Thomas Hassall - Pioneer Educator

​A couple of years ago, I stumbled onto this interesting story of a young man who left a decisive mark on the Port Jackson settlement. I filmed the Thomas Hassall story in some great locations in Cobbity in Western Sydney, with my mate John Hills. It was a great day, full of surprises. I hope you’ll find the film he edited just as intriguing.
It’s embarrassing for a historian to admit he made a mistake, but I did this day. A couple of times I said Thomas was native born. Actually, he was born in England, taken first to Tahiti before arriving in Sydney Town. One of his earliest initiatives was to build the first Sunday School which was more than an exercise in mild religion, but a robust effort to teach the neglected ‘currency kids’ born to the new arrivals, the basics of reading and writing. I’m sure this is a clue to the mystery of how what began as a brutal convict settlement, managed to turn out as well as it did.
Click Read More to WATCH  the video.