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 »
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 »
Port Phillip Settlement Planned
AUSTRALIAN CHRONICLEVol.1, 1810-1810 No.3 PORT PHILLIP SETTLEMENT PLANNEDCaptain Collins in ChargeThe Home Government has approved the proposal for a new settlement to be set up in the Port Phillip district. Captain David Collins, who served as Judge-Advocate under Government Phillip and departed the Colony for Home in 1796, has been appointed to lead an expedition from England to found the Port Phillip settlement. His Excellency Governor King has urged settlement of Port Phillip since he Continue Reading »
Return from Transportation
Swift and Mercury Mutineers A group of First Fleet convicts were charge with Return from Transportation. These were convicts involved in the mutiny of the transport ships Swift and Mercury. The Swift was bound fort Halifax, America, with a number of convicts on board in August 1783. Some prisoners came aboard at Blackwell on 16 August, the ship sailed that day down to the Galleons where the remainder were received on board from the ship Censor and left the Downs on the 28 of Continue Reading »
Second Fleet
ARRIVES AT SYDNEY COVE HORRIFYING CONDITIONS says Chaplain JohnsonLong awaited ships from England have arrived bringing with them a load of problems far outweighing their aid to the Colony. Lady Juliana, arrived June 3, 1790, was found to carry not food but female convicts, mainly elderly and infirm. Justinian, arrived June 20, brought food and news that the principal store ship, Guardian, had foundered off the Cape of Good Hope. The ships carried the first detachment of the New Continue Reading »
John Small and Mary Parker
The Reverend Richard Johnson, Chaplain to the colony married convicts John Small and Mary Parker on 12 October 1788. The witnesses were convict Thomas Akers and servant to the Reverend Johnson, Samuel Barnes. As chaplain’s clerk, his name appears numerous times as witness to Port Jackson weddings. Mary Parker’s sentence did not expire until April 1792. John Small was not alone when he committed the crime that original carried the sentence Guilty. To be hanged. A Royal Continue Reading »
Elizabeth Cole
It is an amazing coincidence that there were two young women who came to Australia on the First Fleet and were named Elizabeth Cole. This was at first most confusing, but eventually we found proof of which one was ours and her whole story fitted together. We have been told that our Elizabeth Cole was baptised on 25 May 1762 in the Parish Church of the small Devon village of Lamerton, not far from the western edge of Dartmoor and her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Continue Reading »
James Squire
Was sentenced to transportation for seven years at the General Sessions of the Peace for the Town and Hundred at Kingston upon Thames on 11 April 1785. His crime was theft of four Cocks, five Hens and divers other Goods and Chattels the property of John Stacey. He was held in Southwark gaol until the end of March 1787, when he was sent to Portsmouth, ordered to Friendship but embarked on Charlotte. This was the second time James Squire/s had been transported. James Squire's Continue Reading »
