Queensland Architects Database

Finney, Benjamin

FINNEY, Benjamin[Ben] (1830-1882) was born at Chester, Cheshire, England, eldest son of William Finney, a painter, later farmer of 16ac, and Mary Thomas. In 1856 in Cheshire, he married Anne Jane Smith and in 1861 he was listed in West Derby as an accountant to the Royal Insurance Co. After migrating to Queensland in 1863 the family lived at Kangaroo Point before joining the rush to the Gympie goldfields in 1868, where Ben was an accountant, general commission agent and sharebroker. In 1876, he was closely involved with the erection of the two-storey wooden School of Mines and Mining Museum. When it was completed by January 1877, Finney was credited as ‘Architect, Clerk of works and Inspector’ although nothing is yet known of his having building experience. The School did not open until July. He continued to be active in Gympie until late in 1882 when he was convicted of embezzlement of monies belonging to the South Glanmire & Monkland Gold Mining Co and goaled for 12 months with hard labour. He was admitted to the St Helena Prison in September 1882 but died from dysentery while imprisoned in December 1882. His death was unreported.

Education

Accountant

Migration and Travel

1863
18 May 1863: Arr Brisbane from London, passengers on “Light Brigade”
Employed:
Self-employed:
1868-
Accountant, general commission agent and sharebroker, Gympie – 1882
-1877
Architect, Clerk of works and Inspector for School of Mines and Mining Museum, Gympie

Genealogy

[F] William Finney (1801–1860) b. 1801, Cheshire, Eng; d. 21 Apr 1860, Wirral, Cheshire [painter]

[S, 25 Dec 1829, Chester, Cheshire, Eng. / M] Mary Thomas (1803–1868) b. c1803; d. Apr.1868, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Eng.

  • Benjamin FINNEY(1830–1882) b. 23 May 1830, Chester, Cheshire, Eng; d. 12 Dec 1882, St. Helena, Qld.;1861: accountant, London]
  • [S, c. Oct 1856, Wirral, Cheshire, Eng / M] Annie Jane Smith (1835–1904) b. 1835, Warwickshire, Eng; d. 31 Mar 1904, Tewantin, Qld.
  • [8C/1-7B] Benjamin Halliday Finney (1857–1878) b. 1857, Woodchurch, Cheshire, Eng; d. 20 Aug 1878, Gympie, Qld.
  • [8C/2-7B] William George Dyer Finney (1859–1913) b. Jan 1859, Birkenhead, Cheshire, Eng.; d, 4 Nov 1913, Boulder, WA [1910: miner, Marble Bar, WA]
  • [8C/3-7B] Thomas Francis Henry Finney (1862–1939) b. 27 Oct 1862, Liverpool, Lancashire, Eng; d. 17 Mar 1939, Worthing, Sussex, Eng.
  • [8C/G] Annie Elizabeth Finney (1864–1942) b. 1864, Qld; d. 24 Aug 1942, Qld.
  • [8C/4-7B] Albert John Finney (1865–1889) b. 20 Dec 1865, Kangaroo Pt, Brisbane; d. 8 Oct 1889, Gayndah, Qld.
  • [8C/5-7B] Arthur Edgar Finney (1867–1914) b. 27 Mar 1867, Kangaroo Pt, Brisbane; d. 9 Jan 1914, Qld. [1908: carrier, Horseshoe Bend, Gympie]
  • [8C/6-7B] Robert Finney (1871–1950) b. 14 Jan 1871, Gympie, Qld; d. 21 May 1950, Maryborough, Qld. [1917: farmer, Ringtail Ck, Pomona]
  • [8C/7-7B] Robert Finney (1871–1950) b. 14 Jan 1871, Gympie, Qld; d. 21 May 1950, Maryborough, Qld. [1907: Farmer, Tewantin]

References

Gympie Times: 10 Jan 1877, 2 and 30 June 1877, 2; Maryborough Chronicle, 14 Sep 1882, 2; Prisoner 2222, QSA ID ITM 92272 and ITM 9228; Lauren Penny (2010), St Helena Island, Moreton Bay; information from Daley Donnelly. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.