The Expedition to Port Jackson Our passage to Port Jackson took up but few hours and those were spent far from unpleasantly. The evening was bright and the prospect before us such as might justify sanguine expectation. Having passed between the capes which form its entrance, we found ourselves in a port superior in extent and excellency to all we had seen before. We continued to run up the harbour about four miles in a westerly direction, enjoying the luxuriant prospect of 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 »
Sullivan Bay to Port Dalrymple
Article written by member Geoffrey Humphries.Ref; ‘Narrative of a Voyage to Port Phillip and Van Diemen’s Land with Lieutenant Governor Collins.’ by AW Humphrey (1984) In late 1803 Lt. Governor David Collins decided to abandon the camp at Sullivan Bay (near present day Sorrento) and proceed to Van Diemen’s Land. Before leaving he dispatched a party under William Collins to explore and report back on the Port Dalrymple area of Northern Van Diemen’s Land. The only ship available 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 »
LETTER FROM A FEMALE CONVICT
Port Jackson, 14th November, 1788 I take the first opportunity that has been given us to acquaint you with our disconsolate situation in this solitary waste of the creation. Our passage, you may have heard by the first ships, was tolerably favourable; but the inconveniences since suffered for want of shelter, bedding, &c., are not to be imagined by any stranger. However, we have now two streets, if four rows of the most miserable huts you can possibly conceive of deserve that 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 HMS 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 »
Thomas Tilley
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 »
Unlocking the Mysteries of the First Fleet Marine Arrivals
By Glen Lambert. With all the family research carried out over the last hundred years or more one would expect there to be no major unknowns left regarding the arrival of the First Fleet at Botany Bay. You might be surprised to learn that to this day no clear record detailing the arrival vessels for the First Fleet Marines exists. For years researchers have tried to locate this information to no avail, and so a complete knowledge of the Marine arrivals has remained at an impasse. Permission Continue Reading »
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