Thomas Bell
Birth
Death Marriage Spouse Father Mother Sibling/s Children |
13 November 1854 21 December 1830 Elisabeth Fowke George Bell Catherine Nugent Henry Frederick Nugent Bell George Bell Martha Bell William Bell Mary Jane Bell Catherine Bell Charlotte Bell Alexander Charlton Bell Edmund Bell Julia Bell Alexander Charlton Frances Mary Bell George Nugent Bell Francis Bell Frederick Thomas Bell Ellen Elizabeth Bell Edmund Bell |
Location
Location Location |
Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia Lydd, Kent, England |
Thomas Bell was born about 1797 in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland to George Bell and Catherine Nugent.
He entered the navy in 1822.
He married Elisabeth Fowke on the 21st of December 1830 in Lydd, Kent, England. They had 8 children; Julia Bell, Alexander Charlton Bell, Frances Mary Bell, George Nugent Bell, Francis Bell, Frederick Thomas Bell, Ellen Elizabeth Bell, and Edmund Bell.
He was a Surgeon in the Royal Navy and accompanied William Edward Parry on the "HMS Fury" on his third expedition to the North Pole. The ship was wrecked and the crew picked up from the ice and returned to the United Kingdom.
Thomas became a medical superintendent on convict ships to Australia, making 6 journeys during the 1830s, the last one arriving in December 1838.
He settled in Australia, being among the first European settlers in the Braidwood district in New South Wales.
In 1839 he obtained a licence to practice medicine in Australia.
In June 1840 he purchased 750 acres of land at “Bendoura”, eleven miles south-west of Braidwood on the east bank of the Shoalhaven. He could not afford to build a house as well as buy stock, because he leased a house and land on Jembaicumbene Creek, calling it “Bellevue” after his home in Ireland.
He entered the navy in 1822.
He married Elisabeth Fowke on the 21st of December 1830 in Lydd, Kent, England. They had 8 children; Julia Bell, Alexander Charlton Bell, Frances Mary Bell, George Nugent Bell, Francis Bell, Frederick Thomas Bell, Ellen Elizabeth Bell, and Edmund Bell.
He was a Surgeon in the Royal Navy and accompanied William Edward Parry on the "HMS Fury" on his third expedition to the North Pole. The ship was wrecked and the crew picked up from the ice and returned to the United Kingdom.
Thomas became a medical superintendent on convict ships to Australia, making 6 journeys during the 1830s, the last one arriving in December 1838.
He settled in Australia, being among the first European settlers in the Braidwood district in New South Wales.
In 1839 he obtained a licence to practice medicine in Australia.
In June 1840 he purchased 750 acres of land at “Bendoura”, eleven miles south-west of Braidwood on the east bank of the Shoalhaven. He could not afford to build a house as well as buy stock, because he leased a house and land on Jembaicumbene Creek, calling it “Bellevue” after his home in Ireland.
Elisabeth along with Julia, Alexander, and Frances arrived in 1840.
Thomas practised medicine in the district and began the construction of a two storeyed stone house, stables, store room and cottage at “Bendoura”. In mid 1846 it was ready for occupation but a fire destroyed the main house before the family moved in. Thomas could not afford to rebuild the house, so additions were made to the cottage and this became the Bell family home until the end of the century. Thomas and Elisabeth’s children George, Francis, Frederick, Ellen, and Edmund were all born at “Bendoura”.
Thomas played an active role in the community apart from his medical practice. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1839, a Commissioner of Crown Lands in 1842, acted as a steward and clerk of the Braidwood races, and was one of the trustees of the St Andrew’s Anglican Church building fund.
Thomas practised medicine in the district and began the construction of a two storeyed stone house, stables, store room and cottage at “Bendoura”. In mid 1846 it was ready for occupation but a fire destroyed the main house before the family moved in. Thomas could not afford to rebuild the house, so additions were made to the cottage and this became the Bell family home until the end of the century. Thomas and Elisabeth’s children George, Francis, Frederick, Ellen, and Edmund were all born at “Bendoura”.
Thomas played an active role in the community apart from his medical practice. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1839, a Commissioner of Crown Lands in 1842, acted as a steward and clerk of the Braidwood races, and was one of the trustees of the St Andrew’s Anglican Church building fund.
Some of these activities involved him in conflict with other settlers and civil court actions followed. His actions betray a man of impulsive passion. His hay ricks were on two occasions set alight, and the burning of his house in 1846, was, by the confession some months later of an ex-convict, Henry Finden, carried out as an act of revenge. Emancipist Henry Finden, had attended his master Edward Mowle, the lessee of “St Omer”, with great devotion in his final year’s illness. Mowle left 50 pounds in his will to his faithful servant but after Thomas, who was the doctor in attendance and one of the two executors, received payment of his fees of 475 pounds and a legacy fee of 50 pounds, there was nothing left for the residual beneficiaries. However his descendants tell stories of his generosity to the poor Irish Catholics of the district, taking them flour, sugar, and potatoes when he attended them, although he was an “Orange Man” and a member of the Anglican Church.
Organised race meetings that began in the 1840s were favourite social occasions. Regular meetings brought all classes together but the gentlemen owned and rode the horses and filled the official positions. Too poor to own a well bred horse, the middle and lower classes formed the audience and doubtless had bets on the outcome. The entry fees and the prizes were both remarkably high. On the 6th and 8th of July 1841, the first race had a purse of fifty sovereigns and an entry fee of four sovereigns. Most of the other races had prizes of twenty sovereigns, almost a year’s wages for the unskilled worker. The Stewards were Dr Wilson of “Braidwood Farm”, Captain Grant of “Krawarree”, Thomas Cowper of “Ballalaba”, Andrew Badgery of “Exeter Farm” and James Larmer the surveyor. The Judge was Richard Popham of “Mornington” and the Clerk of the Course was Dr Thomas Bell of “Belle-vue” and “Bendoura”. Tussles took place between famous horses of the district. Dr Wilson’s stayer “St James”, was pitted against Henry Burnell’s “The Improver” over two miles. On another occasion tension led to a civil court case for slander, when Judge Andrew Badgery disqualified Dr Bell’s horse, leaving his own to win the race. It is reported that Bell paid his fine by cheque, writing on it, “this is for calling Andrew Badgery a liar”, thus adding libel to slander. On another occasion Bell threw a jug of beer at Badgery, so that it appears that though class lines were drawn fairly clearly, all was not unity within the ranks – at least on competitive occasions such as racing when excitement ran high.
Thomas died on the 13th of November 1854 in Braidwood aged 59 years.
He is buried in Braidwood Cemetery alongside his wife Elisabeth and their sons Frederick Thomas Bell, Edmund Bell, and Francis Bell.
Organised race meetings that began in the 1840s were favourite social occasions. Regular meetings brought all classes together but the gentlemen owned and rode the horses and filled the official positions. Too poor to own a well bred horse, the middle and lower classes formed the audience and doubtless had bets on the outcome. The entry fees and the prizes were both remarkably high. On the 6th and 8th of July 1841, the first race had a purse of fifty sovereigns and an entry fee of four sovereigns. Most of the other races had prizes of twenty sovereigns, almost a year’s wages for the unskilled worker. The Stewards were Dr Wilson of “Braidwood Farm”, Captain Grant of “Krawarree”, Thomas Cowper of “Ballalaba”, Andrew Badgery of “Exeter Farm” and James Larmer the surveyor. The Judge was Richard Popham of “Mornington” and the Clerk of the Course was Dr Thomas Bell of “Belle-vue” and “Bendoura”. Tussles took place between famous horses of the district. Dr Wilson’s stayer “St James”, was pitted against Henry Burnell’s “The Improver” over two miles. On another occasion tension led to a civil court case for slander, when Judge Andrew Badgery disqualified Dr Bell’s horse, leaving his own to win the race. It is reported that Bell paid his fine by cheque, writing on it, “this is for calling Andrew Badgery a liar”, thus adding libel to slander. On another occasion Bell threw a jug of beer at Badgery, so that it appears that though class lines were drawn fairly clearly, all was not unity within the ranks – at least on competitive occasions such as racing when excitement ran high.
Thomas died on the 13th of November 1854 in Braidwood aged 59 years.
He is buried in Braidwood Cemetery alongside his wife Elisabeth and their sons Frederick Thomas Bell, Edmund Bell, and Francis Bell.