Bainbrigge, Thomas

BAINBRIGGE, Thomas (1795–1844), superintendent of works, was born at Staffordshire, England, the fourth and youngest son of Lieutenant Colonel Philip Bainbrigge and Rachel Dobree. Philip was killed commanding the 20^th regiment of foot at the battle of Egmont-op Zee, Holland in Oct 1799. He was followed into the army by his eldest son, General, Sir Philip Bainbrigge (1786–1862), and by Thomas who joined the 57^th Regiment as an ensign by purchase. In April 1823, he succeeded Patrick LOGAN as Lieutenant. While overseeing the transportation of convicts, the 57^th Regiment arrived in Sydney in various detachments, Bainbrigge from Portsmouth on the Asia in May 1825. With government permission he married 16-year-old Sarah Bate in October 1826. They moved to Moreton Bay where he relieved Lt. JL INNES as engineer or superintendent of works at the Penal Settlement from October 1827, serving until August 1830 under Patrick LOGAN as Commandant. During a period of great building activity, Bainbrigge oversaw erection of a warehouse at Dunwich, Stradbroke Island, the Female Factory and completion of the Windmill and Commissariat Store in Brisbane to plans supplied by the Director of Public Works, William DUMARESQ. Other buildings erected during 1827-28 may have been designed locally by Bainbrigge, including the chaplain’s house, a building used as the first school, and an octagonal cottage for the gardener. Bainbrigge also made additions to earlier buildings before leaving Moreton Bay when the 17^th Regiment took over in October 1830. Bainbrigge was succeeded as engineer or superintendent of works by Lieutenant George EDWARDS in October 1830. After being based in Tasmania, the 57^th Regiment was transferred to India where Bainbrigge and Lt. John OVENS arrived at Fort St George (Madras) in October 1831. Promoted to Captain both were stationed at Cannanore and Trichinopoly. In 1840, assertions made by Capt OVENS concerning Bainbrigge’s wife Sarah led to Ovens’ court martial. Ovens was only reprimanded but may have resigned his commission. Bainbrigge died enroute from India to England and was buried at sea. Of his ten children, the two eldest, born at Moreton Bay, died in India as did three others. Five, including the four youngest, aged 1-5 when he died, returned with their mother from London to Australia where she led a precarious financial existence being twice insolvent, including at Sydney in 1859 and Brisbane in 1864. After a two roomed cottage she occupied at Paddington, Brisbane was sold at her risk in 1869, she returned to Sydney where she died in 1881. Her children married and had large families with a considerably higher rate of survival.