Thomas Levi Pilkington my 2 x G grandfather, his early life a mystery he married a Jane Hughes in 1875, it took some time to realise that he was the son of a Sarah Pilkington who married John Robinson in 1848 they resided at the New Derwent Hotel at "The Falls" near New Norfolk.

It took again some time to prove that a William James Pilkington was the brother of my Thomas, and that hey were both sons of Sarah Pilkington, The advent of Trove made this possible for me.  But Sarah's beginnings were un-traceable, this leading to numerous researchers all believing that she was the daughter of the closest fit, thus many confused trees on Ancestry.

Eventually, after leads from another researcher, we found that Sarah was actually Sarah Moss a convict who was transported 1832 on the "Hydery" she stating her husband Thomas was being transported at the same time on the "England" although he was using the name Charles, with Sarah was a son aged 2yrs+ leaving one behind in England the couple Sarah and Charles after serving their time then had another child at New Norfolk named William James Moss born 18th Feb 1837, this date 18th Feb I had noticed years before as it had appeared in a Pilkington/Lloyd "birthday book" I acquired from another researcher as being William James Pilkington's birthday, and as I could not find a birth in Tasmania for a William James Pilkington I thought that the family must know something I do not.  Anyway the only William James born at New Norfolk on that day was a William James Moss.  This lead also to the discovery, and pointed out to me of a death of a Thomas Pilkington Moss in 1845, Sarah Moss married three years later using the name Pilkington, which I believe to be the maiden name of her husbands mother.

I have not been able to find a record of a Thomas Pilkington Moss prior to the death and also no record of Charles after this death, after this death Sarah along with her two sons Thomas Levi and William James has married John Robinson as Sarah Pilkington effectively hiding her convict past.

Only just now have I found what had happened to the child that came on the "Hydery" with his mother, and who I believed to be Thomas Levi Pilkington.  On the voyage out young 2 year Levi Moss (as he was referred to) took sick with diarrhoea but recovered after a couple of days, Sarah also fell ill on the voyage with "Synochus" apparently a fever, many of the females and children died on the voyage out.  Luckily Sarah and son arrived alive, Sarah to prison and not long after Levi to the Orphanage, young Levi from 6th January 1834 aged 3 yrs and 9 months untill recovered by his mother on the 9th April 1840 aged abt 10 years old, I wonder if he knew of his three year old younger brother William James prior to returning to his parents?

Also of interest did the family ever make contact with the child who remained in Yorkshire ?