Chart of Van Diemen’s Land From the best Authorities and from actual Surveys & Measurements by Thomas Scott, Asst. Surveyor….

Mapmaker:

Thomas Scott (1800-1855)

Scott was a surveyor and landowner, the son of George Scott of Berwickshire, Scotland. After education as a surveyor he came to Hobart Town in 1820 in the Skelton and temporarily became superintendent of government stock. The following year he was appointed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie as assistant surveyor under George William Evans. Scott was responsible for surveying much of the early settlements. Between 1822 and 1824 he explored parts of the east coast, laid out the town of Bothwell. During the 1820s he took up Mount Morriston at the Macquarie River near Ross with his brother George.

In 1824 Evans applied for permission to retire and Scott applied for the vacancy, but when Governor Ralph Darling called at Hobart on his way to Sydney he appointed his brother-in-law, Edward Dumaresq, as acting surveyor general. Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur confirmed the appointment, but reported that he was satisfied with Scott’s zeal and abilities and asked that his salary be increased. The Colonial Office then appointed Scott as surveyor-general, but Arthur changed his opinion of Scott’s accuracy and honesty, partly because Roderic O’Connor refused to serve as a land commissioner under him. More important, Scott had become implicated in accusations against Evans, who had accepted bribes to measure holdings in excess of areas granted. In 1826 the Executive Council inquired into these charges and reported that both surveyors were at fault, but excused Scott for acquiescing in the errors of his senior officer. As a result George Frankland was appointed surveyor-general, Dumaresq acted as chief land commissioner and Scott continued as assistant surveyor.

In 1826 Scott took a party to Adventure Bay and South Cape to explore coal seams, but reported that the shaft and the road to the mine were too arduous undertakings. His party established friendly relations with the local Aboriginals. In 1828 he examined Port Arthur as a place for settlement. Next year he accompanied Arthur on a journey from Hobart to Mole Creek and through the Van Diemen’s Land Co.’s land at Middlesex Plains, Surrey Hills, Hampshire Hills and Emu Bay. The company’s proposed grants were based on Scott’s map, but it misled the manager, Edward Curr, who deduced from it that the north-western country was isolated from other settlements by several days travel through impassable mountains.

In 1829 Captain Edward Boyd was appointed deputy surveyor-general, despite Scott’s protests, but although still third in the department he was promoted senior assistant surveyor in 1830. In 1832 he became surveyor for the County of Cornwall. About this time he took up residence at Bowhill, Glen Dhu, Launceston; he also gave the town of Deloraine its name, taking it from the Lay of the Last Minstrel, by his kinsman, Sir Walter Scott. In the same year his plan of Launceston was published for the Hobart Town Almanac by James Ross. In 1833 Boyd was sent to Launceston to open a branch of the survey office and Scott was moved to George Town. In 1835 he married Ann Reid and the followingt year he obtained two years leave to visit Scotland, and arranged for his brother James to be his deputy, each to share equally his annual salary of £350. Soon after his return he resigned and devoted himself to his own land and business interests.

On his death at Earlston in 1855 he had amassed a fortune estimated at £107,800.

Reference; Australian Dictionary of Biography.