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 »
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 »
Elizabeth Hayward
Our story begins with the birth of a daughter to Samuel and Elizabeth Haywood, on 20 July 1773 in Stepney, of the Parish of St Mary White Chapel, whom they named Elizabeth. On Wednesday 10 January 1787, Elizabeth Haywood/Heywood/Hayward, aged 13 years, was tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr Recorder at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey. Her occupation at the time was a clog maker, and she was apprenticed to a Mr Thomas Cross. A month previous, on 19 December 1786, Elizabeth Continue Reading »
Andrew Goodwin : Lydia Munro
Thomas Warton observed two young men walking down Theobalds Road, London on a summers evening in June 1784, carrying a load of lead on their shoulders. Thinking it was an unreasonable hour for this type of activity, Warton reported them to a watchman on duty. Both gave chase and after a struggle the young men were taken into custody. A month later, on Wednesday 7 July 1784, William Butler and ANDREW GOODWIN stood accused in the Justice Hall of the Old Bailey court for feloniously Continue Reading »
Norfolk Island Settlement
Some Facts about Norfolk Island Norfolk Island is an Australian Dependency, located at 28 deg. 58 min S., 168 deg. 03 min E. Consequently is about the same latitude as Lismore, NSW and several hundred kilometres east of the Australian coast, making it nearer to New Zealand than Australia by air. It sets its time 1 ½ hours ahead of East. Its area is 34 square kilometres and it is quite undulating with peaks 318 metres high. The population is mainly descendants of the Continue Reading »
Mary Cavanaugh : Edward Kimberley
On the 31st of March a young girl was seen loitering around the base of the London monument. Several times she was seen to walk past the linen-draper shop at No 42 Fish Street hill near London Bridge. Then she quickly snatched a length of printed cotton from a wooden display horse by the door of the shop. Perhaps, because of her age or inexperience she was unaware of being watched by a man standing on the opposite corner of the monument. The man we know as Philip Hammond from the court of Continue Reading »
Ann Forbes : Lydia Munro
220 years and families are still friends I am the great great great grand daughter of Sarah Goodwin, Lydia Munro’s second daughter and the first born in Norfolk Island on December 1, 1791. I have lived on the island for over 40 years. I went to school briefly on the island, married on the island and had my son on the island at the age of 17. I am the land holder of lot 105, circa 1790’s and was owned by James Chamm. He grew maize and grain for the stores. The lot is now an historic Continue Reading »
Broughton Family
Public servant and settler William Broughton arrived in the transport Charlotte accompanying Surgeon White as a servant. Son of Sarah and Henry Broughton, he was born in Chatham, Kent in the year 1768. On arrival in Sydney Cove, William became a storekeeper at Rose Hill (Parramatta) and in 1800 was appointed Acting Deputy Commissary of Norfolk Island and later Deputy Commissary of stores in Sydney Town. He worked diligently in these positions and was praised by Governor Macquarie. In Continue Reading »
Lucas Family
Nathaniel Lucas The history of the Lucas family in Australia begins at London’s Old Bailey in July, 1784, with the trial of Nathaniel Lucas, who was sentenced to seven years transportation for the theft of linen clothing to the value of £2.2s.2d. Nathaniel was evidently out of favour with the wife of the publican at the Red Lion Inn at Holborn, near London, where he had lodgings. They had clashed over her demands for early payment of board, and his lack patronage of the inn’s bar. The day Continue Reading »
Mary Cavanaugh
A SIX YEAR SCENARIO For the last six years I have been researching and scrutinizing everything I can acquire on Mary Cavenaugh a young convict who arrived in Port Jackson on the Lady Juliana in 1790 ahead of the second fleet. Mary Cavanaugh or Cavenor married Edward Kimberley (A First Fleet Convict) on the 20 October 1791 at Port Jackson, (Sydney) Australia. On the wedding certificate both Mary and Edward sign their names with an X? My grandmother was Emily Eveline Bramich. Her Continue Reading »
