Family Tree

of Trudy Mae COWLEY

This page last updated:  10-Oct-2003

Abodes     Aliases     Baptism     Birth     Burial     Children     Community Life     Death     Education     Immigration     Marriage     Occupations     Property     Siblings

Community Life

Thomas PRESNELL (and John and Eleanor PRESNELL) were signatories on a letter dated 10 June 1833, and published in the Hobart Town Courier of 28 June 1833, addressed to Thomas ANSTEY, Police Magistrate at Oatlands.  

The letter requested that ANSTEY convene a meeting to discuss the building of a church in Oatlands.

Letter

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Death

Thomas died at Oatlands, Tasmania aged 74 years on 21 February 1843 of general decay. His death was registered two days later on 23 February 1843.  The informant was Thomas PRESNELL, son of the deceased.  

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Occupations

Thomas has been noted variously as a farmer, publican and ferryman.  

Thomas ran the inn and ferry service at Black Snake in the c1822.  Either his son took over the inn circa 1827 or they ran it together.  Thomas also kept a tandem/chaise and horses to "ferry" passengers along the road to Hobart Town.

A licensee notice in Hobart Town Gazette of Saturday, 5 October 1822 (p1 c3) read:

At a General Meeting of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in the County of Buckinghamshire, holden at the Court House in Hobart Town, on Saturday the 28^th day of September last, Licenses were granted to the undermentioned persons for one Year:-
To sell Spirits, Wines, and beer, in the Country.
Thos. Presnell     Half-Way House     Black Snake
John Presnell     White Hart          Sorell Springs
To ply Boats in the River Derwent.
Thos. Presnell from the Black Snake to Green Point.

H J Emmett, Clerk to the Bench

Page 394 of The Diary of the Reverend Robert Knopwood 1803-1838 reads:

Saturday, 12 July 1823
Upon the bench; went to Mrs. Lords; Betsey rather better, but very bad.  At 4 p.m. I see Dr. Scott who wishd me to remove my dear girl from Mrs Lords.  I went and got Presnel’s chaise and he drove her home.  She was very weak.  

The PRESNELL referred to here is listed as Thomas? in the index of Knopwood's diary.

Further information about Thomas PRESNELL during the time he ran the Black Snake Inn is given on pages 19-21 of Glenorchy 1804-1964 by Alison Alexander, which read:

Further up the river was the Black Snake Inn, which was of ‘chequered fame’.  Originally merely a drinking house, in 1824 it was run by Mrs Bridges and her two daughters, and Knopwood often dined and slept there on his way to New Norfolk.  In 1826 the next owner, Thomas Presnell, irritated his neighbours exceedingly by making it very difficult for them to get to the Black Snake Rivulet, the only source of water in summer.  A visitor thought the site beautiful, but the Land Commissioners were not impressed by the area – ‘hilly and stony’.

PThe dates here conflict with Thomas PRESNELL running the establishment from 1822 onwards, unless Mrs BRIDGES took over the license in 1824 and then Thomas PRESNELL jnr resumed the license in 1826.

PPage 434 of The Diary of the Reverend Robert Knopwood 1803-1838 reads:

Sunday 7 December 1824
Performed D.V. Service; and returned to Hobart Town.  Mr Presnell drove me in his tandem.  About four miles from Hobart Town the wheel horse fell and broke the chaise all to pieces and knock’d us out.  We received no injury.  Mr Robinson was with us; he rode my horse with us.  I got home late.

The Mr ROBINSON referred to here is George Augustus ROBINSON.

In February/March 1828, Thomas moved, with his son and his family, to the Oatlands district, probably, initially at least, living with his brother John PRESNELL and his family at the Half Way House at Antill's Ponds.  Two Government notices in the Hobart Town Gazette of 15 November 1828, from the Colonial Secretary's Office dated 12 November 1828 read:

The Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to approve the appointment of Mr. Thomas Presnell, Senr. as a Special Constable.

and

The Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to appoint Mr. Thomas Presnell, Senr. to be Pound-keeper in Brisbane Parish, Oatlands Police District.

Thomas still held the position of pound-keeper at Sorell Springs in the police district of Oatlands in May 1830 (HTG, 22 & 29 May 1830).  However, notices in the Hobart Town Gazette on 30 April and 7 May 1831 stated that the pound run by Thomas PRESNELL senior in the police district of Oatlands was replaced by one run by John VINCENT.

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