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First Fleet Fellowship Victoria Inc

Descendants of those who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788 with Captain Arthur Phillip

First Fleet Fellowship Victoria Inc

Descendants of those who arrived with the First Fleet in 1788
with Captain Arthur Phillip

You are here: Home / Archives for Convicts

The Shoemaker (Cordwainer)

December 11, 2022 by Cheryl Timbury

Anne Gibson.  At one time every large town and village was sure to have at least one shoemaker.  They rarely made a lot of money, even though a pair of shoes often cost a weeks’ wages.  History commenced with the early shoemakers guilds of Rome, quickly moving into the middle ages, when supple cordwain leathers were used (hence the term cordwainers). Heels started to be made in the 1520s, although separate left and right shoes were not to appear for another 250 years.  By Continue Reading »

Filed Under: Convicts, Uncategory

EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF WATKIN TENCH, A CAPTAIN OF THE MARINES

January 20, 2022 by Cheryl Timbury

The Expedition to Port Jackson Our passage to Port Jackson took up but few hours and those were spent far from unpleasantly.  The evening was bright and the prospect before us such as might justify sanguine expectation.  Having passed between the capes which form its entrance, we found ourselves in a port superior in extent and excellency to all we had seen before.  We continued to run up the harbour about four miles in a westerly direction, enjoying the luxuriant prospect of Continue Reading »

Filed Under: Convicts, Marines

Colonial Vessel ‘Francis’

September 20, 2021 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Children of Convicts, Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts, Marines, Officers

FIRST FLEET CONVICT CLAIMS DISCOVERY OF A GOLDMINE

February 20, 2021 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts

LETTER FROM A FEMALE CONVICT

February 6, 2021 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Convicts, Female Convicts

1788 EARTHQUAKE, SYDNEY COVE

February 5, 2021 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Convicts, Male Convicts, Marines, Officers, Uncategory

The Surname Smith

December 11, 2020 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts

Thomas Tilley

August 19, 2020 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Child Convicts, Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts

Colonial Fashion

April 7, 2020 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Child Convicts, Children of Convicts, Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts

Christmas in the New Colony

October 29, 2019 by Cheryl Timbury

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 »

Filed Under: Convicts, Female Convicts, Male Convicts, Officers

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