John WHITE (c1757–1832)–Surgeon-General Entered the Navy in 1778 as third Surgeon’s mate, receiving his promotion to Surgeon on 9 October 1780, aged 23. He held Surgeon’s appointments in numerous Naval ships until being appointed Surgeon-General of the expedition to Botany Bay under Captain Arthur Phillip: his salary was £182.10s a year. White had three Assistant Surgeons, each on half his salary. A hospital built on the west side of Sydney was described by White as very Continue Reading »
Rebecca Boulton
Mother and child were buried within a week of each other at Sydney Cove in April 1788. The child Rebecca Bolton/Boulton was born in Lincoln Gaol around April 1786 as her mother Rebecca awaited embarkation on the Prince of Wales. It was stated at her trial, that as Rebecca Gibson, she had married Thomas Bolton at Panton Lincolnshire in 1778. Rebecca, was aged 23 when tried at Lindsey Quarter Session at Spilsby Lincolnshire on 16 July 1784. She gave a voluntary confession on 8 May Continue Reading »
First Fleeters – What did they do?
Some First Fleeters’ and the jobs they did: Augustus Alt, Surveyor Thomas Arndell, Assistant Surgeon Henry Lidgbird Ball, Captain of Supply William Balmain, Assistant Surgeon, later principal Surgeon Lieutenant William Bradley, author of journal, water colourist Henry Brewer, clerk to Phillip, Provost Marshall, administrator Ralph Clark, 2nd Lieutenant , author of journal David Collins, Judge Advocate, author Dennis Considen, assistant surgeon Lieutenant William Continue Reading »
Parramatta
About 24 km west of Sydney NSW. Parramatta is the second oldest settlement in Australia being established in 1788, only nine months after Sydney. Captain Phillip would probably have made it his chief base if he had found it earlier, because its fertile soil was vital to the infant colony. The original name Rose Hill, survives in a local racecourse. Continue Reading »
Missing Cattle
Listed on the manifest of the First Fleet were two bulls and five cows. These creatures were to form the basis of our cattle industry. Unfortunately only six months after arrival the herd escaped into the bush and were lost. It was to be another eleven years before the original herd was found grazing quietly at a site called Cowpasture. By 1878 the first set-back had well and truly been overcome and cattle numbers throughout the Australasian colonies exceeded seven million. Continue Reading »
Ship Hire
Nine of the eleven vessels which formed the First Fleet were hired at a cost of 10 shillings per ton per month. The merchant vessels hired by the Government were: Alexander, Lady Penrhyn, Charlotte, Scarborough, Friendship, Prince of Wales, Fishburn, Golden Grove and Borrowdale. The two naval vessels were, of course, Sirius and Supply. Continue Reading »
Seamen
Seamen were are tough bunch of men. They crewed the First Fleet ships, fathered children to convict women, settled in the new colony, while others died on the inward and outward voyages. Life at sea during the age of sail was filled with dangers, even though these men were familiar with the discomfort and hardship of ship life. Seamen were separated from their homes and families for long periods at sea. They were crowded below decks in skimpy and cramped living conditions, Continue Reading »
They Came From Many Lands
Amongst the peoples of the First Fleet were many nationalities. These people embarked as convicts, able seamen, cooks, marines, officers and children. They are collectively known as Non English First Fleeters. You might ask, who were they? BLACKS – There were twelve black Africans, Americans or West Indians that sailed on the First Fleet. Eleven were convicts with cook George Nelson, off the Prince of Wales, who drowned in the harbour at Port Jackson on 16 February 1788. CHANNEL Continue Reading »
First Fleet Cattle
Disaster and its Sequel The loss early in June 1788, of the black Cape cattle (four cows and two bulls) landed from the First Fleet late in January 1788, appeared to the young and ill-fed community at Sydney Cove as an “absolute disaster.” But the discovery in 1795 of several herds (totalling over 100 head) across the Nepean River, turned the disaster into perhaps the most splendid and important event of the early years of white settlement in New South Wales, giving an insight and Continue Reading »
List of Livestock, Provisions, Plants and Seeds
10 Forges 175 Steel Hand Saws 700 Iron Shovels 700 Garden Hoes 700 West Indian Hoes 700 Grubbing Hoes 700 Felling Axes 700 Hatchets 700 Helves for Felling Axes 747,000 Nails 100 Pairs of Hinges and Hooks 10 Sets of Cooper's Tools 40 Corn Mills 40 Wheel Barrows 12 Ploughs 12 Smith's Bellows 30 Grindstones 330 Iron Pots 6 Carts 4 Timber Carriages 14 Fishing Nets 14 Chains for Timber Carriages 5,448 Squares of Crown Grass 200 Continue Reading »