Thomas Wilkins (1789 - 1863) Thomas Wilkins was baptised on 6 Dec 1789 in Appleby Magna. His father was Richard and his mother Ann. Appleby Magna is a village and civil parish in Leicestershire and Derbyshire, England. It includes the small hamlets of Appleby Parva and Little Wigston, and the villages of Norton-Juxta-Twycross, Snarestone and Swepstone. Historically, Appleby was one of the largest and wealthiest parishes in Leicestershire, which was reflected by its large church. However, the village and its population have remained fairly small. The village lies on the edge of the ancient boundary between the kingdom of Mercia and the Danelaw. The land itself has been inhabited from the early Neolithic period. The village developed in the pre-Saxon era. The name Appleby is derived from ‘aeppel’ and ‘by’.