Thomas Presnell Sr
c.1773–1843 · Essex, England → Van Diemen’s Land
4th Great-Grandfather
An early settler whose life became intertwined with the development of Black Snake, the Derwent ferry crossing and the Tasmanian Midlands.
BORN
c.1773
Essex, England
MARRIED
2 July 1798
Martha Dadge
DIED
21 February 1843
Oatlands, Tasmania
CHAPTER 01 · 1773–1822
From Essex to Van Diemen’s Land → Early Life in England
Leyton, Essex, c.1820, with images of Thomas Presnell’s baptism church, marriage church and marriage record. Historical reconstruction.
Thomas Presnell Sr. is believed to have been born in Essex, England, around 1773. Family records identify a baptism at St Mary’s the Virgin, Leyton, on 23 January 1774, and his marriage to Martha Dadge in Soho, London, on 2 July 1798.
His journey to Van Diemen’s Land remains undocumented. His presumed brother William had arrived in Australia as a convict in 1798 and settled in Hobart in 1808. By the 1820s, members of the Presnell family were established in the colony, involved in farming, trade and transport.
Thomas’s arrival date and the circumstances of his migration remain unknown, leaving an intriguing gap in the family’s early Australian history.
CHAPTER 02 · 1822–1823
A Family Reunited
The Regalia arriving in Hobart in 1822, with original newspaper notices recording its arrival and passengers, including Sarah Presnell and family. Historical reconstruction.
The Presnell family’s presence in Van Diemen’s Land began with Thomas’s older brother, William Presnell, who arrived in Sydney aboard the convict transport Barwell in 1798. After spending the years 1801 to 1808 on Norfolk Island, William arrived in Hobart in November 1808 on the City of Edinburgh. He gradually established himself in the growing settlement, developing business interests in Argyle Street that included baking, transport and the production of colonial beer. Thomas subsequently became involved in the family’s commercial activities, particularly around Black Snake and the Derwent ferry crossing, although the date of his own arrival in Tasmania remains uncertain.
In December 1822, the Regalia, commanded by Captain T. Collins, arrived in Hobart from England carrying approximately 70 passengers. Among those listed in the Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser were “Mrs. S. Presnell and family.” Sarah Presnell, believed to have been the mother of William and Thomas, had apparently travelled to join relatives already established in the colony. Her arrival represented another stage in the reunion of a family whose members had travelled separately from England to the Australian colonies.
Sadly, Sarah’s time in Van Diemen’s Land was brief. She died in Hobart on 26 March 1823, aged 86, and was buried five days later. Her obituary identified her as the mother of William Presnell of Argyle Street and noted that she left a numerous family in both Tasmania and England. Meanwhile, the family’s commercial interests continued to develop. In March 1824, an advertisement associated William’s locally brewed beer with the Eagle Tavern in Argyle Street, operated by his son-in-law George W. Robinson. These early enterprises formed part of the Presnell family’s growing involvement in the commercial life of colonial Hobart, before Thomas’s documented association with Black Snake in 1826.
CHAPTER 03 · 1823-1828
Land at Sorell Springs
Salt Pan Plain, Van Diemen’s Land, a nineteenth-century landscape illustration. The scene depicts the Midlands country in which the Presnell family established landholdings around Methven and Sorell Springs during the 1820s.
On 30 June 1823, Governor Sir Thomas Brisbane formally granted Thomas Presnell Senior 400 acres in the district of Methven, in the central Midlands of Van Diemen’s Land. The grant provides direct evidence of his landholding in the colony, although it does not establish when he first arrived or began occupying the property.
Two other Presnells received grants in the same district. Thomas Presnell Junior was granted 80 acres, with a boundary adjoining Thomas Senior’s land and extending towards the run known as Sorell Springs. John Presnell received a further 300 acres. Together, the three grants accounted for 780 acres, demonstrating the extent of the Presnell land interests in the district.
The properties were situated in a region developing around the main route between Hobart and Launceston. References to Sorell Springs, nearby farms and the Black Snake crossing place the Presnells within an emerging network of agricultural properties, inns and transport routes.
An earlier landholding register, catalogued as approximately 1820, also lists Thomas Presnell with 400 acres and Thomas Presnell Junior with 80 acres at Methven. Because the register’s date is approximate, it cannot establish whether their occupation preceded the formal grants of 1823.
CHAPTER 04 · 1828–1843
Later Years at Oatlands
Oatlands in the 1840s, with records documenting Thomas Presnell’s connections to the district between 1837 and 1843. Historical reconstruction with recreated archival inserts.
By November 1828, Thomas Presnell Senior was serving as a Special Constable and Poundkeeper at Oatlands. His appointment was reported in The Hobart Town Courier on 22 November 1828, providing direct evidence of his role in the administration of the growing Midlands settlement.
As poundkeeper, Thomas was responsible for livestock impounded after straying or trespassing. A notice dated 10 February 1829, signed by Thomas Presnell as Poundkeeper at Sorell Springs, listed four cattle awaiting collection and warned that unclaimed animals would be sold after 21 days to recover expenses. Although the notice does not identify him as Senior, it is consistent with his documented occupation.
Thomas’s later years were closely associated with the Oatlands district. In June 1833, Thomas, John and Eleanor Presnell appeared among residents petitioning for the construction of a church. An 1837 advertisement also referred to adjoining land grants bearing the names Thomas and John Presnell, suggesting the family’s involvement in the agricultural development of the district. The precise identities of the landholders remain to be confirmed.
Thomas Presnell Senior died at Oatlands on 21 February 1843, aged 74 according to his death registration. His son Thomas Presnell Junior reported the death, bringing to a close a life whose later years were spent in the developing rural communities of Van Diemen’s Land.
Thomas Presnell Senior’s life in Van Diemen’s Land can be traced through contemporary newspapers, colonial government records and historical accounts of early settlement. Together, these sources document the Presnell family’s presence in Hobart, Thomas’s association with the Black Snake ferry crossing, and his later connections with the Oatlands district. Some records refer to other men named Thomas Presnell, making careful identification essential.
|
Source |
Date |
Historical significance |
|---|---|---|
|
Colonial Secretary — Land Holdings, Van Diemen’s Land (4/1236.1) |
c1820-1825 |
Lists Thomas Presnell with 400 acres and Thomas Presnell Junior with 80 acres in Methven. The approximate date of the register does not establish when the holdings were first occupied. |
|
Tasmanian Archives — Copies of Land Grants Issued (LSD354/1/4 and LSD354/1/5) |
30 June 1823 |
Original grants record 400 acres to Thomas Presnell Senior, 80 acres to Thomas Presnell Junior and 300 acres to John Presnell in Methven. The younger Thomas’s grant describes land adjoining Presnell Senior’s holding near Sorell Springs. |
|
22 November 1828 |
Strongest evidence identifying Thomas Presnell Senior as special Constable and Poundkeeper. |
|
|
14 February 1829 |
Demonstrates the practical duties of a poundkeeper. |
|
|
Regalia arrival and passenger notices |
December 1822–January 1823 |
Document the arrival of Mrs S. Presnell and family, without identifying Thomas Senior as a passenger. |
|
Tasmanian Government — Bridgewater Bridge history |
1826 |
Identifies Thomas Presnell as operating the Black Snake ferry and claiming Black Snake Farm in 1826. |
|
Hobart Town Courier |
21 June 1833 |
Names Thomas Presnell among those petitioning about roads and bridges in the Oatlands district. |
|
Colonial Times |
22 August 1837 |
Describes a 1,000-acre property adjoining land grants to Thomas and John Presnell. |
|
Tasmanian Death Registration |
21 February 1843 |
Records Thomas Presnell’s death at Oatlands, occupation as farmer, age 74 and cause of death as general decay. His son Thomas Junior was the informant. |
Research note: Thomas Senior’s arrival in Van Diemen’s Land remains unconfirmed. The Regalia passenger notice establishes the arrival of Mrs S. Presnell and family, but does not name him. The reported 1774 baptism also conflicts with the age recorded at his death.
The Methven Land Grants — 1823
On 30 June 1823, three members of the Presnell family received substantial land grants in the district of Methven, Van Diemen’s Land. These original documents provide evidence of the family’s early landholdings in the central Midlands.
Thomas Presnell Senior — 400 Acres
The grant records 400 acres awarded to Thomas Presnell Senior in the district of Methven. It establishes his ownership of land in the colony by June 1823, although it does not identify when he first arrived or began occupying the property.
Source: Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, page 109.
Thomas Presnell Junior — 80 Acres
The separate grant to Thomas Presnell Junior is especially significant because its boundary description refers to land adjoining Presnell Senior’s holding. It also identifies nearby Dunrobin’s Farm and the run known as Sorell Springs. The document establishes that the two Thomases held adjoining land, but does not by itself prove their father–son relationship.
Source: Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/4, page 180.
John Presnell — 300 Acres
John Presnell also received a substantial grant in Methven in 1823. Together, the three grants document at least 780 acres associated with the Presnell name in this district. John’s grant provides another important connection between the early Presnell settlers and the land around Sorell Springs.
Source: Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, page 93.
Parents
Sarah arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in December 1822 and died in Hobart in March 1823. Family research identifies her as Thomas Senior’s mother, although the relationship has not yet been independently confirmed through original records.
Father — Not confirmed
The identity of Thomas Senior’s father remains under investigation. Earlier family histories propose an older Thomas Presnell, but the evidence is insufficient to establish his identity or any arrival in Australia.
Wife
Martha Dadge (dates not confirmed)
Thomas Presnell Senior reportedly married Martha Dadge in London on 2 July 1798. Family research suggests that Martha remained in England when Thomas travelled to Van Diemen’s Land. The marriage and subsequent circumstances require further verification.
Children
Published family research identifies four children associated with Thomas Presnell Senior and Martha Dadge. Their relationships and dates remain subject to verification.
| Name | Date of Birth | Place of Birth | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Presnell | Not confirmed | England (reported) | Not confirmed |
| Thomas Presnell Junior | 1804 | England | 1880 |
| Harriet Presnell | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| George William Presnell | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
Family Relationships
Several men named Thomas Presnell appear in early Tasmanian records, making it important to distinguish Thomas Senior from his proposed son Thomas Junior and from Thomas Fowler Presnell, the son of William Presnell and Ann Fowler.
The original Methven land grants of June 1823 identify Thomas Senior and Thomas Junior as separate landholders with adjoining properties. These records demonstrate their close geographical association but do not independently establish their father–son relationship.
Research Notes — Thomas Presnell Senior
These notes document the evidence used to reconstruct the life of Thomas Presnell Senior (c.1769–1843), distinguish him from other early settlers named Thomas Presnell, and identify questions requiring further investigation.
The research draws on original colonial records, contemporary newspapers, historical publications and family-history research. Where the evidence is incomplete or conflicting, conclusions remain provisional.
1. English Origins
An Ancestry family tree identifies Thomas Presnell Senior as born on 17 December 1773 at Leyton, Essex, and baptised at St Mary’s the Virgin on 23 January 1774.
These details have not yet been verified against the original parish register. They also conflict with his death registration in Tasmania, which records his age as 74 in February 1843, suggesting a birth around 1768–1769.
The same tree identifies his parents as Thomas Presnell (1734–1822) and Sarah (c.1737–1823).
Thomas reportedly married Martha Dadge on 2 July 1798 at St Anne’s, Soho, Westminster.
Research gaps
- Verify the original 1774 baptism entry and establish that it belongs to the Thomas who died in Tasmania in 1843.
- Examine the original 1798 marriage register.
- Resolve the discrepancy between the proposed 1773 birth and the age of 74 recorded at death.
- Confirm the identity of his father. The proposed identification of Thomas Presnell (1734–1822) remains unproven.
- Investigate documentary evidence that Thomas held an inn licence at Cornwell, Oxfordshire, between 1807 and 1819, and that Martha continued the licence during 1820–1822.
Research assessment: Thomas Senior’s precise birth date and parentage remain unresolved. His 1843 death registration provides contemporary evidence of his reported age, but does not independently establish his English origins.
2. Migration to Van Diemen’s Land
Thomas Senior’s date of arrival and ship remain unknown.
He was reportedly involved in colonial activities by 1822, although records bearing the name Thomas Presnell require careful identification because several family members shared that name.
His presumed brother William Presnell arrived in Australia aboard the Barwell in 1798 and subsequently settled in Van Diemen’s Land in November 1808.
The Midas — January 1821
John Presnell’s memorial to Lieutenant Governor George Arthur, dated 8 February 1826, records that John arrived aboard the Midas, under Captain Watson, in January 1821.
This provides contemporary evidence of John’s arrival. However, the memorial does not identify Thomas Senior as a fellow passenger.
One possibility is that Thomas Senior travelled with John aboard the Midas. The surviving passenger information is incomplete, so this remains a plausible but unconfirmed hypothesis.
Source: Tasmanian Archives, CSO1/79/1760, pp. 148–149, John Presnell’s memorial, 8 February 1826.
The Regalia — December 1822
A contemporary passenger notice published in the Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser on 4 January 1823 records the arrival of “Mrs S. Presnell and family” aboard the Regalia in December 1822.
Later family histories identify Thomas Senior among the accompanying family members. However, the original newspaper notice does not name him.
The report therefore confirms the arrival of a Presnell family group but does not establish that Thomas Senior travelled aboard the Regalia.
Research gaps
- Identify Thomas Senior’s arrival date and ship through an original record.
- Establish whether he travelled aboard the Midas.
- Confirm the identities of the family members aboard the Regalia.
- Identify the original passenger and immigration records, where surviving.
- Determine whether Thomas Senior arrived independently of his mother and other relatives.
- Investigate whether Martha Presnell remained in England.
Research assessment: Thomas Senior’s arrival aboard either the Midas or the Regalia remains unconfirmed. Neither voyage should be presented as established fact.
3. Sarah Presnell and the Family Connection
An original burial register records Sarah Presnell’s burial on 31 March 1823 at St David’s, Hobart Town, aged 86. Her death occurred on 26 March 1823.
A contemporary newspaper obituary identifies Mrs Presnell as the mother of William Presnell of Argyle Street, Hobart. It reports that she had arrived from England only a few months earlier and left numerous family members in both the colony and England.
These details and circumstances strongly suggest the older generation of the Presnell family was represented in Van Diemen’s Land by early 1823.
The obituary directly establishes William’s relationship to Sarah, but does not independently establish Thomas Senior’s relationship to her.
Research gaps
- Confirm Sarah’s maiden name.
- Establish her marriage and husband’s identity.
- Independently document her relationship to Thomas Senior.
- Identify Sarah’s children who remained in England.
- Confirm the identities of the family members who accompanied her aboard the Regalia.
Research assessment: Sarah’s arrival, death and relationship to William are supported by contemporary records. Her identification as Thomas Senior’s mother remains a strong family-history hypothesis requiring independent confirmation.
4. Black Snake and the Half-way House
The Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser reported on 23 February 1822 that Thomas Presnell had been licensed to keep a public house at Black Snake, known as the Half-way House.
A subsequent advertisement, published in March 1822, offered a £20 reward following damage to a boat moored at the Half-way House. The notice was signed by T. Presnell and A. Connelly.
These records establish that a man named Thomas Presnell was associated with the Half-way House by February 1822.
However, they do not identify his parents or establish whether he was Thomas Senior or another Thomas Presnell.
The Tasmanian Government’s Bridgewater Bridge heritage account identifies Thomas Senior as William Presnell’s brother and states that he operated the Black Snake ferry and claimed ownership of Black Snake Farm in 1826.
The Tasmanian Heritage Register documentation for the Black Snake Inn attributes the February 1822 Half-way House licence to William’s son Thomas, rather than Thomas Senior.
This distinction is important because three men named Thomas Presnell are associated with the extended family:
- Thomas Presnell Senior, who died at Oatlands in 1843.
- Thomas Presnell Junior (1804–1880), the direct ancestor represented in the family tree.
- Thomas Fowler Presnell, son of William Presnell and Ann Fowler, associated in published research with a death in 1838.
The original February 1822 licensing notice does not resolve which Thomas was involved.
Research gaps
- Locate the original 1826 ferry record.
- Establish the original evidence for Thomas Senior’s claim to Black Snake Farm.
- Identify whether the 1822 public-house licensee was Thomas Senior or William’s son Thomas.
- Determine the business relationship between T. Presnell and A. Connelly.
- Examine D. K. Cherchi’s 2019 research, The Black Snake Inn: A Brief History, for its underlying archival references.
Research assessment: Do not identify the 1822 Half-way House licensee as Thomas Senior without further evidence. The competing historical interpretations must remain documented.
5. The Methven Land Grants — 1823
Original land grants dated 30 June 1823 establish that Thomas Presnell Senior received 400 acres in the district of Methven, Van Diemen’s Land.
Thomas Presnell Junior received a separate grant of 80 acres, while John Presnell received 300 acres in the same district.
Together, the three grants record 780 acres associated with the Presnell name.
The grant to Thomas Junior is particularly significant because its boundary description refers to Presnell Senior’s adjoining property and identifies the nearby run known as Sorell Springs.
This provides direct evidence that the two Thomases held neighbouring land, although the grants do not independently prove their father–son relationship.
The earlier landholding register
A Colonial Secretary’s register of landholdings in Van Diemen’s Land, catalogued as approximately 1820, records:
- Thomas Presnell — 400 acres, Methven.
- Thomas Presnell Junior — 80 acres, Methven.
These acreages correspond to the formal grants of June 1823.
The register’s approximate date creates an important chronological question. It is not yet established whether the entries were compiled before 1821, subsequently updated, or copied from later records.
Consequently, the register cannot currently be used as proof that either Thomas was physically present in Van Diemen’s Land in 1820.
Original sources
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, p. 109 — Thomas Presnell Senior, 400 acres.
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/4, p. 180 — Thomas Presnell Junior, 80 acres.
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, p. 93 — John Presnell, 300 acres.
- Colonial Secretary, Land Holdings, Van Diemen’s Land, c.1820, 4/1236.1.
Research gaps
- Establish when the land was first allocated or occupied.
- Determine the actual compilation date of the c.1820 register.
- Locate the original land applications and survey plans.
- Identify the precise locations and boundaries of the three properties.
- Determine whether the 300-acre John Presnell holding was adjoining the two Thomas holdings.
- Confirm the family relationships between the three grantees.
Research assessment: The 1823 grants provide strong original evidence of Thomas Senior’s landholding and his association with Thomas Junior and John. They do not establish his date of arrival.
6. The Wanstead Arrival — May 1828
A passenger list published on 24 May 1828 records “Presnell sen. and jun.” aboard the Wanstead, which arrived in Hobart on 20 May.
Subsequent genealogical research identifies these passengers as James Presnell, brother of Thomas Senior, and James’s son Abraham.
Other family members are also reported to have travelled aboard the vessel, although the identification of individual passengers has not yet been independently verified against an original passenger register.
This evidence suggests that the 1828 voyage brought another branch of the Presnell family to Van Diemen’s Land, rather than marking Thomas Senior’s first arrival.
Research gaps
- Locate the original Wanstead passenger list.
- Establish the identities of the passengers described as Presnell Senior and Junior.
- Verify James Presnell’s relationship to Thomas Senior.
- Determine whether Abraham Presnell was among the passengers.
- Reconcile the reported 1828 arrival with other records associated with Abraham in the early 1820s.
Research assessment: The Wanstead notice should not be attributed to Thomas Senior without evidence identifying him as a passenger.
7. Later Life and Oatlands
A contemporary newspaper notice published in the Hobart Town Courier on 22 November 1828 identifies “Mr. Thomas Presnell, senior” as a special constable and poundkeeper at Oatlands.
This is particularly valuable because the notice explicitly distinguishes him as Senior.
A notice published in February 1829 records Thomas Presnell acting as poundkeeper at Sorell Springs, although the entry does not independently establish whether this was the same man.
A June 1833 petition concerning a church at Oatlands includes the names Thomas Presnell, John Presnell and Eleanor Presnell. Their precise relationships require further investigation.
An 1837 land-sale advertisement describes property adjoining grants to John Presnell and Thomas Presnell near Oatlands. The notice identifies historical grants but does not establish that the original grantees still owned the land in 1837.
A further advertisement in May 1838 refers to land at Antill Ponds occupied or cultivated by Thomas and John Presnell. The notice does not establish ownership or conclusively identify which Thomas was involved.
Research gaps
- Examine the original 1828 special-constable appointment and any associated government records.
- Establish whether the 1829 poundkeeper was Thomas Senior.
- Identify the Thomas, John and Eleanor Presnell named in the 1833 church petition.
- Investigate the 1837 and 1838 land references.
- Determine the extent of Thomas Senior’s continuing landholdings and activities during the 1830s.
Research assessment: Thomas Senior’s association with Oatlands is firmly supported by the 1828 newspaper notice and his subsequent death registration. Other records require careful identification because the family included several men with the same names.
8. Death at Oatlands
The original Oatlands death register, entry No. 34, records:
- Death: 21 February 1843
- Age: 74 years
- Occupation: Farmer
- Cause: General Decay
- Informant: Thomas Presnell, son of the deceased
- Registration: 23 February 1843
This is among the strongest original records currently available for Thomas Senior’s later life.
It directly establishes that he had a son named Thomas, consistent with the identification of Thomas Presnell Junior (1804–1880).
The recorded age suggests a birth around 1768–1769, approximately five years earlier than the proposed Leyton baptism.
Research gaps
- Resolve the birth-year discrepancy.
- Verify the burial date and location.
- Investigate possible probate, estate or land records.
- Identify any surviving newspaper death notice.
Research assessment: The death registration provides direct evidence of Thomas Senior’s death, occupation, reported age and father–son relationship with a Thomas Presnell.
9. Family Relationships
The working family structure is based on a combination of original records and published genealogical research.
Possible parents
Thomas Presnell (1734–1822) — proposed father. His identity and any Australian migration remain unverified.
Sarah Presnell (c.1737–1823) — documented arrival, death and relationship to William Presnell. Her relationship to Thomas Senior remains to be independently established.
Possible brother
William Presnell (c.1765–1839) — documented early Australian settler, identified as Thomas Senior’s brother in the Bridgewater Bridge heritage account.
Wife
Martha Dadge — reported marriage in London on 2 July 1798. The original marriage register and later family circumstances require further verification.
Children identified in family research
- Thomas Presnell Junior (1804–1880)
- John Presnell
- Harriet Presnell
- George William Presnell
Other family trees and research notes also associate additional children, including William Presnell Junior and Sarah Presnell, with this family. These proposed relationships require further examination before they can be incorporated confidently into the Family Connections table.
The original 1843 death registration provides direct evidence that Thomas Senior had a son named Thomas.
The 1823 land grants independently establish adjoining landholdings for Thomas Senior and Thomas Junior, but the grants alone do not prove parentage.
Research gaps
- Confirm the complete list of children using original birth, baptism, marriage and death records.
- Establish the relationship between Thomas Senior and John Presnell.
- Verify the identity and dates of Martha Dadge.
- Distinguish Thomas Senior’s children from those of William Presnell and other related families.
- Reconcile differences between published family trees.
10. Sources Collected
The following sources have been identified or examined during this research.
- Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser, 23 February 1822 — Half-way House licence at Black Snake.
- Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser, 2 March 1822 — boat-damage reward notice.
- Hobart Town Gazette and Van Diemen’s Land Advertiser, 4 January 1823 — Regalia passenger arrivals.
- St David’s, Hobart Town, burial register, 1823 — Sarah Presnell.
- Contemporary newspaper obituary, March/April 1823 — Sarah Presnell.
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, p. 109 — Thomas Presnell Senior’s 400-acre Methven grant, 1823.
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/4, p. 180 — Thomas Presnell Junior’s 80-acre Methven grant, 1823.
- Tasmanian Archives, LSD354/1/5, p. 93 — John Presnell’s 300-acre Methven grant, 1823.
- Colonial Secretary, Land Holdings, Van Diemen’s Land, c.1820, 4/1236.1 — Presnell holdings at Methven.
- Tasmanian Archives, CSO1/79/1760, pp. 148–149 — John Presnell’s 1826 memorial identifying the Midas arrival.
- Hobart Town Courier, 24 May 1828 — Wanstead passenger notice.
- Hobart Town Courier, 22 November 1828 — Thomas Presnell Senior as special constable and poundkeeper.
- Colonial newspaper poundkeeper notice, February 1829 — Thomas Presnell at Sorell Springs.
- Hobart Town Courier, 21 June 1833 — Oatlands church petition.
- Colonial Times, 22 August 1837 — land adjoining Presnell grants.
- Colonial Times, 15 May 1838 — Antill Ponds land occupation.
- Oatlands death register, entry No. 34, February 1843 — Thomas Presnell Senior.
- Tasmanian Government, Bridgewater Bridge heritage project — Black Snake Inn and early Presnell residents.
- Tasmanian Heritage Register, Black Snake Inn, THR 12133, provisional-entry assessment, June 2026.
- RootsChat, PRESNELL of Tasmania – origins? — published genealogical discussion.
- The Mallett Files — published Presnell family research.
- Ancestry family trees and indexes — proposed English origins, marriage and family relationships.
Original documents take precedence over secondary family histories where their interpretations conflict. Newspaper references and family-tree claims should be checked against their underlying records before being treated as conclusive evidence.
11. Overall Research Assessment
Thomas Presnell Senior is securely documented in Van Diemen’s Land through his 400-acre Methven land grant of 30 June 1823 and his later activities at Oatlands, where he died in 1843.
The Methven grants establish that Thomas Senior and Thomas Junior held adjoining properties near Sorell Springs. His death registration also identifies a son named Thomas, providing independent evidence of the father–son relationship.
Thomas Senior belonged to a wider Presnell family network that included William Presnell, an early Australian settler, and Sarah Presnell, who arrived from England in late 1822.
The available evidence is consistent with a staged family migration, but Thomas Senior’s arrival date, ship and involvement with the Black Snake ferry remain incompletely documented.
The principal outstanding questions are:
- When did Thomas Senior first arrive in Van Diemen’s Land?
- Was he aboard the Midas in January 1821 or the Regalia in December 1822?
- Which Thomas Presnell held the Half-way House licence in February 1822?
- When were the Methven holdings first allocated or occupied?
- What were the precise relationships among the early Presnell settlers?
- Which English baptism and marriage records can be securely attributed to Thomas Senior?
Research status: Ready to proceed with the biography. The principal documented events have been incorporated, and unresolved questions are retained for future investigation.