John Randall a black American, was sentenced on 14 April 1785 at Manchester Quarter Sessions to transportation for seven years for stealing a steel watch chain. Aged 21 in 1786, he was sent to the Ceres hulk then on the 6 January 1787 to Alexander. John had two wives, Esther Howard who died in 1789 and Mary Butler (Neptune 1790). He had three children by Mary Butler, Lydia 1791-93, Mary 1793 and John 1797. John had received a grant of 60 acres at the Northern Boundary Farms. He later sold Continue Reading »
Matthew Everingham
was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 7 July 1784 to transportation for seven years on the charge that being a profligate person he had obtained some books by false pretences and attempted to sell them. At his trial he had been in “great distress”. He was aged 15, when received on the Censor hulk on 6 September. Three years later on 24 February 1787 he was sent to Portsmouth by wagon for embarkation on Scarborough. In Sydney Cove on 13 March 1791, Matthew married Elizabeth Rimes (Neptune) Continue Reading »
Edward Kimberley
was sentenced to seven years transportation for grand larceny (theft of several parcels of muslins from a milliner’s shop) at Coventry, Warwickshire on 23 March 1783. He spent time on the Ceres or Censor and Justinia Hulks before embarking on the transport Scarborough. At Sydney on 20 October 1791 Edward married Mary Cavenor/Cavenagh off the Lady Juliana. Both were sent to Norfolk Island, where Edward settled on 12 acres of land at Queenborough. Within a year he was Continue Reading »
Jacob Bellette : Edward Garth : Susannah Gough
Jacob Bellett was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 25 December 1784 one ells of half-ell manufactured lining, value 31. 8s. two pounds of unwound black silk, value 20s. thirty-two ounces of double black silk would value 31. 12s. the property of John Gearing, John Vaux, and Thomas John Taylor. Jacob was tried at the Old Bailey in 12 January 1785 and sentenced to seven years transportation. Arrived in Sydney Cove aboard Scarborough. Edward Garth was indicted for feloniously stealing on Continue Reading »
Jacob Bellett
a Silk Weaver, made off with 51 ells of half-ell lining, one pound of unwound black silk, and 32 ounces of double black silk would, and was chased by the worker who missed them. Found later by searchers, he was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 12 January 1785 to seven year’s transportation. Following time spent in the prison hulks he embarked on 24 January 1787 on Scarborough. In March 1790, Jacob was sent to Norfolk Island, where he successfully farmed and was selling grain to the public Continue Reading »
Daniel Stanfield : Alice Harmsworth : Edward Kimberley
Daniel Stanfield was a Private Marine, 55th (Portsmouth) Company. He served at Port Jackson in the company of Captain James Campbell and was to have a well-documented history in the colony. Alice Harmsworth accompanied her husband Thomas, a Private Marine and their two children, arriving aboard the Prince of Wales. On the 25 February 1788, a few weeks after arriving in Sydney Cove, Alice lost her son Thomas who had been born on the voyage followed by Thomas in the April. Two years later Continue Reading »
Edward Risby : James Morrisby
Edward Risby was sentenced at Gloucester to seven years transportation on 24 March 1784 for theft of three yards of broadcloth and two other pieces of cloth. After being sentenced Edward was sent to the Censor Hulk and three years later embarked aboard Alexander in February 1787. At Port Jackson Edward worked as a sawyer on Sirius, and later ordered to Norfolk Island. He married Ann Gibson (Lady Juliana) and had six children on the Island. On 17 September 1807 Edward was listed for VDL with Continue Reading »
Trades of the First Fleet Convicts
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 »
Bartholomew Reardon
The Reardon Family Bartholomew Reardon was a shoemaker who lived at Gosport, England. He was married to Katharine Wood on 20 July 1781 at Holy Trinity, Gosport, England. According to the Hampshire Public Records Office Bartholomew had received a stolen hair trunk from a sailor named Carey. Bartholomew and his wife Katherine were charged with having the trunk in their house, knowing it was stolen. He was found guilty at Winchester in Hampshire on 15 July 1783. He was Continue Reading »
Matthew Everingham
On meeting Matthew Everingham During one of Aunty Eunice’s who is related to who talks I discovered I am a direct descendant of a First Fleet convict, Matthew Everingham. To a young teenager’s ears, this was most intriguing. The family story was that Matthew had not returned two books to their rightful owner and there was a hint of forgery somewhere! In 1980, the book Matthew Everingham: A First Fleeter and His Times was written by Valerie Ross – another Everingham descendant and Continue Reading »
