Allan Thorley (1848 - 1918)

Born 30 Mar 1848 in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Sarah Anne (Archer) Beard — married [date unknown] in Not Married

Descendants

Died 16 Feb 1918 at age 69 in Sydney, Australia

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Biography

Allan was born in 1848. He passed away in 1918.

Sources

• Bapt cert 2968 Vol 33 New South Wales

Death Cert 190/1918 New South Wales Indenture 176 Book 205 New South Wales Land Titles Office

According to his baptism certificate, Allen Thorley was born on 30 March 1848 to Mary and Thomas Allan Thorley, who resided at Mordun(sic). The baptism was at the Parish of St Peters, County of New England. The birth was registered at Armidale, New South Wales.

His father, Thomas, a Millwright, was 33 and his mother, Mary, was 22. Both parents were of Irish origin. Allen was the second child.

By 1850, when his younger brother John was born, the family lived at Salisbury run where his father worked as a carpenter, bookkeeper and shepherd.

On the first day of 1851, Cadman Samuel Thorley was born at Uralla. He was the Allan's youngest brother, and later his business partner at Inverell.

Allan's two sisters Mary Ann Jane Thorley and Ellen Margaret Thorley were born in 1854 at " New England"and 1857 at Armidale respectively.

Allen was only 13 years old when his father died "of natural causes" on 13th. July 1861, aged 46, after an illness of 13 days duration. One can imagine that both he and his older brother, William Joseph are likely to have become the breadwinners of the family.

Allan was a cabinet maker, carpenter, builder, timber merchant, and undertaker.

In 1873 he was resident at Bundarra. His business was later located at Inverell, but it took him to many parts of the state.

He owned a 125 acre farm named "Allandale" at nearby Brodies Plains. According to 1880 Land Titles Office documentation, he gifted 82 acres of "Allandale" to his two sons Thomas Allan Thorley aged 7 and Edwin Thorley aged 3, under the trusteeship of George Bercini and Mayne

He had five sons and four daughters with Sarah Ann Archer between 1873 and 1887.

Sarah and Allan never married. Sarah had married Ridgewell Beard in 1860 at Bundarra/Clerckness and had 6 children before her "common law marriage" to Allan.

In 1873 Sarah and Allan's first son, Thomas Allan Thorley was born at Inverell in 1873. A daughter, Lilly Thorley was born in 1874 and passed away that same day. Florence May Archer/Thorley was born in 1875 in Inverell. Edwin Thorley was born on 15 April 1877 in Inverell.

Mary Elizabeth (known as Minnie) Thorley was born on 5 June 1879 in Inverell. William John Thorley was born on 19 December 1880 in Inverell.

In 1880, Allan transferred ownership 82 acres of "Allandale" to Thomas Allan Thorley aged 7 and Edwin aged three, under the trusteeship of George Bercini , cabinet maker and Thomas Kenneth Barbie Mayne, solicitor. The trusteeship was until Edwin turned 21 years old. This conveyance was purportedly in lieu of Sarah ever claiming maintenance for the two boys. The conveyance is an unusual and curious document as it provides for the two boys but not their sister and it does not appear to be signed by Sarah, but is signed by the other three adult parties. The document refers to the "co-habititation" (not marriage) of Sarah and Allan at "Allandale".

George Bercini was Allan's business partner . Mr Mayne was 6 times Mayor of Inverell. Allan had also been an Alderman on the Council.

"Allandale" was likely to have been much larger than the 1880's 82 acres. (Pieces 50 and 51 on Rifle Range Road, Parish of Elmsmore (sic) ). A pencilled sketch map from family archves indicates "Allandale" was on the location of the current "Springfield" property at Brodies Plains.

One of their sons, William John Thorley committed suicide by laying himself across railway tracks at Weston in 1908 aged 27. He may have been working as a carpenter for his father at the time.

Allan built the Oxford Hotel at Inverell in 1886.

Allan was responsible for the construction of two storey and substantial stores in Otho-street, Inverell 1885 of the court house and cells at Boggabilla 1896, Merriwa shearing shed 1897. Until 1st May 1889, he and his brother Cadman Samuel Thorley were in a business partnership trading as "Thorley Brothers". They were builders, cabinet makers, general carpenters, and undertkers.

Allan carried on in the business.

He was a councillor on the Inverell Municipal Council.

Allan died aged 69 on 16 February 1918 at his home at 166 Forbes Street in Sydney The cause of death was of chronic nephritis and mitral regurgitation heart failure. He was buried in Waverley Cemetery. There is no headstone. His son John Arthur Thorley joined him in 1944.

Compiled by Richard Thorley 2023