Thomas Lansdown (1817-1885)

Thomas Lansdown was the son of Thomas Lansdown and Mary Spencer, born in Yeovil, Somerset, and christened on 17 December 1817 (marriage certificate of 1873, parish records). He had arrived in Australia in about 1847/48 (death certificate). In 1847 he was employed as a cook at Tarban Creek (Granville, Sydney) Lunatic Asylum. Records from there show that he had arrived in the Colony of New South Wales as a free man.

On 25 November 1850 he was in Sydney marrying Sophia Dorothy Todd (1831-1916). This marriage relationship was brief, as Thomas was soon having relations with another woman, and they had a child just 9 months later.

Thomas's first child, Isabella Landstone(sic) (known as Isabella Lydia Lansdown), was born on 5 September 1851 in Sydney and christened on 6 October 1851 as the daughter of Thomas Lansdown and Jane Kelly.

Thomas is next found with Jane and little Isabella near Braidwood in New South Wales. Thomas had joined the gold-rush and was prospecting for gold at Bell's Creek which is about 100 miles south of Goulburn on the Braidwood side of Araluen. Bell's Creek was first pegged out for gold prospecting in September 1851. Thomas was successful in his gold prosepecting. In September 1852 Thomas sent 134 onces of gold from Bell's Creek to Sydney (Sydney Morning Herald, 21 September 1852).

Thomas and Jane's second daughter, Rebecca Jane Lansdown, was born on 25 December 1852 near Braidwood. Thomas next moved his family to the area near Goulburn. Thomas and Jane's third daughter, Mary Anne Lansdown was born at "Springfield", Quialigo, 20 kilometres south of Goulburn, on 21 January 1854. Their son (Frederick) Thomas followed on 11 January 1855, and their daughter Ellen Henrietta followed on 26 January 1856. Birth records do not exist for these children, but their dates of birth are recorded at their baptism at the Anglican Cathedral in Goulburn in November 1857.

Thomas Lansdown had purchased his first land, 55 Acres, at Boxers Creek (aka Shaws Creek) in the parish of Towrang, on 3 April 1856, but in 1856 he was also leasing land at "Springfield", Quialigo.

On 12 April 1858 Thomas Lansdown had a child with another woman. Thomas had begun a relationship with Rebecca Best (1834-1921) by about July 1857. Rebecca had arrived in Sydney on 18 October 1855 on the Gilmore as a single female immigrant at the age of 21. The ship indent shows her to be illiterate, a general servant, from Compton Dundon in Somerset.

Thomas and Rebecca's first child Henry Thomas Best Lansdown was born at Quialigo on 12 April 1858, followed by Frances Mary Best Lansdown on 7 April 1860, Susan Best Lansdown on 10 May 1862, and Robert Best Lansdown on 1 August 1864. Three more children followed, all born at Goulburn: Emma Best Lansdown 1 June 1866, Frederick Best Lansdown 27 September 1868 (he died in 1869), and Edith Best Lansdown on 17 March 1870.

Thomas Lansdown and Rebecca Best then married on 10 April 1873 in Goulburn.

Newspapers of the day reveal that Thomas was living at Boxers Creek (aka Shaws Creek), 6 kilometres east of Goulburn in the latter years of his life. In 1879 he won a tender to plant trees for the local government, in 1882 he received a license to slaughter, and in 1884 he posted a reward for the return of a dog.

Thomas died on 24 August 1885 at Towrang, 15 kilomtres north-east of Goulburn, just 2 months after the death of his youngest daughter Edith at Boxers Creek. Thomas is buried at Goulburn. His stated age at death was 66 years.

Nearly 20 years after Thomas's death Rebecca married Michael Vaughan on 21 Septmeber 1903 at Moss Vale. She died on 20 January 1921 at Towrang, Goulburn.