george brunskill (1799-1866), left sandford, cumbria (then in the historic county of westmorland) with his wife sarah (née apsey), departing london in november 1838 on board the "thomas harrison" and arriving in port adelaide in february 1839. both of their young children died before the ship sailed. brunskill first "leased a portion of section 290, comprising , from the south australian company with a right to purchase the freehold", in the area now known as marryatville. an undated document, estimated c.1840 by the state library, shows a mortgage agreement for the sum of £300 between brunskill and the savings bank of south australia, describing an eight-roomed brick home to be built on 6.5 acres.