THOMAS FENWICK

Thomas Fenwick was the harbour master and river pilot. He was born in 1844. He built one of the finest two storey mansions ever seen in Ballina at Shaws Bay called Fenwick House. The architect and tradesman all came from Scotland and the great staircase was imported from Italy at a cost of 900 pounds. It is built of Scottish granite, roofed with slate and cedar fittings inside. At the time it directly faced the river mouth.