TypeSuburbDetailsThe first Australian-born medico, Dr William Sherwin of Parramatta, was held-up on the Windsor Road by bushrangers John McNamara and William Dalton and robbed of his gold watch and medical knives. On reporting his loss to the Chief Constable of Parramatta, whose name was John Thorn, a search for McNamara and Dalton was organised.
Three days later, Thorn was accompanied by Constable Samuel Horne and Constable Anthony Finn when they came upon the two bushrangers. McNamara fired on Horne first with the musket ball going through Horne's hat. Horne returned fire and hit McNamara in the chest and he dropped dead on the spot. Thorn chased and after a struggle, captured Dalton. He was sentenced to death and was hung just six days after being arrested.
The Governor Lt-Gen Ralph Darling wasted no time with a gratuitous response and a few days later announced rewards for Thorn and Horne in recognition of their meritorious conduct. Thorn received a land grant of 640 acres and Horne received 320 acres. Horne's land grant that was directly adjacent to Thorn's land grant. However, neither Thorn nor Horne actually lived on their land grants or did anything on their land. After his death in 1838, his nine-year-old son George Henry Thorn inherited the land grant and named the area 'Thornleigh' before it was sold to James Bellamy in 1856.
In 1838 Samuel Horne's land grant deed was shown as 'Hornsby Place', in accordance with his request.His land went from Thorn's northern boundary all the way up to Pearce's Corner, where Aaron Pearce had a house on a small farm. Around 1860 Horne's land was divided and sold to three buyers and by 1864 a small but growing community had been established. At that time St Paul's Church was built and a Post Office established in the area which was then known as 'Horne's Village' or 'Hornsby'.
The Main North Line between Strathfield and Hornsby opened in September 1886 and with it, Hornsby Railway Station was established in an area known as 'Jack's Island'. At that point Hornsby Railway Station was in fact over two miles north of the actual village of Hornsby and where the station had been established there were actually very few residents. A few years of bitter controversy ensued when residents of 'old Hornsby' protested the loss of their name in 1894, 'Hornsby' Railway Station was renamed 'Hornsby Junction' by the Railway Commissioners, with the opening of the North Shore line in 1890, thus forming a junction at Hornsby.
In 1895, the original village of Hornsby finally had their station established between Thornleigh and Hornsby Junction and it was named Hornsby. This caused some understandable confusion with visitors to the area. After more vigorous protests led by influential resident, Norman Selfe,it was decided to name this area 'Normanhurst' in honour of Selfe.
Finally the area known as 'Jack's Island' and the railway station known as Hornsby Junction were both renamed 'Hornsby' in May 1900, the name it carries today.Creator'Our Bushland Shire' (2021) pp.127-128.
