At nine years old, John Hudson a sometimes chimney sweeper, and the youngest First Fleet convict at the time of sentencing, was tried at the Old Bailey London on 10 December 1783, to seven years transportation for felony, but not for burglary. John’s crime was breaking and entering the dwelling house of William Holdsworth in East Smithfield, and stealing one linen shirt, value 10 shillings, five silk stockings, value 5 shillings, one pistol, value 5 shillings, and two aprons, value 2 Continue Reading »
John McCarthy : Ann Beardsley
Whenever I have mentioned that my ancestors came on the First Fleet, the usual reaction of people is disbelief – How do you know? Its 200 years ago. Well the fact is until about two years ago, I didn’t know. I had always known that my maternal grandmother’s family were among the first people in the bush in Tasmania, but it was a telephone call from Hobart from a cousin, of whom I had never heard, that aroused my interest. She rang enquiring if I knew how the Devereux family came by their Continue Reading »
Joseph Wright
was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 6 May 1784, two-hundred and eighteen pounds weight of lead, value 40s belonging to William Rothwell. Tried in the Old Bailey on 26 May 1784, he was found guilty and sentenced to seven years transportation. Joseph spent the next three years on the Censor Hulk before embarkation aboard Scarborough; he was then aged around 20. The next recorded entry on Joseph was when he married Eleanor (Ellen) Gott (Neptune 1790) at St Phillip Church Sydney on 13 Continue Reading »
Owen Cavanough : Margaret Darnell
Owen Cavenaugh (Cavanough) aged 25, arrived into Sydney Cove as an Able Seaman, aboard Sirius. After Sirius was wrecked on Norfolk Island in 1790, he was discharged to become a settler obtaining land at Cascade Stream, Phillipsburg. By 1794 Owen was living with Margaret Darnell who was indicated for stealing, on 30 March 1787, one dozen desert knives and forks, value 6s, being the property of James White. Sentenced at the Old Bailey on 18 April 1787, to seven years transportation, Margaret Continue Reading »
John Martin
Our Caribbean Negro convict John Martin, was born circa 1755 and died with is family around him as his time came to an end in 1837. Nothing is known about him prior to his conviction, nor is it likely we will ever find more. By following history, the African Negro, 'Caribbean' at that time, with his parents or grandparents, would have been slaves sent to the American colonies. In those days and later many Negroes joined ships as sailors or as stowaways, during the American War.This Continue Reading »
John Randall
John Randall, a 6 foot high, well-made black American Negro labourer, came to Australia aboard the transport ship Alexander with the First Fleet on 26 January 1788. John was sentenced to seven years transportation on 14 April 1785 at Manchester Quarter Sessions for stealing a steel watch chain, the property of Joseph Wardle. Sent to the Ceres Hulk early in 1786, aged 21, he was delivered to the transport Alexander on 6 January 1787, mustered on board by Major Robert Ross in March as Reynolds, Continue Reading »
Elizabeth Bruce : John Anderson
John Anderson, a former seaman, was committed to gaol at Exeter Devon, on 24 July 1785 for breaking into a house and stealing a linen handkerchief, other goods and money. Sentenced to seven years transportation, he spent time in the Dunkirk hulk before embarkation aboard the Charlotte. At Sydney Cove he married Elizabeth Bruce on 16 March 1788, signing with a mark. On 4 October, both were sent to Norfolk Island on the Golden Grove. On the Island he was employed to help John Altree and Thomas Continue Reading »
Mary Allen
Mary Allen, sentenced on 25 October 1786 at the Old Bailey to transportation for seven years, was recorded as being one of the lowliest women to be transported. Mary, thought to be a previous offender, was found guilty of theft of a watch and money, was sent to Newgate prison and was embarked on Lady Penrhyn on 6 January 1787, her age recorded as 22.Mary’s first protector in this harsh new land of Sydney Cove, was Frederick Meredith, a seaman steward from Scarborough. They had a daughter Continue Reading »
Richard Morgan
Richard Morgan arrived in Van Diemen’s Land with his family on 7 October 1806. He was a First Fleeter and Norfolk Islander.Richard Morgan was born in England. He was convicted in 1785 at Gloucester on the oaths of ‘John Trevillian Ceely Trevillian Esq and others’. The offence was, stealing in the dwelling house of the said Richard Morgan (sic) one metal watch value three pounds and also charged with assaulting the said John Ceely Trevillian and threatening to murder him and by force Continue Reading »
John Nicols
was indicated as John Nicholls at the Old Bailey on Wednesday 21 April 1784 for feloniously stealing a large quantity of goods from a hair merchant and perfumer in London, where he worked as a servant and porter’s assistant. Sentenced to seven years transportation he spent time on the Censor Hulk before embarkation on the Scarborough. Following his arrival in Port Jackson, John who was recorded as a Gardner, became a very successful landholder of various properties by grant and purchase up Continue Reading »