Family background
John Arkins was born in 1819 in Dublin, Ireland and migrated to Sydney in 1839. A year later, he married Catherine (Kate) Mary Troy (1819-87), daughter of Dennis Troy of Hartley. They had no children. Arkins died in 1880 at Cowra.
Occupation & interests
John Arkins arrived in Sydney from Ireland on 10 March 1839 as an assisted immigrant per Susan. His father was Mathew Arkins, a wealthy Dublin cloth merchant and tailor. From 1839-44, John Arkins worked in government employment. In September 1839, he applied for land at Orange and in 1848 was appointed Clerk of Petty Sessions at Frederick’s Valley, Orange. He was Clerk of the Bench at Hartley in 1844. He also applied for the position of Superintendent of Agriculture at Norfolk Island but was unsuccessful. In 1851 his wife Catherine Mary Arkins also applied for a grant of land at Orange. In 1859, Arkins was recorded as an auctioneer at 396 George Street. His private residence was 181 William Street.
Community activity
Arkins was a justice of the peace (JP).
Parliamentary service
John Arkins was a candidate for the seat of Cook and Westmoreland (Hartley) but was unsuccessful.
Local government service
John Arkins was Alderman from 1 November 1852 until 31 December 1853 when the Council was replaced by a three-member Commission.
References
State Records of NSW: Bounty Index; Col Sec re Land
Memorandum: Alderman D Egan, Bourke Ward, requesting Councillor Arkins replace him,1852, City of Sydney Archives, A-00281603, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1083118
‘New commission of the Peace’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 October 1851, p. 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12931566
‘Advertising’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 July 1852, p. 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12938307
‘The Approaching Elections’, The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 5 March 1856, p. 6 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18653671
‘Notice of Partnership’, NSW Government Gazette, 2 May 1854, p. 915, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230695964
NSW Government Gazette, 24 June 1856, p. 1750, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228684088
‘In Insolvency’, NSW Government Gazette, 4 June 1858, p. 897, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228399576
‘In the Insolvent Estate of John Arkins, of Sydney, merchant’, NSW Government Gazette, 19 May 1874, p. 1510, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224725176
‘Cowra’, Australian Town and Country Journal, 17 January 1880, p. 38, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70940201
‘Hartley Pioneer’, Lithgow Mercury, 4 August 1939, p. 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219624898