Two men separated by class, one an Officer, the other a Convict, arrived into Sydney Cove as part of the First Fleet in 1788. Both men, left the colony and returned to England, in the 1790s. Both returned in 1803, the Officer in-change of forming a settlement at Port Phillip (Sullivan Bay, near modern day Sorrento), Victoria and the Convict, as a free man, and settler. In 1804 they left Sullivan Bay, leading to its’ abandonment, for the Derwent (Hobart), Van Diemens’ Land Continue Reading »
THE FEMALE ORPHAN SCHOOL
By Anne Gibson. The need for a female orphanage and education of the children of the colony had become apparent in Sydney. When Philip Gidley King returned to New South Wales as Governor, he and Mrs. King perceived the need to establish a class for girls similar to the one he had founded on Norfolk Island. After discussion with the Reverend Richard Johnson, King wrote to the Duke of Portland setting out his plans for an Orphan School. A committee was formed consisting of Rev. Continue Reading »
JOHN CAESAR – THE ESCAPING CONVICT
By Lord Nicholas Hodgkinson John Ceasar (known as Black Caesar) was a convict who came out on the transport ship Alexander. He was tried and convicted for stealing 240 shillings from a dwelling house and was sentenced to transportation for seven years. During those seven years he was notorious in his behaviour, often stealing. On 29 April 1789 Caesar was tried in the colony for theft and sentenced a second time, this time, to a life sentence. He escaped a Continue Reading »
PHEBE/PHOEBE FLARTY
By Ann Gibson ADVENTURES OF A FIRST FLEET LASS Saturday, 7th June 1788Phebe Flarty was charged on the suspicion of making away with 2 pairs of stockings, I pair of shoes, 1 waistcoat, 1 new shirt, 1 pair of trousers, and 1 silk handkerchief, the property of John Romain. Ann Smith and Phebe Flarty gave evidence. Romain said that he had given the articles to Ann Smith to take care of for him. On Wednesday the 4th Phebe Flarty was very much in liquor and had to be put to bed by Continue Reading »
CHILDREN OF THE FIRST FLEET
When the 11 ships of the First Fleet sailed from Portsmouth on 13 May 1787, there was many young people aboard shattered over six of the ships. Three convict’s children embarked on the First Fleet died on the voyage. Babies were born alive after sailing of two died before the voyage’s end, with births and deaths recorded in 1788. Most of the children of Marines left when the regiment sailed on the Gorgon in 1791. THE CHILDRENAbel/Tilley, William (1787 – 1788) - son of convict Continue Reading »
THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIP
By Patricia Deering (Descendant of Mathew Everingham, William Roberts, Elizabeth Rhymes and Kezie Brown). During the early days of settlement in NSW self-sufficiency was the mark of success. But it was not achieved without commitment – a good sold partner/wife/husband. I have been ‘gob smacked’ by the challenges that my first and second fleet ancestors faced – particularly the women. They fulfilled multiple roles – as agricultural worker, homemaker, partner, mother, Continue Reading »
Colonial Vessel ‘Francis’
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 »
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 HMAT 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 »
