was sentenced to seven years transportation at the Old Bailey on 7 July 1784 for theft of a ten pound iron bar, value 10d, and for wrenching it from the house.  He was a blacksmith and said to have served for ten years in the guards.  On 6 September 1784 he was received on the Censor hulk and three years later sent by wagon for embarkation on the Scarborough.  Following the Fleets arrival James was sent by Sirius to Norfolk Island and took up farming.  In June 1794 he was living with Ann Brooks (Lady Juliana) and they had four children.  In December 1807, with his wife and five children he left for VDL by Porpoise, and later took up land at Clarence Plains.  Ann Morrisby was buried on 2 February 1813 and later James married Eleanor Murphy (Catherine 1814).  Eleanor was buried on 14 February 1821.  James Morrisby was buried at Clarence Plains on 29 May 1839.

Honouring his WW1 descendants

1821 Allan (Alma) George Orville Smith (Brother of Eric William Clyde Smith)
Private – Lance Sergeant 7^th Australian Infantry Battalion
Occupation Reader’s Assistant
Enlisted 8 January 1915 Melbourne Victoria aged 21
Embarked 14 April Melbourne Victoria aboard HMAT Wiltshire A18
Next of kin Mother Mrs M.R Smith 271 Barkly Street St Kilda Victoria
Wounded at Gallipoli and returned to Australia via the Middle East
Discharged because of wounds on 22 May 1916
Re-enlisted in Melbourne on 28 December 1916 and was returned to France, where he served in the battle of the Somme
He was hospitalised again in London and returned to Australia, being discharged on 27 May 1919

 

 

Allan married Frances Elizabeth Hinman in 1919 and they had 10 children

 

 

 

 

WW11
On 21 January 1942 he enlisted again in the Army and was promoted to Sergeant and served in a training role in Darwin and Ballarat until discharged because he reached 50 years of age
Allan was educated at Wesley College and spent his life, except for military service as a proof reader and worked for all the daily papers.  He wrote a weekly column for the Coburg Courier under the initials of A.G.O.S.  He was a founding member of the RSL
Died in Coburg Victoria at the age of 73 on 26 June 1967

Allan told a story of when he was at the Herald in the 1950s of Frank Packer (later Sir Frank) coming into his office and said High Allan!! – this is my son Kerry (about 16/17) see if you can knock some saw dust out of his head and teach him about proof reading.

 

 3411 Eric William Clyde Smith (Brother of Allan George Orville Smith)
Private 5^th Infantry Battalion
promoted Lance Corporal 27 February 1916
promoted 2^nd Lieutenant (AFC) Australian Flying Corp
Occupation Engineer
Enlisted 23 July 1915 Melbourne Victoria aged 18 (parents’ consent)
Next of kin Father George David Smith 271 Barkly Street St Kilda Victoria
Embarked 11 October 1915 Melbourne Victoria aboard HMAT Nestor A71
Wounded in action in France and admitted to 12^th general hospital with severe back injury – he was then transferred to hospital in London on the ship Marma.  On discharge from hospital he joined the Australian Provost Corps, but returned to hospital with reoccurring back injury and influenza.  On discharge he was selected to join the Australian Flying Corp (AFC).

 

 

On 12 April 1918 gained his pilots wings and promoted to Flying Officer Pilot
Returned to Australia as  2^nd Lieutenant
Discharged 13 April 1919
Died 20 February 1932 at the Caulfield Military Hospital Victoria

 

 

Submitted by Robert (Bob) Roulton