By Anne Gibson Tuesday 14 February 1792 … The signal was made for a sail, and shortly after the ‘Pitt’ Captain Edward Manning, anchored in the cove from England …, She had on board Francis Grose Esq the Lieutenant-Governor of the settlements, and Major-Commandant of the New South Wales corps, one company of which, together with the adjutant and surgeon’s mate, came out with him. She bought out three hundred and nineteen male and forty-nine female convicts, five children, and seven Continue Reading »
FIRST FLEET CONVICT CLAIMS DISCOVERY OF A GOLDMINE
During August 1788 convict James Daley reported the discovery of a piece of ground where he had found a quantity of yellow coloured ore which did appear to contain gold. The Governor was absent from Port Jackson at the time and Daley refused to name the location until he returned when he, Daley, would give a full account of the discovery if the Governor would grant him compensation for the find. A boat was ordered from Sirius to carry Daley and Captain Campbell, a corporal and two or three Continue Reading »
LETTER FROM A FEMALE CONVICT
Port Jackson, 14th November, 1788 I take the first opportunity that has been given us to acquaint you with our disconsolate situation in this solitary waste of the creation. Our passage, you may have heard by the first ships, was tolerably favourable; but the inconveniences since suffered for want of shelter, bedding, &c., are not to be imagined by any stranger. However, we have now two streets, if four rows of the most miserable huts you can possibly conceive of deserve that Continue Reading »
1788 EARTHQUAKE, SYDNEY COVE
The shock of an earthquake on Sunday 22 June 1788 was mentioned by several diarists. The day was recorded as Clear with south-west winds. Temperature 54° David Blackburn, Master of HMS Supplyat 20 minutes after 4 in the afternoon, a shock of an earthquake was felt through the camp. The surgeon of ‘Supply’ and myself were then in the woods about a mile and a half from the camp & were both at the time standing still and silent examining some gum issuing from a large Continue Reading »
The Surname Smith
By Anne Gibson There are several reasons why Smith is such a numerous and widespread surname, leaving behind in frequency other surnames such as Jones and Brown. It is one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon names, so Smiths have been around longer, multiplying with each generation. Over one thousand years ago an unidentified Anglo-Saxon used the old English word Smith to describe his occupation as a worker in iron, then over time a ‘smith’ became known as a worker in metals. The Smiths Continue Reading »
Thomas Tilley
Stafford Labourer Thomas Tilley was aged 39 when he was delivered aboard the Censor Hulk on 19 January 1786. Sentenced with Edward Parry and Thomas Wood for the theft at Kinfare of six pieces of Fusian called Queen’s Cord of the value of ten pounds and one Flaxen Bag of the value of one shilling of the goods and chattels of John Harrison, James Harrison and William Topping, feloniously and did steal take and carry away. Tried at Staffordshire Summer Assizes on 27 July 1785 Thomas Continue Reading »
Colonial Fashion
By Anne Gibson and Pat Crothers. From the beginning, due to the climate, the general roughness of life and the lack of material goods led to a determination of the inhabitants of the colony of New South Wales to make do, as was very apparent from their clothing. Clothing was in short supply right from the start, the First Fleet set a precedent by not carrying sufficient supplies of cloth or clothing for the convicts on board. The situation as more joined the colony. Those Continue Reading »
Christmas in the New Colony
By Anne Gibson. Watkin Tench, First Fleet Marine, in his Account of the Settlement of Port Jackson, does not mention how the new settlers celebrated their first Christmas in the young colony. It is probably more correct to say the manner in which Christmas was observed rather than how Christmas was celebrated. Captain David Collins stated, Christmas-day (1788) was observed with proper ceremony. Mr Johnson preached a sermon adapted to the occasion, and the major part of the Continue Reading »
Ann Inett
Ann was born at Abberley, in 1754, the youngest of four children of Samuel and Mary Inett. As a young woman, she made her living from dress-making and had two illegitimate children - Thomas, in 1778, when she was aged 24, and Constance, in 1781, when she was 27. Both were christened at Bayton Church, near Rock. At the age of 31, she was, for some unknown reason, driven into crime. Berrow's Worcester Journal of 14 July, 1785, first reported: The dwelling-house of Susannah Brookes in Grimley has Continue Reading »
Settlement at Port Phillip
The first major white settlements in the colony of New South Wales were at Sydney and Norfolk Island. The Judge-Advocate, David Collins, returned to England in 1796, later publishing his Account of the Settlement. However, financial problems and desire for active service led to agitation for a further appointment. He was appointed to lead a settlement at the newly-discovered Port Phillip Bay. A party of convicts and free settlers was assembled and two ships provided – HMS Continue Reading »
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