evidently arrived at and sailed from Hobart. BR May 6, 1844 - King's Island N by E 20 miles. he writes, missing evidently The 'Three Kings' north of New Zealand, as he is 172 53 east, but 17/5/44 Capt Bret (Brett) is N.W. by W. 10 miles , and he notes that his position is correct by the chronometer within two miles. BR The entry 8/6/44 the schooner being bound for Port Adelaide, where she arrived 27/8/44, laden with wool, whalebone, copper ore from the Montacute Mine, and other goods. BR The Joseph Albino. Capt. John Finnis, sailed from Port Adelaide December 11, 1844, and the first entry is 15/12/44 :- Mount Lofty east. The next day the schooner was off Port Marsden. BR On Wednesday 26/12/44, he notes - Strong west winds, heavy seas; plum pudding plenty and be --- to you all thou a foul wind. BR On 1/2/1845, he notes - Blowing and the sun obscured first day of the new year. BR From 31/12/44 to 6/1/45 he had no observations. BR He notes on 6/1/45 - This day the sun observed, and this day at daylight got the S.E. trade and strong breezes and fine light winds, all sails set. 26.33, 89.37 east. BR On Wednesday, 22/1/45, he writes - All sail set, the current setting to the S.W. Dam good. BR Next Day, he writes - Light breeze sand fine pleasant weather, all sails set and all hearts glad. I want a little more wind to make passage to the Cape (Good Hope) in 50 days. BR 24/1/45 he writes - Fine winds, all set, dam good run. BR On 3/2/45 he writes - Squally with rain, dam bad for the ropes and sail. BR On 4/2/45 - Dam good I see but not for me. BR On Sunday 9/2/45 - Cape west 27 miles. he records. BR On Friday 21/2/45 - I was too dam lazy to take the sights. and Little due (do) they think I am so far on my passage. BR Saturday 1/3/45 - Light winds and cloudy, all in sight; dam good. This night Paddy will be dam drunk and no go. BR On 6/3/45 - 20.00 west. BR 7/3/45 - South wind and cloudy, dam good luck, this day I will steer due north and I due (do) not want to make more than 30 west. BR 21/3/45 - Squally, dam bad. BR 1/4/45 - At midnight, fine. Gave her the rags. BR 3/4/45 - Squally weather, much rain and cold at 8 p.m., increasing gales, shipping a deal of water; at 10 p.m. tremendous sea on, in trysail and fore-topmost sail, down mainsail. At midnight sea breaking over ship, in fore topsail, and stowed the mainsail, set the try-sail, and at 1 a.m. set the fore topmast stay-sail; ship labouring very much, At 9.30 a.m. set the storm mainsail, and put all to rights, making but little water. BR 6/3/45 - Dam bad weather. BR Friday is entered twice as 11/3/45 and 12/3/45. Apparently this was the day the last sights were taken during the voyage, as no others were recorded, and 4.12 west, and dam good luck, close the record.

The Joseph Albino loaded in London for Port Adelaide where she arrived on December 8, 1845, still commanded by Capt. John Finnis. BR July 8, 1845 - Of ( Off) Margate is the first entry. BR 17/8/45 - Ten days getting 400 miles, dam bad. BR 9/10/45 - Tabel (Table) Mountain S. 35 miles. BR 27/10/45 - Capetown S.W. 2 miles, all sail set for sea. BR After she arrived at Port Adelaide from London, the Joseph Albino made three or four voyages to Port Lincoln and Spencer's Gulf from Port Adelaide under Capt. Finnis. BR The last navigational note is dated Saturday, January 31, 1846, and she seems to have been near Port Germein, 137.30 east and 33 south. BR Port Spencer, which is mentioned, I do not recognise. BR The note is as follows:- BR Port Spencer, west 10 miles. By the appearance of the entrance I should say it is a safe harbour, and room for all the ships in the world. The ranges much higher than Mount Lofty Range, and all the appearance of a fine (cannot read two words), and grassy hills, with a gentle slope towards the coast; the shoals run at least three miles from the shore. The entrance of the port is like that of Adelaide, but much wider, with a bar; not less than three fathoms in the channel. By information received, the country is well watered near the landing place. Water in abundance; saw smoke in the ranges. The entrance in this port appears from the bar when the ship is anchored to be about N.N.E. till you are abreast of a lowly point on the larboard hand, within one cable's length. At high water then steer west, then you will have a sandbank on the starboard hand about one mile; from the ship from the bar to the lowly point about one and a half miles, as it appears from the masthead.

"Brainy and Forceful"

Finnis, was from his spelling, an uneducated man, but he was brainy and forceful, and seems to have done well financially, being connected through his wife's relations with the Duttons, the Kingstons, Dr Bennett of Sydney, and Dr R. W. Moore of Adelaide. BR Perhaps Capt. P. Weir, the Port Adelaide harbourmaster, can recognise "Port Spencer" and can tell The Register readers where it is.

[II] - More Historical Letters - 'The Register', Adelaide, Friday, April 24, 1925

Adelaide, South Australia, 1/11/1838 BR David Salmon, Esq., New Zealand, BR My dear Salmon - BR You may remember before leaving Sydney I was preparing myself for a journey overland to this province, which I accomplished after a most fatiguing and uncomfortable quarter of a year's travelling. BR I started from one of the last stations out of the boundaries of New South Wales on the 23/5/1838, with 400 head of cattle and a few sheep - the latter for consumption on the road - and encountered difficulties that required no little labour and perseverance to overcome.

Dislike of Whaling

Dealings in Cattle

References to Capt. Sturt

"Anxious to Go Squatting"

Hot Days

Tenders for Drays

Buying Grain

Trouble with Stray Cattle

"Dirty Work"

[III] - More Historical Letters - 'The Register', Adelaide, Friday, May 8 1925

Hard Times

Looking After Stock

A Title to Land

"Very Singulary"

A Reported "Bolter."

[IV] - More Historical Letters - 'The Register', Adelaide, Friday, May 16, 1925

Fragment of a Letter to E.W. Cameron

Finnis, John (1802 - 1872)

Extract from Australian Dictionary of Biography (Online Edition)

FINNIS, JOHN (1802-1872), master mariner, pastoralist and overlander, was born on 3 December 1802 at Dover, Kent, England, the second son of Gilbert Finnis and Elizabeth, née Nash. In January 1814, John Finnis was indentured to Thomas Mercer, shipowner, with whom he trained for five years as a mariner. On his first command he sailed the Thomas in 1826 from Cape Town to St Helena. In 1830 he came to Australia, and established himself in Spring Street, Sydney. Next year with J. B. Montefiore, he acquired the barque Elizabeth, 269 tons, in which he engaged in whaling in the southern fisheries, once returning with as many as 1200 barrels of sperm oil. In 1836 he sailed in charge of the Sir William Wallace, also whaling in southern waters.

In 1838 Finnis temporarily forsook the sea for the saddle, and with Captain Charles Sturt rode overland with 300 head of cattle which they had speculatively purchased in New South Wales for sale in Adelaide. On reaching Adelaide, Finnis established a cattle saleyard on West Terrace, and a cattle station at Mount Barker. He promptly returned to Sydney, and by early winter of 1839 was again on his way overland to Adelaide, this time with several mobs aggregating 25,000 sheep and 7000 head of cattle. In 1840, to escape scab, he moved 12,000 sheep from Mount Barker to Mount Dispersion station (Anlaby), some sixty miles (97 km) north-east of Adelaide. In January 1839 W. H. Dutton, on behalf of himself, Duncan Macfarlane, and John Finnis, bought the first South Australian special survey, as a result of which each partner acquired 1250 acres (506 ha) at Mount Barker and allotments in the near-by township. Part of John Finnis's share was later sold to German settlers.

Finnis's land dealings also extended to New Zealand, where, during his whaling days, he bought from the Maoris an area of 571 acres (231 ha) in the Bay of Islands; he lost his title through absence overseas when required by the New Zealand administration to register the purchase. Finnis returned to the sea in 1842, first as captain of the King Henry, and in 1843 as owner of the Joseph Albino, in which he carried passengers and cargo between England, Australia and New Zealand. He sent the ship in 1849 to California, where it was seized by the American government, and despite representations to Viscount Palmerston, was never seen again by its owner. Two years later Finnis acquired the Petrel and carried gold-diggers from Adelaide to Victoria. In 1845 he gave evidence before the committee on the pilot service at Port Adelaide, and in 1849 he was appointed to the commission to 'enquire into and report on certain shipping places on the coast and Rivers of South Australia'.

Not altogether willingly, Finnis became the publisher of the first volume of Hansard of the Houses of Parliament of South Australia. On the security of parliament's contract with James Allen to print the debates, Finnis advanced a sum of money to Allen, who failed to carry out his contract. On Finnis, therefore, fell the task of compiling Hansard mostly from newspaper reports, in which he was assisted by John Curtis, a reporter from the South Australian Advertiser. The long delay and tedious inquiries before he was paid by parliament did not inspire him to further literary effort.

On 23 March 1832 at St James's Church, Sydney, Finnis married Luduvina Rosa da Silva, the widow of Colonel Charles Cameron of the 3rd Regiment. She had seven children by her first husband. One was married to W. H. Dutton, and another to G. S. Kingston. On the death of his first wife in Adelaide, Finnis married Mary Ann Russell on 3 September 1856; they had two sons, John Mercer who died on 2 April 1909, and Samuel who died whilst still at school.

For many years Finnis lived in retirement in Franklin Street, Adelaide, journeying to England from time to time. He died in Adelaide on 13 August 1872. A portrait by S. T. Gill is in the National Gallery, Adelaide. Select Bibliography

H. J. Finnis, Captain John Finnis (Adel, 1958); ‘Petition of John Finnis’, Parliamentary Papers (South Australia), 1858 (99); Select Committee on the Petition of John Finnis, Report, Parliamentary Papers (South Australia), 1858 (121). [more].

Author: H. J. Finnis

Print Publication Details: H. J. Finnis, 'Finnis, John (1802 - 1872)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1, Melbourne University Press, 1966, pp 376-377.

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