Alexander, weighing in at 452 tons, 114 ft long and 31 ft at the beam, the Alexander was commanded by Master Duncan Sinclair. She carried 192 male convicts and was the largest ship in the fleet. Being built in Hull, England in 1783, little is known about the vessel after her return journey to England, as there are no records after 1808. Borrowdale, one of three store-ships was built in Sunderland England for the owners Leightons & Co in 1785, three years before Continue Reading »
John : Hannah Beresford
The Berefords and Undine In December 2004, my husband Peter and I were very fortunate to be able to travel to Tasmania and stay in a bed and breakfast accommodation called Undine Colonial Accommodation. This is just out of Hobart in the suburb of Glenorchy. The right side of Undine, which appears to be the single storey, had been built about 1817 by my ancestors John and Hannah Beresford. The Continue Reading »
Convict Women
The First Woman Ashore Elizabeth Thackery was charged at the Manchester Assizes in 1786 of stealing a silk handkerchief. She was charged with theft and sailed for Botany Bay aboard Friendship with 97 other convicts. During the voyage, Elizabeth contracted several liaisons with various members of the Friendship’s crew. Elizabeth must have had some spirit for she was known as one of the fighting five a group of convict women who fought against their imprisonment at every step of Continue Reading »
First Fleet Cattle
Disaster and its Sequel The loss early in June 1788, of the black Cape cattle (four cows and two bulls) landed from the First Fleet late in January 1788, appeared to the young and ill-fed community at Sydney Cove as an “absolute disaster.” But the discovery in 1795 of several herds (totalling over 100 head) across the Nepean River, turned the disaster into perhaps the most splendid and important event of the early years of white settlement in New South Wales, giving an insight and Continue Reading »
Trades of the First Fleet Convicts
Over 80 different trades were listed for the First Fleet convicts, many of these were probably useful in shaping the new colony, but many trades were so specialised they were not able to be practiced here; they were not the trades required for the establishment of a new frontier settlement. Some of the more unusual trades listed against the convicts names are: lemon seller, pinheader, tambour worker, button stamper and artificial flower maker. Listed are some of the trades associated with Continue Reading »
List of Livestock, Provisions, Plants and Seeds
The List of Livestock, Provisions, Plants and Seeds, below, has been upgraded as additional information was found in various publications on the First Fleet. Thanks go to Desmond (Des) Cafe for his input. Find out what these items are by clicking on the - pdf First Fleet Equipment List 10 Forges 175 Steel Hand Saws 700 Iron Shovels 700 Garden Hoes 700 West Indian Hoes 700 Grubbing Hoes 700 Felling Axes 700 Hatchets 700 Helves for Felling Axes 747,000 Nails 100 Pairs of Continue Reading »
Bartholomew Reardon
The Reardon Family Bartholomew Reardon was a shoemaker who lived at Gosport, England. He was married to Katharine Wood on 20 July 1781 at Holy Trinity, Gosport, England. According to the Hampshire Public Records Office Bartholomew had received a stolen hair trunk from a sailor named Carey. Bartholomew and his wife Katherine were charged with having the trunk in their house, knowing it was stolen. He was found guilty at Winchester in Hampshire on 15 July 1783. He was Continue Reading »
Matthew Everingham
On meeting Matthew Everingham During one of Aunty Eunice’s who is related to who talks I discovered I am a direct descendant of a First Fleet convict, Matthew Everingham. To a young teenager’s ears, this was most intriguing. The family story was that Matthew had not returned two books to their rightful owner and there was a hint of forgery somewhere! In 1980, the book Matthew Everingham: A First Fleeter and His Times was written by Valerie Ross – another Everingham descendant and Continue Reading »
Mary Braund : William Bryant
Escape to Timor – Woman Convict’s Epic VoyageSome of the world’s epic voyages have been made in small boats. One in which a woman played a conspicuous part was around the eastern and northern shores of Australia 221 years ago. Few persons have heard of it although it was one of the most hazardous attempts ever made to regain personal liberty. This was the exploit of Mary Bryant, a female convict at Sydney Cove. The Governor (Captain Phillip) was extremely impressed by it, as the historical Continue Reading »
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales was added to the number of transports in December 1786, on representation being made to the Treasury Board, that such an addition was necessary to carry female convicts to Botany Bay. With its royal name Prince of Wales was one of the newest vessels in the fleet, having been built on the Thames by Christopher Watson & Co and launched on 12 August 1786 for its owner James Mather, a Cornhill merchant. Prince of Wales afully rigged shipwas 350 tons, 103 feet long Continue Reading »
