Major Thomas Bell arrived in Sydney in 1817, commanding a detachment of the 48th Regiment. In 1818 Governor Macquarie appointed him Commanding Officer of the military garrision at Hobart Town, succeeeding Major William Nairn. On arrival, Bell was also appointed a justice of the peace, engineer, and inspector of public works. His buildings included the stone bridge at Richmond. A family friend oftehe surveyor Thomas Scott (1800-1855), Bell secured Scott employment on his arrival in Van Diemen's Land in 1820. Bell left Van Diemen's Land with his regiment in 1824, for Madras.