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The township appears to have been reserved by the Land Commissioners in the 1820's. During 1832 there seems to have been some concern in Richmond that Enfield was to be built as a competitor to the larger town. Gilbert Robertson mentions it in passing: "…but to satisfy the minds of our Richmond friends, we assure them, that the Enfield story is all 'humbug', and that there is no intention of creating a rival town."1
When William Thomas Parramore (acting as agent for Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur) applied to purchase 500 acres of crown land on the "west and north sides of the Carrington Plains Estate", a clerk noted on the application a query: "Is the Surveyor-General aware that the land on the north side forms a Reserve made by the Commisioners (I believe for a village)." William Thomas Parramore was Lieut. Governor George Arthur's private secretary, and Arthur at this time was enlarging his estates in the area. The town was "established" during the 1850's. In 1858, the 13 blocks were allocated as follows:
Sec. A. Lots 5 & 6 John Conlan 8 acres
Sec. B Lot 1 Michael Coughlin 2 ½ acres
Sec. C Lot 1 Joseph Godfrey 5 acres
Lot 2 Bassett Dickson junior 5 acres
Lot 3 Bassett Dickson junior 5 acres
Sec. D Lot 1 Joseph Godfrey 5 acres
Sec. E Lot 2 John Conlan 10 acres
Lot 3 Bassett Dickson junior 10 acres
Lot 4 W. M. Davidson 10 acres
Sec. F Lot 2 W. M. Davidson 10 acres
Lot 3 W. M. Davidson 10 acres
Lot 4 Bassett Dickson junior 10 acres
Of the owners, only John Conlan and Joseph Godfrey appear to have been living on the allotments. Michael Coughlin was living in Richmond, Bassett Dickson junior at Glen Ayr and W. M. Davidson in Hobart. A 10-acre block was also set aside for the Catholic Church.
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1 The Colonial and Van Diemen's Land Commercial and Agricultural Advertiser, 6 July 1832, p. 4, col. 1.
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