In 1860 Thomas married Eliza Jane Graham at Campbelltown. Sadly, Eliza died at the age of 34 only five years later, leaving Thomas with two daughters and a son.

In 1868, Thomas married Hannah H McKee, the daughter of a clergyman, at Campbelltown and they went on to have seven daughters and three sons.

Until the age of nine years, Thomas Hammond was privately tutored by Rev David Boyd, after which time he spent 18 months at Sydney College.

Rev David Boyd had a connection to a private school in Lonsdale Street in Melbourne and as Rev Hammond held him such high esteem he sent his son to Melbourne where he finished his schooling in 1842.

The next year, Hammond joined an office with the purpose of serving the four years necessary to qualify to work for the Crown Solicitor.

As a young law clerk, Hammond met and formed a lifelong friendship with another young law clerk working in the same firm, Henry Baylis, who later became the first police magistrate at Wagga.

After leaving the law firm, Hammond spent two years at Royal Bank Station near Deniliquin where his lifelong interest in sheep began - in later years he was known for being an excellent judge of sheep and a successful exhibitor at agricultural shows and in 1882 he was a judge at the Great International Exhibition.

Before really settling to the life on the land he tried his luck at various gold diggings with some success; however, he soon became disillusioned with prospecting and entered into a partnership with Mr Richard Gwynne, dealing in cattle.

In 1858, Thomas Hammond and Richard Gwynne acquired the Junee Run, Hammond becoming the managing partner and resident.

After the death of Gwynne some years later, and Hammond becoming sole owner, Hammond renamed the pastoral station “Wyoming” in 1887.

Because of the extensive improvements that were carried out at “Wyoming”, it was reported that as many as 28,000 sheep had been grazed on the Run at one time, however the Run generally carried approximately 18,000.

The improvements made to the property by Hammond included a “picturesque homestead” in a garden surrounded by trees.

The shearing shed was built in the shape of a cross and had 18 stands for shearers on both sides of the shed, with the space in the centre large enough to hold 700 sheep waiting to be shorn.

Most of the scouring of the wool was carried out on the station and there were usually about 200 bales despatched to market annually.

Thomas Hammond was known for his hospitality and was reported to be a “courteous gentleman of the old school”.

Many leisure activities were enjoyed by family, friends and the community at “Wyoming” and picnics, tennis parties, fishing and boating on the Houlaghans Creek were always popular.

On one occasion in 1891, Hammond entertained approximately 700 school children for the Junee Public School Picnic who enjoyed the abundance of water, green grass and shady trees in one of his paddocks.

Games, races and swings were provided as well as a picnic for the children to enjoy and a special train was engaged to convey the children and their parents to Old Junee.

As well as being proud of his stock achievements, community progress was of the upmost importance to Hammond.

He was a founding member of the Riverine Club, one of the first trustees of the Murrumbidgee Turf Club, a member of the Licencing Bench, and a Justice of the Peace. In 1897 he captained a chess team against Broken Hill and became President of the local chess club.

Hammond was also President of the Murrumbidgee Pastoral and Agricultural Association for over a decade in the 1880s and 1890s and was continually returned to that office up until his death at the age of 72 years.

As a tribute to his memory, the Hammond Hall at the Wagga Showground was named after him and in Junee three streets are named Thomas, Wardle and Hammond streets (they are situated on the south eastern side of the railway line).

After some weeks of ill health, Hammond died at his home on July 15, 1899.

Four of his long-term employees were pall bearers to the hearse and troopers with reversed arms led the cortege to the Old Junee Cemetery.

Compiled by June Dietrich

References:  NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages; Wagga Wagga Express 9 January 1896; Wagga Advertiser 15 July 1899, 18 July 1899; Australian Town and Country Journal 23 May 1891.

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