Thomas Clarke, called Tom by the family, was born in 1835 in Chatham, Kent in England. On the voyage to Hobart Town and Sydney on the Bardaster, he contracted smallpox when five months old. He survived, although it may have affected his health in later life.
While the family lived at Clarence Town, Tom learnt the trade of bootmaker. He went with John to the Macleay in 1862 where they selected land adjacent to the Sherwood run. He was also involved in antimony mining in the Macleay. Tom died in 1898.