BAYLY, THOMAS (1804-79) came of a west country yeoman family, and was born at East Peak, Devonshire. He was brought up at Clawton Vernal, married and resided for 11 years on a farm in the parish of North Tamarton, Cornwall. After a dangerous attack of typhus in 1830 he began to take a deep interest in religion and joined the Bible Christian Society. In 1841 he sailed with two brothers and their families in the Amelia Thompson for Taranaki. Thomas took up a farm at Kaipakopako, where on one occasion he was attacked by a hostile party of Katatore's people. Governor FitzRoy having ordered the settlers to evacuate their holdings, Bayly retired to New Plymouth and took up land on the town belt. He was a zealous Christian and took a great interest in the formation of a branch of the Bible Christian Society. When it merged in the Primitive Methodist connection he became a lay preacher and a staunch supporter of that denomination. He died on 19 Aug 1879.

Taranaki Herald, 20 Aug 1879.

Reference: Volume 1, page 41

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