History of Thornleigh

Shire of Hornsby Location: 25 kilometres north-west of Sydney on Pennant Hills Road and the Main Northern Line

In 1830, John Thorn, chief constable of Parramatta, was patrolling the Windsor Road with Constable Samuel Home (see Normanhurst), keeping a look out for bushrangers. Nor was he disappointed! As he passed a clump of undergrowth two men leapt out and one fired at Thorn, who was fortunately uninjured. Raising his musket he shot the bandit dead. The dead man was John Macnamara, leader of the North Rocks Gang, with a price on his head. The second bushranger ran off, but was captured shortly afterwards. For die part he played in apprehending the two wanted men, John Thorn was rewarded by a fine land grant of 640 acres on Pennant Hills Road. After his death, George Henry Thorn, his beneficiary, opened the area for settlement in 1840 and named it Thornleigh.

When the railway line went through the northern area from Strathfield to Homsby in 1886, the station took the name Thomleigh, after daring Chief Constable John Thorn.

The first official post office opened in March 1888, and the first public school in April 1891.

Reference: The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled & Edited by Frances Pollon, published by Angus & Robertson Publishers 1988