Beneath this plaque lies a story of resilience. The Samuel Onions Plaque commemorates a man who arrived in Sydney in 1821 as a convict. He certainly left his mark on this city.
Samuel Onions was sentenced to seven years transportation for stealing. He sailed to Sydney on the Minerva. He was just 25 years old.
Two years later, Samuel Onions was sent to Port Macquarie. This was a secondary penal colony. But Onions’ story doesn’t end there.
Upon gaining his Certificate of Freedom, Samuel Onions was permitted to marry in 1829. At age 33, he wed Elizabeth Jones. She was also a convict. Elizabeth had arrived on the Harmony with a life sentence. Rev. William Cowper conducted the marriage. It took place at St John’s Church of England, Parramatta.
Samuel and Elizabeth had five children. Richard was born in 1829. William followed in 1831. Mary A S arrived in 1833. Ann was born in 1835. Samuel S completed the family in 1836.
Samuel Onions became an ironmonger. He sold farming tools and household items. He even sold clothes. In 1833, his business was at 92 Pitt Street. Later, he moved to King Street.
An advertisement in The Sydney Morning Herald in 1836 stated he had been in business for seven years. So Samuel Onions had been an ironmonger since 1829.
Between 1832 and 1836, Samuel Onions was assigned over a dozen convicts to work for him. These included nailors, a coppersmith, and a brass founder. He even used the whip on his employees. Some ran away but were caught.
In 1833, Samuel Onions received a publican’s license for The Canning Tavern. It was located in King Street, Sydney. In 1835, Samuel Onions received one of the first land grants. This was in the Macleay River district. This is now the NSW North Coast. He sold the land to the man who named the area Kempsey.
He purchased 812 acres near the McLeay River in 1836. He paid 213 pounds 3 shillings. The previous year, he bought 19 acres in Cumberland for 4 pounds 16 shillings. Samuel Onions also owned land in Hunters Hill, near Lane Cove. This area is now Woolwich. He gave that part of Sydney its first name, Onion Point, in 1835.
But Samuel Onions’ success was not without its challenges. In 1837, he faced a trial in the Supreme Court. He was convicted of perjury. He was sentenced to seven years in a secondary penal settlement.
In 1844, Samuel Onions was declared bankrupt. Later that year, he was transported to Hobart on the Waterlily. He arrived 12 days later with 26 other convicts. Samuel Onions’ life was full of ups and downs. From convict to businessman to convict again. His story is a reminder of the complexities of early Sydney. The Samuel Onions Plaque stands as a testament to his eventful life.