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Biographies
Thomas Pain
Thomas Pain (1822-1882)
Menindee's Founding father
Thomas Payne was born on 7th September 1822 to Thomas and Mary Payne nee Bickerton at
Birmingham England.
Thomas Payne Jun was a tailor by trade. At the age of nineteen years he stole a pair of
boots from a shop. He was tried at Birmingham Quarter Sessions 19th May 1841, placed in a
'Hulk'before being sentenced on 17th November 1841. His conviction was seven years in Van
Diemen's Land . Convict No. 4607, Thomas Payne sailed in the Barque John Brewer
from
Sheerness on 5th December 1841, arriving in Hobart 6th April 1842 (122 days). He gained
his freedom on 19 th May 1848. He sailed from Hobart Town on the Coastal Vessel Schooner
Bride arriving Adelaide 31st January 1849. It is a known fact, that ex-convicts when
able, tried to hide their convictions in some way. Thomas Payne did this by changing his
name to Pain when he married.
Thomas married Bridget Egan from Kings County Ireland at the Trinity Church Adelaide, on
20th March 1850. With his young bride, he journeyed to the Junction of the Murray at
Wentworth N.S.W. Captain Randell the Riverboat skipper states "The first Inn at
Wentworth was a shingle-roof shanty kept by one Tom Pain, called The Junction Inn. There
were births of six daughters, three sons, born in Adelaide, Euston, Wentworth and
Menindee. He was known to have delivered mail on horse back between Wentworth and
Menindee.
The journey of Burke and Wills Expedition to reach the Gulf of Carpentaria, took them to
Menindee in 1860, where Tom Pain's Pub was used as their headquarters before they left for
Coopers Creek and eventually their deaths. Their search parties also stayed there, as it
is written in the Royal Commission Report in Melbourne in 1861. It states ' Tom Pain
honoured any credit they asked for, he supplied their provisions also their horses.' Tom
Pain's accounts were paid later by the Expedition Committee.
On 31st May 1864, Bridget Pain died aged 33 years, leaving her husband and four children
to mourn her loss. The children were - Thomas, George, Elizabeth and Francis. Her parents,
Patrick and Bridget Egan were in Menindee in 1863. Bridget Egan died there on 17th May
1880, aged 87 years. It is not known what happened to the remainder of the children. There
is no record of them being buried in Menindee.
Thomas Pain moved from Menindee between 1864 - 1867, he travelled through N.S.W. into
Queensland, where he eventually settled in 1870 on Bowra Station as a Grazier. Over the
next twelve years he leased with his sons (Thomas, George and Francis) Stations called
Bandy, Pandi-Pandi, Goomoorah and Thargomindah. His only daughter Elizabeth married George
Williams in 1878 in Queensland. It was at Bowra Station that Thomas Pain died on 4th March
1882 aged 67 years. He was buried in the Cunnamulla Cemetery, Queensland. So ended the
life of the Englishman, Thomas Pain, who was Pathfinder like his friend Robert O'Hara
Burke, Explorer.
* A "Pain Family Reunion" was held at Maidens Hotel on 11th May 1991. 80 friends
and relatives came from all over Australia to see the presentation of a commemorative
plaque on the wall in the room where Burke & Wills are believed to have slept.
Following the presentation the group made their way to the Menindee Cemetery, where a
graveside service was held at the resting place of Tom Pain's wife, Mrs Bridget Pain,
dated 1864. It is by far the oldest remaining grave in our cemetery.
* On 23rd April 1999, Maidens Hotel which was built By Thomas Pain was destroyed by fire .
The original part of the hotel was demolished and was rebuilt and opened in July 2000.
Unfortunately the plaque which was placed on the wall in memory of Thomas Pain was
destroyed.
Submitted by Mary Wilson
You are our 4437 visitor since 14 May 2000.
Last updated on 28 February 2003