Hi again, At 01:20 PM 26/01/2009, you wrote: The Sydney Gazette of 20 February 1841 gives her name as Margaret McKenny, REE - theft again :) The bottom of that same column in the Sydney gazette is a Margaret Kenny who rec'd the exact same sentence - so she could be either of them. :/ >She did spend time in the Female Factory so those records may hold something. >You have to be careful using the Female Factory Index as the names have not >been matched against the Indents...... and some women, although >still convicts, >are listed under their husbands surname. Sydney female factory? Where would I find these records please, the only ones I've come across stop around 1828. >It is interesting that once free and then convicted in 1841 her >maiden name was >used. As a free person one would think that, if married, her husbands surname >would be used. And in the marriages too - each remarriage is done under the maiden name not the widowed name. (Mind you I had another search last night and I can't seem to kill off any of her husbands, she must have been adeot at hiding the bodies *G*) cheers Minuet

Hi Minuet, The Margaret Kenny who was sent to VDL in 1841 is definitely the one who arrived with that name. The Sydney Records noted in the VDL records are all correct and I doubt if there was a When she had her Ticket of Leave cancelled in January 1835 her name is given as Margaret Kenny in the Sydney Gazette dated 17 January 1835 The Sydney Gazette of 20 February 1841 gives her name as Margaret McKenny, REE - theft again :) She did spend time in the Female Factory so those records may hold something. You have to be careful using the Female Factory Index as the names have not been matched against the Indents...... and some women, although still convicts, are listed under their husbands surname. It is interesting that once free and then convicted in 1841 her maiden name was used. As a free person one would think that, if married, her husbands surname would be used. She had Catherine, you say in about 1838/9 and it appears that she went by the name Kenny (and variations) although you did today mention Casey.... a possible variation of Kenny. From that it may mean that Catherine was born out of wedlock and she probably accompanied Margaret during her stay at the Female Factory When Margaret arrived she was assigned to Lieutenant Brown at Bathurst. I don't know how long she was with him - it could have been a few days or up until 1833 when she obtained her Ticket of Leave. It's a pity that the convicts whose surnames start with the letter K are missing from the 1837 General Return of Convicts book as that may have made it easier for you. I think I see the word adultery in her VDL records.... but that is for another list Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html -----Original Message----- From: aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Minuet Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 9:46 PM To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] KENNY, BRIGGS & help pls Yes I realise this - so she probably isn't the one who marries Thomas Briggs and has a child just before being transported to Tas because that woman appears to be the one who marries Collins. And if she is not the one who married Briggs, then she's probably not the one who baptised Leithead's daughter (who appears to have been born about the same time as another child she doesn't baptise) on the same day she married Briggs. So - who on earth is she and how does she get sent to Tas as Margaret Kenny per the Asia???? Are there other cases of people pretending to be convicts they weren't? If you were going to do that you'd want to be fairly sure that the convict you were claiming to be had a better record than you had? Minuet

Hi Gayle, A couple of months ago I came across a book ( in an op shop ) called "THE AUSTRALIAN MOSAIC AND 1788 DIARY " it has the stories of John Martin and John Randall and about their descendents that live at Ulmarra,on the Clarence River in N.S.W. The book was printed in 1987 may be you know of this book but I thought if you didn't it may be of interest to you. Happy Australia Day everyone. Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gayle Clarke-Wood" <gclarkew@optusnet.com.au> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:26 AM Subject: [PJ] First Fleeters Hi Lister, My First Fleeters (to whom I am eternally grateful to grow up in this great land) are as follows: John Randall (I note a couple of other descendants already list him) was tried at Manchester 14 April, 1785 for stealing a silver watch chain, sailed on the Alexander arr. 26/1/1788. John Martin was tried at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey, London on the 3rd of July 1782 for stealing clothing with a value of 39 shillings. He was send down under on the Alexander. Described as "a black", and "A sober industrious man". ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Jan, my husband is also a decendant of JOHN MARTIN /MARY RANDALL their daughter HANNAH/PETER COUPS.....where was the op shop? thankyou for this snippet of info...will try to find a copy....cheers Lesley----- Original Message ----- From: janice morrissey<mailto:janmorr@tadaust.org.au> To: Gayle Clarke-Wood<mailto:gclarkew@optusnet.com.au> ; aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com<mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:34 AM Subject: Re: [PJ] First Fleeters Hi Gayle, A couple of months ago I came across a book ( in an op shop ) called "THE AUSTRALIAN MOSAIC AND 1788 DIARY " it has the stories of John Martin and John Randall and about their descendents that live at Ulmarra,on the Clarence River in N.S.W. The book was printed in 1987 may be you know of this book but I thought if you didn't it may be of interest to you. Happy Australia Day everyone. Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gayle Clarke-Wood" <gclarkew@optusnet.com.au<mailto:gclarkew@optusnet.com.au>> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com<mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com>> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:26 AM Subject: [PJ] First Fleeters Hi Lister, My First Fleeters (to whom I am eternally grateful to grow up in this great land) are as follows: John Randall (I note a couple of other descendants already list him) was tried at Manchester 14 April, 1785 for stealing a silver watch chain, sailed on the Alexander arr. 26/1/1788. John Martin was tried at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey, London on the 3rd of July 1782 for stealing clothing with a value of 39 shillings. He was send down under on the Alexander. Described as "a black", and "A sober industrious man". ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com<mailto:AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks Rosalee, I was afraid I was boring the rest of the list. I'm just so grateful for any input, this woman/branch is driving me mad. Not bad considering if it wasn't for her I would never have started researching the family tree at all. I merely went to the library 23 years ago to find the names of Dad's grandparents because he never knew them, nothing more. Found his mother's birth, noted the names, then since I still had time to fill decided to see what other children they had. Eight births and a marriage later and I had discovered that his grandmother Catherine was given 6 different maiden names. McKenna, McKan, McCanner, McKinnon, Lemon & Casey. And that's where that line stuck until last Boxing Day when I finally made the connection to Margaret KENNY. Typically, instead of answers, I found more questions. So any suggestions are welcomed. Somehow I need to separate these women and hope it doesn't take another 23 years. cheers Minuet At 09:10 AM 26/01/2009, you wrote: >I have no help for you Minuet, but I just wanted to say what an excellent >discourse this is to follow between you and Lesley. > >I'm enjoying the logic and the problem solving- and like always when Lesley >is involved, I'm learning. > >Thank you both > >Rosalee

Hi List, I am also descended from Nathaniel Lucas ( Scarborough) and Olivia Gascoigne (Lady Penrhyn) through their 7th son John. I also bought Louise Wilson's book on Robert Forrester, partly because Nathaniel, Olivia and Robert were all on Norfolk Island together during the First Settlement and partly because I love reading anything concerning the Convict era. Congratulations Louise I am enjoying your book. You did a great job! Happy Australia Day!! Regards Kay On 26/01/2009, at 7:39 AM, Ross McDougal wrote: > Hi Mary > > I am also decended from those 4 first fleeters through William b > 1792 son of > Nathaniel and Olivia who married 1812 to Sarah Squire daughter of > James and > Elizabeth Mason. Their daughter Martha b1822 married William Goodin > b1812. > Their son William Edward b 1840 was my gg grandfather. > >>

I have no help for you Minuet, but I just wanted to say what an excellent discourse this is to follow between you and Lesley. I'm enjoying the logic and the problem solving- and like always when Lesley is involved, I'm learning. Thank you both Rosalee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Minuet" <minuet9@internode.on.net> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 9:45 PM Subject: Re: [PJ] KENNY, BRIGGS & help pls > Yes I realise this - so she probably isn't the one > who marries Thomas Briggs and has a child just before being > transported to Tas because that woman appears to be the one > who marries Collins. And if she is not the one who married Briggs, > then she's probably not the one who baptised Leithead's daughter > (who appears to have been born about the same time as another > child she doesn't baptise) on the same day she married Briggs. > So - who on earth is she and how does she get sent to Tas as > Margaret Kenny per the Asia???? > > Are there other cases of people pretending to be convicts they weren't? > If you were going to do that you'd want to be fairly sure that > the convict you were claiming to be had a better record than you had? > > Minuet > > > At 09:11 PM 25/01/2009, you wrote: >>Hi Minuet >> >>She could not have been the one who married Collins in 1844 because you >>said >>that she was down in Tasmania by December 1841. This permission to marry >>took >>place in Maitland NSW. > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Mary I am also decended from those 4 first fleeters through William b 1792 son of Nathaniel and Olivia who married 1812 to Sarah Squire daughter of James and Elizabeth Mason. Their daughter Martha b1822 married William Goodin b1812. Their son William Edward b 1840 was my gg grandfather. How are you conected. Regards Linda McDougal ps Happy Australia day to Lesley and all listers. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary O'Brien" <obmary@gmail.com> To: <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 4:50 PM Subject: [PJ] First Fleet > Hello to all, > > My First Fleeters were - > > NATHANIEL LUCAS > > OLIVIA GASCOIGNE > > EDWARD GOODIN > > JAMES SQUIRE > > Regards, > > Mary > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-PT-JACKSON-CONVICTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Lister, My First Fleeters (to whom I am eternally grateful to grow up in this great land) are as follows: John Randall (I note a couple of other descendants already list him) was tried at Manchester 14 April, 1785 for stealing a silver watch chain, sailed on the Alexander arr. 26/1/1788. John Martin was tried at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey, London on the 3rd of July 1782 for stealing clothing with a value of 39 shillings. He was send down under on the Alexander. Described as "a black", and "A sober industrious man". At the time of landing at Port Jackson he had technically only one year to serve. Thomas Acres/Akers Thomas Akers arrived at Port Jackson as a convict with the First Fleet on 26 January, 1788 aboard the Charlotte at 2.15p.m. His Crime: He was tried at Devon Lent Assizes, held at Exeter Castle on Monday 14/3/1785 before Beaumont Hotham Knt and Frances Buller, Esq. Crime & Sentence - "Thomas Acres & John Smith for feloniously assaulting John Squance in the Kings Highway. Feloniously putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life in the said highway and feloniously taking from his person and against his will in the said highway 10shillings his monies." GUILTY TO BE HANGED Notes: Born Devon England 1758, Died 4th June 1824, Cowpastures, Campbelltown Buried: St Peters Campbelltown as a Catholic Thomas Acres Public School at Ambervale was named in his honour and is built on his original land grant at Campbelltown. Notes on the "Charlotte" On Sunday 13th May, 1787 eleven small ships carrying about 1,500 people set sail from Portsmouth, England on an epic voyage of over 13,000 miles (20,900 k kilometres) and founded the nation of "Australia". On the afternoon of Friday, 18th January 1788, 252 days after leaving Portsmouth, the 70 feet long brig, H.M.S. Supply led the eleven ships of the First Fleet into Botany Bay, Australia. On Friday, 25th January, the H.M.S. Supply made history by being the first ship to sail into Port Jackson where she dropped anchor at Sydney Cove, (now Circular Quay) at 7 p.m. The following morning at day-break, Commander in Chief Arthur Phillip and his party went ashore and raised the Union Flag which marked the first settlement of Europeans in Australia. The other ten ships arrived in Sydney Cove late that afternoon, after experiencing difficulties in getting out of Botany Bay. Charlotte Convict Transport - 346 Tons (a) 335 (k), 105-ft. (32m.) long and 28-ft. (8.5m.) beam. When surveyed at Deptford Yard on 3 November 1786 measured 6'6' afore, amid and abaft and weighed 345 tons. Carried: Crew ± 30 + 45 others + 88 male and 20 female convicts. (183) (ref *) Lt. P. G King's Journal states 30 Seamen, 42 Marines, 86 Male and 20 Female Convicts. (178) Skippered by: Master Thomas Gilbert (qv) Built in 1784, A three masted fully square rigged with neither galleries or figurehead, whereabouts not known After her return to England she was sold to a Quebec merchant in 1818 and was lost off the coast of Newfoundlands in Nov. 1818. Have a happy Australia Day Everyone, Gayle

Greetings on Australia Day Lesley and listers Thank you once again Lesley for providing us with an extract you have typed from HRA, this time regarding Governor Phillip "A man in a thousand". We should all be very thankful that the First Fleet had a man of his calibre, insight and strength in charge. I did not have an ancestor on the First Fleet. My first ancestor, Michael Brennan, my 3rd great grandfather, arrived in 1801 on the "Anne". Regards Jan Koperberg Blue Mountains

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY TO LESLEY & LIST. My first Fleeter was Edward Pugh who was convicted at the Gloucester Quarter Sessions on October 5th 1784 for stealing a greatcoat from William Barnard. He was sentenced to 7 years and was to be transported to America but because of the War of Independence was kept in gaol in England until he sailed with the fleet. He remained in gaol for nearly 3 years before being ordered to Portsmouth to board the Prince of Wales on the 23rd March 1787 along with Betty Mason and Elizabeth Parker. During his time in gaol Edward probably fathered a child born to Elizabeth Parker in Castle Gaol Gloucester. The baby girl was named Ann (Nancy) Parker and she sailed with them on the First Fleet. Elizabeth Parker was tried at Gloucester on the 23rd March 1785 For burglary with a value of 6 shillings. She was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and was aged about 23 when they sailed from England. Edward was transferred to the Friendship on the 17th April 1787 and his occupation given by 2nd Lieutenant of Marines Ralph Clark, was House Carpenter. Elizabeth Parker and her baby daughter Ann were also transferred to the Friendship. Elizabeth's age was about 23 years. During the voyage out Elizabeth spent time in irons for what Lt. Clark called quarrelling and dirtiness. About a week later the ship's doctor ordered that she be released due to ill health. After arriving in Port Jackson Elizabeth Parker died and was buried at Sydney Cove on the 19th February 1788 just 3 1/2 weeks after they arrived. Edward was left alone with his baby daughter. Edward then married Hannah Smith another First Fleet Convict on the 15th June 1788. Hannah Smith was tried at Winchester Hampshire for stealing clothing to the value of 7 shillings from a shop with an accomplice Daniel Gordon. Hannah also had a child, Edward born about September 1786, father unknown and they had arrived on the Lady Penrhyn but during the voyage out had been transferred twice before that. She had left on the Charlotte and then transferred to the Friendship before her last transfer to the Lady Penrhyn. Sadly the child Edward/William Smith died and was buried at Sydney Cove on the 6th June 1788, just nine days before Hannah and Edward's wedding on the15th June 1788. Tragedy struck once again and Edward Pugh's daughter, Ann died at the tender age of 18 months and was buried at Sydney Cove on the 30th June 1788. Her death was registered as Ann Pugh. Edward & Hannah Pugh went on to have 5 children together. David Pugh born at Sydney Cove on the 8th March 1789. Simon Pugh born on the 29th May 1791 at Parramatta Edward Pugh born 12th September 1794 at Prospect Hill Harriet born 1st October 1796 at Prospect Hill Charlotte Pugh born 1st October at Prospect Hill Their last child Charlotte was my direct ancestor and she had a child, a son to Samuel Brown in 1822. I can find no marriage for Charlotte and Samuel Brown. Their son was also named Samuel. Aged 25 years Edward's sentence expired on Monday 18th July 1791 and he was granted 70 acres at the Foot of Prospect Hill four miles westward of Parramatta. On a visit from Captain Watkin Tench on 5th December 1791 he noted that Edward had 2 1/2 acres under cultivation and that he was a carpenter. He noted that the soil was "But indifferent" and water was very scarce. In 1802 on the 15th September in the District of Mulgrave a second land grant of 100 acres was given to Edward at Richmond as the first grant was cancelled due to an error in the number of acres. On the 20th April 1800 Edward aged 34 joined the NSW corps and was discharged in 1810. He was described in September 1808 as aged 50 years seven months, as being 5ft. 6ins. tall, of dark complexion with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He was a landholder in the Parramatta area in 1814 but by 1825 he was a labourer in Richmond and a year later in1826, as Edward Pew, was still in the Richmond area working still as a labourer for Henry Seymour. Hannah Pugh, Edward's wife died in Sydney on the 17th October 1826 and was buried at the Devonshire Street Cemetery, where Central Railway now stands. Edward Pugh, my GGGGG grandfather ,sadly died a pauper in Windsor District Hospital on the 30th November 1837 aged 71 years and was buried at St. Matthews cemetery Windsor. Valerie Williams Mollymook

Yes I realise this - so she probably isn't the one who marries Thomas Briggs and has a child just before being transported to Tas because that woman appears to be the one who marries Collins. And if she is not the one who married Briggs, then she's probably not the one who baptised Leithead's daughter (who appears to have been born about the same time as another child she doesn't baptise) on the same day she married Briggs. So - who on earth is she and how does she get sent to Tas as Margaret Kenny per the Asia???? Are there other cases of people pretending to be convicts they weren't? If you were going to do that you'd want to be fairly sure that the convict you were claiming to be had a better record than you had? Minuet At 09:11 PM 25/01/2009, you wrote: >Hi Minuet > >She could not have been the one who married Collins in 1844 because you said >that she was down in Tasmania by December 1841. This permission to marry took >place in Maitland NSW.

Hi Minuet She could not have been the one who married Collins in 1844 because you said that she was down in Tasmania by December 1841. This permission to marry took place in Maitland NSW. regards Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html -----Original Message----- From: aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Minuet Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 7:42 PM To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] KENNY, BRIGGS & help pls Frustrating isn't she! It looks like she might have done the same with the Collins marriae as she did with the Briggs one - the permission was granted in Oct 1844 - on the 3rd Nov 1844 she has two Briggs children baptised. What's the betting the marriage was the same day? Minuet

Frustrating isn't she! It looks like she might have done the same with the Collins marriae as she did with the Briggs one - the permission was granted in Oct 1844 - on the 3rd Nov 1844 she has two Briggs children baptised. What's the betting the marriage was the same day? Minuet At 06:16 PM 25/01/2009, you wrote: >Hi Minuet > >There goes that theory then :(

....continued The labours of Governor Phillip may be divided into sections - the foundation of the settlement and the establishment of the government. After the selection of the site, he was confronted with the problem of converting the primitive bush into suitable headquarters for the colony. Within six months he had formulated a plan for the intended town. This plan was undoubtedly the work of a master mind; it was intended that advantage should be taken of the prevailing winds in laying out the direction of the principal streets, the building clauses should be enforced in the ejection of all houses, that the streets should be two hundred feet wide, and that the fee simple of all the land contained within the boundaries of the town should remain forever the property of the Crown. Some of these provisions, proposed without any previous precedent for guidance and conceived over 200 years ago, would be considered advanced and superior conceptions in a publicist of the present day. Unfortunately for the present city of Sydney the exigencies of the day, the struggle for existence and the scarcity of labour, compelled Phillip to shelve these proposals, and they were never fulfilled. In many of his other provisions for settlement, Phillip appears to have been a dreamer not only of ideals but of practical methods and a master hand in the initiation and development of new procedures. He advocated the granting of lands to the churches in lieu of all tithes on the produce of land, he modified the instructions, which he had received, to reserve an equal area of land for the Crown between each grant, because he foresaw the dangers of isolation and consequent depredations by natives and marauders and because each grantee would have been compelled to erect an entire boundary fence instead of sharing a party fence with his neighbour; with the advise probably of Captain Collins he drew up the form of land grant which was maintained with slight modifications so long as the first system of grants was in vogue; and he initiated the system of land leases by the Crown. In the establishment of the government, Governor Phillip maintained an absolute control; no subject or no detail was too small to pass unnoticed under his watchful eye. All daily orders were issued by him with the exception of the purely battalion orders of Major Ross. The criminal court, the civil court and the bench of magistrates were summoned by him, and the proceedings of the first and the last were carefully considered and revised with regard to the punishments ordered; in the exercise of this jurisdiction Phillip's actions were always tempered with mercy. He fixed the rations; he granted permission for marriage; he authorised the assistance to settlers; he made the necessary appointments to the different gangs for public labour; by periodical visits to Rose Hill, he was personally cognisant of all details in agricultural progress. In fact every department of human activity was constantly under his observation and direction, and by his humanity and unselfishness he was the father as well as the founder of the settlement. Phillip's labours in initiation and organisation were carried on in the face of enormous difficulties, and when he was in very poor health. His ill-health commenced in 1788 and continued throughout his government, and although he himself never complained, on many occasions it was only his iron will that kept him at the helm; at the social gatherings, on his exploring expeditions and when on visits of inspection, he was frequently a silent sufferer of intense pain. The difficulties confronted and overcome were of no mean order, and would certainly have daunted all but a man of determination and force. Notwithstanding all the care and attention bestowed on the preparations, it was found on arrival that many of the stores were short in quantity, poor in quality, or absent altogether. There were no immediate means of remedy, and before the second fleet arrived, the condition of the settlement must have been heartrending to Phillip. Starvation was staring the community in the face, rations were reduced to the merest pittance necessary to sustain life, the hours of labour were shortened on account of the weakness of the labourers through want of food, the convicts were bootless and almost naked, the clothes of the marines were in tatters, fish were scarce, and the hospital was full. Day by day as he sat in his office or walked around the infant town he was constantly harrowed by pitiful complaints and appeals from all classes, convict and official; but throughout he remained cheerful, hopeful and resourceful. When relief had been given to his anxieties with reference to the means of sustaining existence, he was still confronted with the want of many of the ordinary necessities of life. Being a man of few words, the actual conditions are only occasionally mentioned, but they were forcefully expressed by the brevity of his sentences, thus he states: Two or three hundred iron frying pans will be a saving of spades," I beg leave to observe that bad tools are of no kind of use". How aptly does the first quotation express the straits to which the early colonists were put for the want of ordinary cooking utensils, and the second, the knowledge that he was at the mercy of the contractors, and his unwillingness officially to accuse them of neglect. Throughout his administration Phillip exercised his powers with uniform fairness, and this on many occasions his actions were markedly the converse to those of his successors, He showed favour to no man and would not even avail himself of his private resources in the time of famine, but shared alike with the meanest of his subjects. By his action he indicated that although autocrat by appointment he was a democrat in feeling and action. Even when the stores were on private sale in 1792, Phillip did not indulge himself in the luxuries available as did many of his officers, and contented himself with the purchase of a few kegs of tripe and butter and of a few hams. Phillip’s contemporaries frequently reported most unfavorable of the settlement and of the ill doings of the convicts; he on the contrary never had his faith shaken in the future prospects of the colony, which he regarded with something akin to the feeling of a father for a child, and even for the convicts he had a good word as is shown by the statement in 1792 “ I can recollect very few crimes during the last three years but what have been committed to procure the necessaries of life.” Phillip possessed keen powers of observation. His notes on the aborigines, their life and their customs are precise; his exploration of the country and the criticism of the land passed through are indicative of good judgment, In many of his dispatches, he showed the possession of keen critical powers and a habit of probing a problem to the depths, and the expression of his opinion in brief and terse form made his conclusions clear and forceful. Governor Phillip retained the entire confidence of the English authorities throughout his administration and was the only one of the early Governors, whose actions were not called in question. In April 1790, he applied for leave of absence on account of his private affairs in England, but Lord Grenville in his reply requested him to postpone it for “your services in New South Wales are so extremely important to the public.” In March 1791, Phillip repeated the request on account of his ill-health, at the same time stating that he wished to return to the colony when he had recovered his strength. Subsequently repeated applications were made, but the English authorities were loath to lose his services; and it was considerations of health alone which compelled him to relinquish the charge of the colony in which he was so greatly interested. Governor Phillip occupies a unique position in history. No man before had been charged with the jurisdiction over half a continent and at the same time been granted so little assistance. Separated from his official superiors by a voyage of many months, he was endowed with almost absolute power with no council to assist in sharing the burden of administration. When the marines were antagonistic, when the convicts were calling for food, when his colony seemed to be on the verge of disaster, he possessed no confidant to talk with, and was truly in a position of lonely and magnificent isolation. During his government in New South Wales, Governor Phillip proved himself to be a born administrator, a brilliant organiser, a man of infinite tact and patience with a keen knowledge of his fellow-men, a man ever ready to appreciate the finer characteristics of his subordinates and loath to speak ill of anyone, a staunch friend and magnanimous foe, a perfect leader with an iron will to enforce his rule, and at the same time possessed of the true unselfishness to share all the discomforts of his inferiors. When Phillip’s character and life are fully studied, he will be recognised as the father of Australia and the best of the early Governors of New South Wales. Taken from Historical Records of Australia Vol 1 1788 - 1796 Typed by Lesley Uebel 26 January 2002 Regards Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html

.......Governor Phillip I have sent this before to our list, but it is very interesting. I will have to send it by two emails because of the length. Please don't send it back to the list if commenting :) Although he spent much time organising...... he did leave a few things behind. The foundation of the settlement on the eastern coast of Australia was entrusted to Captain Arthur Phillip, and his methods and the results of his work indicate that a more fortunate selection could not have been made. By his infinite tact, by his extraordinary foresight, and by his devotion to high ideals, he succeeded in establishing the infant colony on a secure foundation during the five years of his government. He was selected to take charge of the proposed settlement at Botany Bay by Lord Sydney, Secretary of State for the Home Department. This selection did not escape criticism, for Lord Howe, the First Lord of the Admiralty, stated in a letter to Lord Sydney, dated 3rd September 1786, "I cannot say the little knowledge I have of Captain Phillips would have led me to select him for a service of this complicated nature," and practically dissociated himself from all responsibility in the appointment. The reasons, which influenced Lord Sydney in his choice, are not evident. He appears to have possessed the rare facility of perceiving intuitively the latent powers in the men with whom he came in contact, and to have recognised in Captain Arthur Phillips a man of action, and a born administrator, possessing the iron will and determination to carry all his decisions to their logical conclusion. Arthur Phillip was born in London on the 11th October 1738, and was forty-eight years of age at the date of his appointment. His father, Jacob Phillip, was a native of Frankfort in Germany, who had settled in England and had married the widow of a Captain Herbert. Phillip’s school days were passed at Greenwich; and at the age of sixteen, he entered the navy, serving first under Captain Michael Everet. He was present at the capture of Havannah, and on the 7th June 1761, was appointed a lieutenant in the Stirling castle by Sir George Pockle. At the conclusion of the Seven Years War, when he was retired on half pay, he settled at Lyndhursy in the New Forest occupying himself in farming and in the usual duties of a country gentleman. But such pursuits were ill favoured by the man of action; and when hostilities commenced between Spain & Portugal, Phillip sought and obtained permission to offer his services to the latter country. His offer was at once accepted, and he fought for Portugal until the outbreak of the war between England and France in 1778 called for his return to the service of his own King. His promotion then became rapid; and on the 2nd September 1779, he was made master and commander of the fire-ship Basilisk; on the 13th November 1781, he became post-captain in the frigate Ariadue, and on the 23rd December following he was appointed to the Europe of sixty-four guns. In January 1783, he was despatched with reinforcement to the East Indies, and had returned a short time before the preparations for the proposed settlement at Botany Bay were commenced. Prior to his appointment, Captain Phillip had proved himself to be an active and zealous officer, possessed of ‘habitual prudence’ and a sound knowledge of men and their management. His experience on the quarterdeck had not converted him into an autocrat as similar experiences had so often in that era converted men possessing intellects of a lower plane. When endowed with the almost absolute powers which he held in the settlement, his actions, even when under gross provocation, were always tempered with tact and forbearance towards his subordinates The magnitude of the undertaking entrusted to Captain Phillip was stupendous. He was charged with the transportation of over one thousand persons to a land that was little known, and with their settlement on a coast separated from the nearest civilisation by a voyage of nearly three months through almost unchartered seas. If anything was overlooked in the preliminary arrangements, he knew that at least six or seven months must elapse before the neglect could be remedied by a visit to a foreign port, or eighteen months if communication was made with England; and even these periods were entirely dependent on the proviso that no accident should arise from the dangers of virtually unknown navigation. One cannot sufficiently admire the industrious and exact forethought which, combined with importunity insistent though polite, enabled Phillip in spite of official negligence and stupidity to achieve the foundation of the colony. The first commission for the appointment of Governor Phillip was dated the 12th October 1786. From that date until early in May 1787, he was actively employed in arranging the manifold details in connection with the projected colony. At the various conferences held at the Home Department, the broad general plan was conveyed to Phillip, but the consideration of many of the details appears to have originated entirely from himself. By his foresight in noting and requiring instructions on the various problems which might arise in his administration, proof is clearly given to Phillip, the navel post-captain, was a man in a thousand of his contemporaries. Every point was minutely considered and a solution suggested. The statement in a memorandum sent by Phillip to the Home Department that “I would not wish convicts to lay the foundations of an Empire” is indicative of his appreciation of the future possibilities of the settlement. In this memorandum, he showed that he possessed advanced ideas; for he considered that the criminal code of the day was too drastic in the infliction of the death penalty; and that this punishment should be reserved for two crimes – murder and sodomy. His idea that the death sentence should be fulfilled by delivering the criminal to the mercies of cannibals does not possess the same inhuman bearing which would be felt at the present time, for it must be remembered that a captain of the period was accustomed to the floggings common in the navy and that the cruelties practised in the hulks and debtors’ prisons of the day were well known. One more striking sentence from the same memorandum must be quoted to exemplify Phillip’s large and humanitarian ideas – “there can be no slavery in a free land, and consequently no slaves.” Apart from the consideration of such problems as live-stock, agriculture, horticulture, the encouragement of marriage, the treatment of the natives, and port orders, Phillip’s faculty for detail may be illustrated by his request for razors and for tin lamps as presents to the natives for “when they use a light they hold it in their hands.” When the preparations for the settlement was concluded Phillip set sail in the H.M.S. Sirius on the 13th of May 1787, as Commodore for the eleven vessels constituting the first fleet. During the eight months which were occupied in the voyage, Phillip spent many hours in planning and arranging for his future administration. Anxious discussions were held with his Lieutenant-Governor, Major Ross, and the Judge-Advocate, Captain Collins. Notwithstanding all his foresight, shortly after sailing Phillip had found that such important items as the convict indent papers, women's clothing and some of the ordnance stores, had been left behind in England. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, Governor Phillip transshipped to the armed tender Supply, on the 25th November 1787, with the intention of arriving at Botany Bay at an early date by out-sailing the rest of the fleet and making preparations for the reception of his charges. This design was frustrated, for the Supply anchored a few hours only before the remainder of the squadron. The first act of moment performance by Governor Phillip was his choice of the site for the principal settlement. He spent two days in the examination of Botany Bay and quickly recognised the disadvantages of its foreshores; three days were then occupied in the exploration of Port Jackson. The promptitude with which he selected the site at Sydney Cove is illustrative of his faculty for rapid decision. The selection was determined by the fact that the cove possessed "the best spring of water," but Phillip realised also that ships could "anchor so close to the shore that at a very small expense quays may be made at which the largest ships may unload." Even with the most exact knowledge of later days, a more suitable site could not have been chosen in the two harbours of Botany Bay and Sydney Cove. With the landing of convicts at Sydney Cove, Phillip's difficulties at once commenced. Soon after his arrival, Governor Phillip found that he could not rely on the assistance of Lieutenant-Governor Ross or the military, and that he had to contend with Ross's convert antagonism. The first evidence of this was given when the officers stubbornly refused to "interfere with the convicts", by encouraging or reprimanding those at work, and Phillip found that "the little plan I had formed in the passage for the government of these people" was destined to be thwarted. Phillip was not provided with the assistance of any superintendents of convicts - the mariners were regarded as guards - and so when the officers refused to assist, Phillip was compelled to employ the well-behaved convicts as superintendents. Discontent was soon shown by the officers because they were compelled to sit as members of the criminal court. In this action, they were openly supported and possibly instigated by Major Ross. Major Ross also embarrassed the administration by placing five out of the eighteen officers of marines under arrest at one time. He further in the most petty and almost mutinous manner objected to interference with his control of convicts, a duty that he had previously declined to accept. The whole career of Major Ross at Port Jackson appears to have been a premeditated attempt to subvert the authority of Governor Phillip and to overthrow the civil government. On the 7th of March 1790, Governor Phillip sent Major Ross to take the command of Norfolk Island, and it is probable that by this appointment an open breach between the civil and military powers was averted. Throughout these first two years, Phillip displayed the most remarkable tact and discretion in his treatment of the military; and when Ross time after time attempted to checkmate Phillip’s decisions, he forcefully but quietly maintained his authority and dignity. Phillips magnanimity and his diffidence in reporting unfavorably on the conduct of a subordinate is well shown by the postscript of a letter to Under Secretary Nepean, when he stated; “After reading this letter which I have written with haste and with desire of explaining how little reason there has been for complaint I think it appears so like a letter to justify my own conduct that I wish you to lay only the enclosed letters before Lord Sydney.” .... continued Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html

Hi Minuet There goes that theory then :( Regards Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html -----Original Message----- From: aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Minuet Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 5:59 PM To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] KENNY, BRIGGS & help pls Hi Lesley, My first thought was Elizabeth was Catherine too (esp as Catherine named her first Elizabeth LOL) but it appears Elizabeth stayed in NSW. According to the NSW indexes: In 1858 an Elizabeth LIGHTHEAD married Henry ROSE at Patricks Plains (she would have been 19). Elizabeth and Henry Rose have 11 children, the last one born in 1879. In 1879 an Elizabeth Rose dies, and her parents are listed as Thomas and Margaret. An

Hi Lesley, My first thought was Elizabeth was Catherine too (esp as Catherine named her first Elizabeth LOL) but it appears Elizabeth stayed in NSW. According to the NSW indexes: In 1858 an Elizabeth LIGHTHEAD married Henry ROSE at Patricks Plains (she would have been 19). Elizabeth and Henry Rose have 11 children, the last one born in 1879. In 1879 an Elizabeth Rose dies, and her parents are listed as Thomas and Margaret. An At 05:20 PM 25/01/2009, you wrote: >Hi Minuet, > >For some reason I am inclined to think she married Thomas Leathead and perhaps >she changed Elizabeth's name to Catherine ??? >I don't know if your Library has a copy of the post 1825 Colonial >Sec. Index by >Joan Reese, but that may be worth checking also. I have quite a few Colonial Secretary's references and NSW Gov gazette references, but have yet to find how and where to look them up or what it's going to cost me. >Have you followed through with the children of Thomas Briggs in >NSW i.e. Alice >and Henry ? or found the death of Thomas Briggs ? I have looked but haven't noticed any that jump out as being definite possibilities. cheers Minuet

Hi Minuet, For some reason I am inclined to think she married Thomas Leathead and perhaps she changed Elizabeth's name to Catherine ??? As I mentioned earlier the fact that Alice Briggs was born in 1843 when your Margaret was in Tassie is impossible. If Alice was born earlier than 1843, then Margaret would have given birth to Elizabeth, Henry and Alice between July 1839 and December 1841 - not impossible. If this is the case perhaps Thomas Briggs decided to keep "his" children with him and send Elizabeth (Catherine?) to Tassie with her mother. In answer to a few other questions. Not all of the convicts applied for their Certificate of Freedom when it was due and more men applied than did females. As live in Hobart then the NSW State Records can provide you with a copy of her Certificate of Freedom. I don't know if your Library has a copy of the post 1825 Colonial Sec. Index by Joan Reese, but that may be worth checking also. Have you followed through with the children of Thomas Briggs in NSW i.e. Alice and Henry ? or found the death of Thomas Briggs ? regards Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html -----Original Message----- From: aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:aus-pt-jackson-convicts-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Minuet Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 2:04 PM To: aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [PJ] KENNY, BRIGGS & help pls Hi Lesley, >Margaret Kenny (age shown as 29 & 30) and John Berwick applied twice >to marry in >1836 at Maitland and this was approved, but no marriage resulted. They applied >through the Rev Rusden (C of E) Maitland. I had found 2 banns published and one application. These ages show Marg being born in 1806 as when she arrives at 24 in 1830. >Margaret Kenny (31yo) applied to marry Thomas Leathead (various spellings) in >1838 at Patrick Plains. Applied through Rev Hetherington (Presbyterian). A >marriage did result. Margaret is shown as being Free and that is not >correct as >she received her CoF in October 1839. Was this normal? If she was sentenced to 7 years in 1829 and didn't have any offences against her....? Again, 1806 birth fits.

Greetings to all First Fleet Genies out there and particularly to the descendants of Ann Forbes (Prince of Wales 1788) who is my claim to a First Fleeter. A day to remember for allof us. Thankyou Lesley for this website to keep us all in touch. Kind regards, John Chapman Werris Creek. First Railway Town in Australia.