A Portrait in his Actions. Thomas Moore of Liverpool (1762-1840): Part 1: Lesbury to Liverpool

The first volume of the biography of Mr Thomas Moore, Esq. (1762–1840), from his birth to his appointment as resident magistrate of George's River (Liverpool), NSW. After growing up in Lesbury, Northumberland, Thomas Moore became the ship's carpenter on the Britannia (Master: William Raven). When he was left in Dusky Sound with a sealing party, he constructed a vessel (later known as the Providence) in case the Britannia did not return. When this became known, he was invited to become the Master Builder of Sydney's government dockyard in 1796, a post he held until 1809, when he moved to the George's River region (Liverpool), where he became the Resident Magistrate. In these early days, as well as serving at the dockyard, the well-respected Thomas Moore served on the bench to hear legal cases, was a landowner, a trader, a banker, a horse-breeder, a ship owner, and a prominent christian layman. When caught up in the 1808 Rum Rebellion he fell out of favour with Governor Bligh, but when Macquarie arrived he was appointed first resident magistrate for the George's River, where he was one of the pioneer settlers who helped to establish the town of Liverpool.