Thomas MOORE

MOORE, THOMAS (b. England, 1762, d. Liverpool, NSW, 24 Dec 1840). Carpenter, farmer, Anglican donor.

Moore first arrived in Sydney as ship's carpenter aboard Britannia in 1791. After further voyages he returned to settle in 1796. In the skill-starved colony he prospered, as a 'master boat-builder' under Gov Hunter (1797), and then as a merchant and farmer with an orchard by the Tank stream and land beyond Petersham in the Liverpool district. His success there ensured his eventual fame.

Moore participated in the growth of the district, taking up 1920 acres in 1809, and adding steadily to his property. He served as a magistrate, participated in the foundation of the Bank of NSW (1817), the Auxiliary of the Bible Society (1817) and the Liverpool committee of the Wesleyan Auxiliary Missionary Society (1824), as well as St Luke's, Liverpool (1818).

Admiring Bp Broughton, he arranged after his wife Rachel Turner, whom he m. Jan 1797 died in 1838, to transfer his property (valued at £20 000) to the Church of England for various purposes including a possible site for a cathedral, support for the diocese and clergy and above all, the establishment of a college 'for the education of Boys or Youths of the Protestant persuasion in the principles of Christian Knowledge and ... Branches of moral useful and general information' (Loane, Moore Theological College 19). It was not till 1855 that Bp Barker (q.v.) was able to commence a theological training college named for Thomas Moore first in his house, then at its present Newtown, Sydney site, which now occupies such a large role in the evangelical movement in Australia.

ADB 2; M L Loane, A Centenary History of Moore Theological College (Sydney, 1955)

BRIAN DICKEY