Today celebrates 200 years since Australia's first newspaper which was first published on the 5th March 1803. The "Sydney Gazette" is a very important source of historic material and for the first few decades of the colony it is the only printed source documenting the day to day activities. It was published by George Howe (1769-1821) & subsequently by son Robert Howe (until 1829) and then several others. It was originally published weekly and the editor stated in its first edition "We open no channel to political discussion or personal animadversion [criticism]; information is our only purpose.." George Howe arrived as a convict on the "Royal Admiral" in 1800 and by 1802 was employed as the Government Printer. In 1803 Governor King wrote to Lord Hobart in England and suggests that a weekly publication would be beneficial for the community. King "gave permission to an ingenious man [i.e George Howe] who manages the Government printing press to collect materials weekly" he included several copies of the paper and then states " .the motive which has guided me in granting this indulgence to the inhabutants has been for bettering their condition " Howe was allowe to use the Government's press & type for the publication but it was accomplished out of his own pocket. By 1811 he was given an annual wage of 60 pounds. The "Sydney Gazette" cost 6d per issue and like newspapers today most of the costs were met by paid advertsiements. The Secretary to the Governor censored each paper. It ceased publication on the 20th October 1842. The Sydney Gazette is available in most large public libraries and research centres on microfilm. In 1964 the Trustees of the Public Library (using money from the Sir William Dixson bequest) and A & R published a Facsimile reproduction from 1803 to 1811 (9 volumes) Each of these volumes are indexed and are very useful for family researchers. An index from the State Library is also available on microfilm covering 1803-1829. As family researchers looking for every piece of available information about our families or localities we are all aware of the value of newspapers. May I suggest if anyone has not consulted the Sydney Gazette is most worthwhile. It is also interesting to read the factual accounts of events including the arrival of Macquarie, the Castle Hill uprising, Hawkesbury floods and so forth. >From the First edition, the first article is headed GENERAL ORDERS and it talks about the "repeated complaints made of the great losses sustained by the Settlers at the Hawkesbury from the vexatious conduct of the Boatmen by whom they send their grain to Sydney" Apparently many of the boats were deemd unsafe and at times the boatmen through quantities of the grain overboard. The Magistrates were directed that action could be taken. Other articles include : · that the Granary at Hawkesbury is being filled with wheat that is spoiling · 15 fugitives fled from Agricultural settlement at Castle Hill & mentions some of the farms they enetered including M. Declamb; Bradley & Bean at Balkham (sic) Hills · the late drought has been severley felt in all parts of the colony (somethings never change) · Full grown fowls available from 2s to 3s · Instructions for preparing a piece of land for a vineyard · Sale of goods from the cargo "Castle of Good Hope" · Court report of Mr R. Fitzgerald vs Samuel Allen · Nautical information · Ship news including boats arriving from the Hawkesbury owners Raby, Miller, Palmer & Jones. · Accidents involving a constable who's musket went off and shot a labourer "through the body, who soon expired" and a Mr J. Eard of Parramatta who was thrown from a carraige. · Deaths of R. Withers 17.3.1803 of apolexy at his Cornwallis Farm. Maria Wood died of consumption om the 28.2.1803, she left 3 daughters, the eldest in the Orphan Asylum. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Instant Messenger now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral/hotmail_messenger.asp
Hello Michelle, I note that you have copies of the Sydney Gazette to 1829, where would I be able to get to see an edition for 1831. Many thanks ANNE ----- Original Message ----- From: Michelle Nichols <michelle_nichols@hotmail.com> To: <AUS-NSW-HILLS-HAWKESBURY-HUNTER-VALLEY-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 10:54 AM Subject: [H,H,HV] STDNEY GAZETTE - 200 years old today Today celebrates 200 years since Australia's first newspaper which was first published on the 5th March 1803. The "Sydney Gazette" is a very important source of historic material and for the first few decades of the colony it is the only printed source documenting the day to day activities. It was published by George Howe (1769-1821) & subsequently by son Robert Howe (until 1829) and then several others. It was originally published weekly and the editor stated in its first edition "We open no channel to political discussion or personal animadversion [criticism]; information is our only purpose.." George Howe arrived as a convict on the "Royal Admiral" in 1800 and by 1802 was employed as the Government Printer. In 1803 Governor King wrote to Lord Hobart in England and suggests that a weekly publication would be beneficial for the community. King "gave permission to an ingenious man [i.e George Howe] who manages the Government printing press to collect materials weekly" he included several copies of the paper and then states "..the motive which has guided me in granting this indulgence to the inhabutants has been for bettering their condition." Howe was allowe to use the Government's press & type for the publication but it was accomplished out of his own pocket. By 1811 he was given an annual wage of 60 pounds. The "Sydney Gazette" cost 6d per issue and like newspapers today most of the costs were met by paid advertsiements. The Secretary to the Governor censored each paper. It ceased publication on the 20th October 1842. The Sydney Gazette is available in most large public libraries and research centres on microfilm. In 1964 the Trustees of the Public Library (using money from the Sir William Dixson bequest) and A & R published a Facsimile reproduction from 1803 to 1811 (9 volumes) Each of these volumes are indexed and are very useful for family researchers. An index from the State Library is also available on microfilm covering 1803-1829. As family researchers looking for every piece of available information about our families or localities we are all aware of the value of newspapers. May I suggest if anyone has not consulted the Sydney Gazette is most worthwhile. It is also interesting to read the factual accounts of events including the arrival of Macquarie, the Castle Hill uprising, Hawkesbury floods and so forth. >From the First edition, the first article is headed GENERAL ORDERS and it talks about the "repeated complaints made of the great losses sustained by the Settlers at the Hawkesbury from the vexatious conduct of the Boatmen by whom they send their grain to Sydney" Apparently many of the boats were deemd unsafe and at times the boatmen through quantities of the grain overboard. The Magistrates were directed that action could be taken. Other articles include : · that the Granary at Hawkesbury is being filled with wheat that is spoiling · 15 fugitives fled from Agricultural settlement at Castle Hill & mentions some of the farms they enetered including M. Declamb; Bradley & Bean at Balkham (sic) Hills · the late drought has been severley felt in all parts of the colony (somethings never change) · Full grown fowls available from 2s to 3s · Instructions for preparing a piece of land for a vineyard · Sale of goods from the cargo "Castle of Good Hope" · Court report of Mr R. Fitzgerald vs Samuel Allen · Nautical information · Ship news including boats arriving from the Hawkesbury owners Raby, Miller, Palmer & Jones. · Accidents involving a constable who's musket went off and shot a labourer "through the body, who soon expired" and a Mr J. Eard of Parramatta who was thrown from a carraige. · Deaths of R. Withers 17.3.1803 of apolexy at his Cornwallis Farm. Maria Wood died of consumption om the 28.2.1803, she left 3 daughters, the eldest in the Orphan Asylum. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Instant Messenger now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral/hotmail_messenger.asp ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237