The Story of Thomas Akers & Ann Hinckley - 1755 - 1830

The Story of Thomas Akers & Ann Hinckley - 1755 - 1830

Thomas Akers and Ann Hinckley are a part of the very fabric of Australian history. Their lives, triumphs and tragedies are woven inextricably into the beginnings of colonial society. Their tale is made all the more poignant when one stops to remember that without their heroic grit and determination to survive the cruelties of the time, there are many of us who wouldn’t be here today.

Separately, each of these people has an incredible story of their own. Together, the stories echo with dual courage, cunning, fortitude and tenacity to build a new world in which their children would hold more respect than they were ever afforded.

Whilst there are many records available for researchers to use in studies of early Australian history, finding unique records for individuals is a feat of detective work not for the faint hearted. To ensure we understand Thomas, Ann and their family in as much detail as possible we have delved into their surroundings, friends, family and records of colonial events to piece together this in-depth look at their lives.

There are some previous biographies written on Thomas and Ann by researchers and interested people but we have found it difficult to find referenced material backing some of the claims. We respect all previous works of research on the Akers family with particular respect for the difficulties in researching family history prior to the availability of internet resources. We have mentioned family legends when appropriate but have tried to remain true to documented and referenced material in the majority of our work.

The design of this research is in the format of a timeline. We have attempted to indicate the events as they happened to both Thomas and Ann in the environments they lived in. No person exists alone; they are surrounded by the trappings of their era and those trappings affect people in various ways, hence the need for a timeline of events to show how Thomas and Ann were changed by, or interacted with, the world as they knew it.

As this research is concentrated on the life and times of Thomas Akers and Ann Hinckley / Guy, there are innumerable tales which, by necessity of time and space, will be left out of the narrative. The focus of our attention will be on tales which may have had an impact on the Akers family due to their proximity to their homes, or because we have established a relationship between the Akers and the subject in question.

We make no apologies for overlooking large portions of historical evidence that undoubtedly shaped the Akers family by their mere presence in the place at the time, but, to delve as deeply as a full study on all inhabitants of the Hawkesbury or Airds regions would not serve to add to the evidence we require to feel justified in our assumptions about this one family.

Also there are many articles relating to the atrocities committed upon settlers and Aboriginal people during the darkest periods of Australian history. We make no comment on these other than to place the Akers family within the environment.

As years go by and internet users grow in numbers, as do the descendants of Thomas and Ann Akers, anomalies in research and “proof” will propagate and unsubstantiated information will spread, such as burials etc. We hope that documentation will come to light regarding all the missing links in our research and we hope that this work will be a starting point for future researchers into the Akers family. Join with us as we delve into the lives of one of Australia’s first families.