Samuel Lyons

Who was Samuel Lyons?

Samuel Lyons 1791 - 1851 was a pardoned convict from London who rose to prominence in the Australian colony of New South Wales as a landowner and businessman. A tailor by trade, Lyons was sentenced to transportation for life in 1814. He made two attempts to escape from the convict life before eventually receiving a Conditional Pardon in 1825 and an Absolute Pardon in 1832. Subsequently, he became an industrious trader and auctioneer, eventually acquiring large tracts of land in the colony.

Lyons purchased the Five Dock Farm estate from John Harris in 1836. He was soon to subdivide the land and sell it off in lots. It was at this time that he began the development of the first roads in the area, including Lyons Road, which bears his name as a result.

By the time of his death in 1851, Lyons was a highly respected member of the establishment in New South Wales.