From History of Norwood and Kensington: "Mr. Thomas Pugh now in his 91st year has been a resident of Balhannah since 1858. He was born at Bilston, Staffordshire. He arrived at Kensington S.A. in 1848. He built six houses for Mr. John Roberts who at that time was the leading resident. A little later he bought the land on which the new Norwood Town Hall now stands and thereafter he built a four roomed brick house on the site which was the first of its kind in that part of town. The bricks were made on the property, the pughole being excavated near where the creek crosses George Street. His land extended from George Street along the Norwood Parade to Edward Street, the purchase money being 75 pounds. He afterwards cut it up into building blocks and sold them".
Thomas had gone out to Sydney in 1848 to build the first gas retorts there but his ship was delayed by bad weather so that he arrived late and lost the contract.
Obituary from the Observer: "Mr. Thomas Pugh, well known Colonist and identity of the hills district died at Balhannah on January 10th in his 95th year. Born at Bilston, Staffordshire in 1912 his parents moved to Birmingham where he was apprenticed in brick laying. He worked at Manchester, Liverpool and London and was visiting Paris in 1848 when the body of Napoleon was brought to that city. He came to S.A. soon afterwards and owned one of the first houses at Norwood. He went to the Victorian gold diggings with J. Eldin Moulden. In 1851 he moved to Balhannah where he engaged in farming and gardening. His orchard for many years was the finest in the state and fruit from it in the early days of Moonta and Wallaroo Mine was much sort after. He retired from his farm and orchards some years ago and built a house in the township of Balhannah where he spent his declining years. Mr. and Mrs. Pugh reared 13 children".
Biographical Notes
Of the 13 children eight did not marry. Mrs. A.V. Pugh (Millicent May) of "Tollingworth" Verdun Road, Murray Bridge, wrote in 1967 to E.M.S. "They were fine old ladies. Jane, the Head-of-the-House type and her sisters Lily (Lilian) and Tilly (Matilda) and Kate Wilson who was at "Bilston", the town house, occasionally, were best known to me. Lily was the last at the old home and went to Beaumaris. After Lily died the house was sold and the whole estate divided between the grandchildren. I had married Angelo Victor Pugh in 1918 and we only visited occasionally. My husband, as the eldest son of Thomas junior, was given the family Bible. It has only the birth dates of the thirteen".
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