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Pastoralist, hotelier, ferry and coach proprietor. Arrived 30th December 1822 per Regalia. Atkinson was licensee of the Derwent Hotel in 1825.1 Atkinson received a grant on the Lake River, as well as later purchasing land at Broadmarsh. Roderic O'Connor in 1826 described the peculiar transactions leading up to Atkinsons' purchase of land at Broadmarsh:
"…crossed the Jordan to a farm charted to one Alston. He exchanged with one Robert Dixon, for a two thousand acre grant on the Macquarie River, Dixon shortly after went to England, and went mad. Mr. Alexander Patterson, without having any power of Attorney, or other, exchanges this grant of Alstons' then Dixons', with Mr. Francis Atkinson for an order for twelve hundred acres, which Mr. Alexander Patterson took on the Lake River, & which he sold in turn to old Taylor. Mr. Francis Atkinson then set this Farm, (charted to Alston) to four Men, for one hundred pounds a year, the Crops failed, they wanted to compromise, Atkinson should have his pound of flesh, they refused, and of course the Lawyers are hard at work, the farm is at present unoccupied, the different changes it has undergone, reminds us of the House that Jack built."
Atkinson was licensee of the Derwent Hotel in July 1825 when he advertised several properties for lease:
"A Farm of 300 Acres, with a comfortable Dwelling House erected thereon, situated at the Lower Ferry at Pitt-water."
"Also another farm of 60 Acres, fir for Agricultural Purposes, about 3 miles from Sorell Town: and a two-story Dwelling House, situate in Harrington-street adjoining the Brown Bear."2
Atkinson appears to have been a hotelier at the Ferry House, New Norfolk during the late 1830's. In November 1838, Atkinson advertised that he was taking over the running of the boats and punts at the Ferry House, New Norfolk. Married Margaret Cruse on 5th October 1840 at St. Luke's Church, Richmond. Had at least six children: Francis (b. 1842), William (b. 1845), Andrew (b. 1847), Andrew (b. 1849) and Thomas Henry (b. 1850).
In 1841, Atkinson was a new applicant for a hotel licence in Richmond, and he was duly granted one for the Richmond Hotel. Atkinson was living in the Richmond Hotel (owned by John Cassidy) in 1842, which had six regular occupants. On the day of the Census, 1st January 1842, 18 people were staying in the hotel. Atkinson also appears to have been leasing Hugh Cassidy's Lime Kiln Farm later in 1842, for in August 1842 he offered a £5 reward to find "one black bullock, also one red, both branded B off hip." Both had been "Stolen or strayed, from the Lime Kiln Farm, near Richmond."3 In February 1844, Atkinson transferred the license for the Richmond Hotel to George Wheatley. In September 1845, Atkinson successfully applied for a license for the Sawyers Arms, then described as being at the Coal River. On 1st September 1847, Atkinson's application for renewal of licence for the Sawyer's Arms was adjourned until the 6th of September. The application was adjourned again, until on the 15th of September, Atkinson sought a further adjournment to "enable him to obtain the decision of the Commissioner of Insolvent Estates on his application for Discharge." Atkinson's appearance before the Insolvent Creditor's Court was scheduled for 23rd September 1847, prior appearances having been adjourned. Atkinson moved to Sorell, where he held the license for the Gordon Highlander in 1849, and by 1852 was at the Traveller's Home, Wattle Hill, Sorell. In late 1851, Atkinson applied to lease 1,000 acres of crown land.
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1 Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, 1 July 1825, p.4, c.3.
2 Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen's Land Advertiser, 1 July 1825, p.4, c.2.
3 Colonial Times, 30 August 1842, p.2, c.3.
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