The Benjamin Singleton Story

BENJAMIN SINGLETON (1788 -1853)  Benjamin SINGLETON was born in London on the 7th of August 1788. When his father was transported for 'unauthorised removal', he along with his younger brother Joseph and his mother accompanied the father as free settlers arriving in Sydney in February 1792.

With his brother James, he built water powered flour mills at Kurrajong in 1817/18. Also in 1817 and 1818 he was involved with others in exploring for a route to the Hunter Valley. Then during 1820 he was a member of the expedition to the Hunter Valley led by John HOWE the Chief Constable of Windsor which was the first recorded European trip into the Singleton, NSW area. In June 1820 he is recorded as a miller at Kurrajong and later in September he is recorded along with his brother James as the proprietor of mills at both Kurrajong and on the Lower Hawkesbury.

In 1821 he received a grant of 97.2 hectares of land near the ford crossing the Hunter River in recognition of his contribution to the exploration party and had settled there with his family by 1823 when he was appointed District Constable. His residence became the core of the town of Singleton and over the years he contributed much to the economy. He had apparently erected a mill at the future Singleton townsite or nearby in 1829 and operated what may be the same mill there from 1830 to 1835. Benjamin subdivided off part of this property as the town of Singleton in 1836. Other ventures included erecting an inn, a brewery and a courthouse. The depression of the 1840's caused his insolvency and he died on the 2nd or 3rd of May 1853 at Singleton.

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