Thomas Besley spent his early years in Berkshire, England, before travelling to Australia in 1852 with his parents, Francis and Isabella, and his younger brother Walter. By 1857 the family had settled in Colac, joining the growth of the small but developing township.
As a small child Thomas had stayed in England with his yeoman grandparents while his parents searched for work in Wales. During those years he developed a lifelong interest in poultry. In Colac he became well known for raising ducks and chickens, some of which he successfully exhibited at the Colac Agricultural Show.
Thomas earned his living as a coach painter and repairer, working from the family home in Colac East. As the township gradually shifted westward from the flood-prone Barongarook Creek, he expanded his business by leasing the former Temperance Hall in Church Street.
He never married and continued living with his mother after the death of his father Francis in 1877. Their neighbours included the Dunoon family, with Donald Dunoon well known locally as a saddler. Thomas also occasionally served as a juror, reflecting his place within the local community.
In 1882 Thomas died from stomach cancer. Only a week later his brother Walter drowned while attempting to rescue sheep during flooding at Ripplevale Estate near Birregurra. After losing both sons within days of each other, their grief-stricken mother Isabella sold the family property and returned to relatives in Berkshire, England.
For three decades Thomas witnessed and contributed to the growth of early Colac. Today he rests here beside his father and brother.

Research by Robyn Currie
Story by Robyn Currie

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