The Heritage BehindThe James Bloodworth Awards Trade Tool Awards 1993-94 In Developing Building Industry Connection's Trade Tool Awards program, we decided to use the Awards as an acknowledgement to the Building Industry and the great people who are part of it. Obviously someone had to be the first settlement builder in Australia, and the history records tell us that Mr James Bloodworth was regarded as the Colony's first builder of note. Although not a volunteer passenger on board ship, James Continue Reading »
Broughton Family
Public servant and settler William Broughton arrived in the transport Charlotte accompanying Surgeon White as a servant. Son of Sarah and Henry Broughton, he was born in Chatham, Kent in the year 1768. On arrival in Sydney Cove, William became a storekeeper at Rose Hill (Parramatta) and in 1800 was appointed Acting Deputy Commissary of Norfolk Island and later Deputy Commissary of stores in Sydney Town. He worked diligently in these positions and was praised by Governor Continue Reading »
Arthur Phillip
Arthur Phillip (1738 - 1814) Captain and Governor of New South Wales 11 October 1738, born London England Aged 15 years Apprenticed into Mercantile Service 1775, Midshipman, Royal Navy 1774, seconded as Captain, Portuguese Navy 1781, promoted to Captain, Royal Navy 24 October 1786 hoisted his flag as Commodore in HMS Sirius as Captain-General for the proposed expedition to New South Wales 18 January 1788 sailed into Botany Bay in HMS Supply 26 January 1788 landed and unfurled British Flag, Continue Reading »
HMS Supply
Supply Armed tender was designed by Benjamin Slade as a Deptford yard transport and built in 1759 by Bird at Rotherhithe and was to become known as the ship from which Australia was founded, and was honoured during the bicentennial year by featuring prominently on a commemorative ten-dollar note, issued by the Australian Reserve Bank. Supply, a small brig of 168 tons and already 28 years old, served as the naval tender and armed companion of the First Fleets flagship HMS Continue Reading »
HMS Sirius
HMS Berwick .... HMS Sirius I suppose most of us, having read the standard references, know that HMS Sirius started life as HMS Berwick. I certainly had only that information. The publication the Sirius, Past and Present by Graeme Henderson and Myra Stanbury, published by Collins Australia, Chapter 2, Building and Outfitting the Berwick, is a fascinating account, telling the story of this early life of HMS Sirius, as well as a general study of shipping of the period. There is considerable Continue Reading »
Lady Penrhyn
Lady Penrhyn, a three-masted wooden cargo vessel of 338 tons, was built in 1786 on the River Thames, by Edward Greaves of Limehouse London for Curtis & Co., London. She had a length of 103 9/10 feet and a beam of 27 5/10 feet, with a round house and quarter badges, with a woman figure-head. The ship’s name was given in honour of Lady Ann Susannah, wife of Richard Pennant who was a Liverpool merchant prince who founded his fortune on the slave trade and inherited estates in Jamaica. On 6 Continue Reading »
Friendship
Friendship was a convict transport ship of 276 tons, which was built in Scarborough England, in 1784, for her owners Hoppers of Scarborough. Aboard on the voyage to Botany Bay, were the Master, Captain Francis Walton, Assistant Surgeon Thomas Arnell and Marines, Captain James Meredith, Lieutenant Ralph Clark, and Lieutenant William. As the smallest of the transports Friendship probably carried a crew of around 20. Her 76 male and 21 female convicts were loaded at Plymouth. Continue Reading »
Alexander
There was not a name more suited to an all male convict transport vessel than Alexander. Built at Hull in 1783 as a three-mast, two decks with a quarter deck but no galleries or figure-head it was the largest vessel in the fleet, except for Sirius, at 453 tons, 114 feet long and 31 feet wide. Alexander was owned by a Southwark master mariner William Walton, whose company Walton & Co., decided there was money to be made transporting convicts to Botany Bay. The transport was Continue Reading »
Fishburn
The store-ship Fishburn was built in Whitby in 1780 and was owned by Leightons, who were also the owners of the Golden Grove and Borrowdale. Fishburn was the largest store-ship at 378 tons, fully rigged, and 6’1” between decks afore, 5’9” midships and 7’1” abaft. The commander for her voyage to Botany Bay was Master Robert Brown who in a rare log book entry says they hogg’d ships bottom in preparation for the long voyage. Fishburn Storeship (Marine Artist Frank Allen) James Continue Reading »
Charlotte
Charlotte, one of the ‘two ladies’ of the fleet, was built on the River Thames in 1784 as a three masted, two-decker, barque built ship, weighing 345 tons. Charlotte was chartered by the Admiralty from its owner Mr Matthews late in 1786. She was fixed out at Deptford, one of the royal dockyards established to build, repair and victual ships of the Royal Navy. Her master for the voyage to Botany Bay was Captain Thomas Gilbert. Charlotte carried 88 male convicts and 20 female, among them were Continue Reading »