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Publican, shopkeeper, postmaster. Born circa 1800. Son of John Buscombe and Martha Stephens. Arrived in Van Diemen's Land in 1822 aboard the Heroine. Married Elizabeth Barnett in 1827 at Hobart. Had at least three children: James Henry Kestall (b. 1828), Henry Lennox (b. 1830) and Benjamin Cleburne (b. 1834). Of Prospect House, Richmond. Buscombe was the licensee of the Three Trunks hotel on the Pittwater Road, at Cambridge in 1826. On the 1st of June 1827, Buscombe applied for a grant of land at Richmond on which to erect a hotel. The hotel, which he built in Bridge Street, was the Lennox Arms. Buscombe was the licensee of the hotel from 1827 until 1839.
On the 16th July 1839, Buscombe advertised the Lennox Arms "To Let or Sell". Charles Lamb was the purchaser, but Buscombe obviously held the mortgage, as he resumed ownership after several years. Buscombe placed in the Colonial Times of 24th March 1840 an advertisment for a "Farm to be Let, For thirteen years, 100 acres, within one mile of the delightful Township of Richmond, with a beautiful frontage on the Coal River, and adjoining the Race Course [Nugent]. There are about 22 acres in cultivation." Buscombe sold the Lennox Arms to Charles Lamb certainly before April 1840. Lamb did not succeed with the hotel, however, and Buscombe had resumed ownership of the hotel in 1841. The Colonial Times of 20th October 1840 included Buscombe in its description of Richmond as "that beautiful settlement, - surrounded by splendid villas, erected by wealthy individuals, and earned by hard and honest industry." Buscombe was described as having "retired with an independent fortune", but with the qualification that "Mr. Buscombe, although independent in circumstances, being only in the prime of life and always actively engaged, continues his store, where he gives employment to talent and industry; and where too, he provides the whole District with every useful article they may require, as cheap, and sometimes cheaper, that they can furnish themselves with in the Capital."
In 1832 he became postmaster at Richmond, and he continued in this role until 1850. Buscombe's store at Richmond was called the Richmond Commercial Stores. Died 12th February 1851 aged 51 years. Buried in St. Luke's Cemetery, Richmond.
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