Hi all, We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being Australia Day. The most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar. As many of you are aware, the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on the 18th January 1788. If you read the following small section of the first letter from Governor Phillip to Lord Sydney (Secretary of State) dated May 15th, 1788 I think that the weather may have been similar to what we are experiencing in Sydney at this time - windy, hot and with thunder storms. If you have a First Fleeter as an ancestor, please tell us about him or her. If you have an interesting story to share please do, if you only have names and dates, then please don't let that stop you from telling us that you are descended from a First Fleeter. Part of the first despatch from Governor Phillip. Australian coast sighted ------------------------------ The westerly winds we now had continued till the 3rd of January, when we saw the coast of New South Wales, but the winds, which had been so favourable, having seldom been to the eastward, and then for a few hours only, blowing from the N.W. to the S. W., generally very strong gales, now left us, and we had variable winds, with a current that at times set very strong to the southward, so that we did not arrive at Botany Bay before the 18th. Arrival at Botany Bay -------------------------- The Alexander, Scarborough, and Friendship came in the next day, and the Sirius, with the rest of the ships, the day after. Those Ships had continued very healthy. Description of this bay -------------------------- The Supply, sailing very badly, had not permitted my gaining the advantage hoped for, but I began to examine the bay as soon as we anchored, and found that tho’ extensive, it did not afford shelter to ships from the easterly winds; the greater part of the bay being so shoal that ships of even a moderate draught of water are obliged to anchor with the entrance of the bay open, and are exposed to a heavy sea that rolls in when it blows hard -from the eastward. Several small runs of fresh water were found in different parts of the bay, but I did not see any situation to which there was not some very strong objection. The small creek that is in the northern part of the bay runs a considerable way into the country, but it had only water for a boat. The sides of this creek are frequently overflowed, and the lowlands a swamp. The western branch runs up for a considerable distance, but the officers I. sent to examine it could not find any water, except in very small drains. The best situation that offered was near Point Sutherland, where there was a small run of good water; but the ground near it, as well as a considerable part of the higher ground, was spongy, and the ships could not approach this part of the bay. Several good situations offered for a small number of people, but none that appeared calculated for our numbers, and where the stores and provisions could be landed without a great loss of time. When I considered the bay’s being so very open, and the probability of the swamps rendering the most eligible situation unhealthy, I judged it advisable to examine Port Jackson; but ( that no time might be lost if I did not succeed in finding a better harbour, and a proper situation for the settlement, the ground near Point Sutherland was in the meantime to be cleared and preparations made for landing under the direction of the Lieutenant-Governor. As the time in which I might be absent, if I went in the Supply, must have been very uncertain, I went around with three boats taking with me Captain Hunter and several officers that by examining different parts of the port at the same time less time might be lost Exploration of Port Jackson --------------------------------- We got into Port Jackson early in the afternoon, and had the satisfaction of finding the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security, and of which a rough survey, made by Captain Hunter and the officers, of the Sirius after the ships came around, may give your Lordship some idea. The different coves were examined with all possible expedition. I fixed on the one that had the best spring water, and in which the ships can anchor so close to the shore that at a very small expense quays may be made at which the largest ships may unload. Sydney Cove ---------------- This cove, which I honoured with the name of Sydney, is about a quarter of a mile across at the entrance and half a mile in length. We returned to Botany Bay the third day, when I received a very unfavourable, account of the ground that was clearing. The Fleet in Port Jackson ---------------------------- The ships immediately prepared to go round, and the 25th – seven days after I arrived in tho Supply, I sailed in her for Port Jackson, leaving Captain Hunter to follow with the transports, it then blowing too strong for them to work out of the bay. They joined me the next evening, and all the transports were moored in the cove. Foundation of Sydney --------------------------- The clearing the ground for the people and for erecting store houses was begun as soon as the ships got round, a labour of which it will be hardly possible to give your Lordship a just idea. The necks of land that form the different coves, and near the water for some distance, are in general so rocky that it is surprizing such large trees should find sufficient nourishment, but the soil between the rocks is good, and the summits of the rocks, as well as the whole country round us, with few exceptions, are covered with trees, most of which are so large that the removing them off the ground after they are cut down is the greatest part of the labour; and the convicts, naturally-indolent, having none to attend them but overseers drawn from amongst themselves, and who fear to exert any authority, makes this work go on very slowly. Reasons for choice of site ------------------------------ Your Lordship will permit me to observe that our situation tho’ so very different from what might be expected, is nevertheless the best that offered. My instructions did not permit me to detain the transports a sufficient length of time, to examine the coast to any considerable distance, it was absolutely necessary to be certain of a sufficient quantity of fresh water, in a situation that was healthy, and which the ships might approach within a reasonable distance for the conveniency of landing the stores and provisions, and I am fully persuaded that we should never have succeeded had it been attempted to move them only one mile from where they were landed. There are some parts of this harbour where the trees stand at a considerable distance from each other, and where there are small runs of water, which shall be cultivated when our numbers permit, and when the country inland can be examined. I make no doubt but some good situations will be found that have water, which I have never yet been able to find, either in Botany Bay or in this harbour, but in very small streams. Source: Typed by Lesley Uebel 2003 from the HRA Vol 1 . Lesley Uebel mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au CLAIM A CONVICT http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html

Sorry Lesley but my First Fleeter was a marine and not a convict. Have a great day anyway. The piece was very interesting Regards Shirley Subject: [PJ] Australian coast sighted - 3 January 1788 Hi all, We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being Australia Day. The most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar. As many of you are aware, the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on the 18th January 1788. If you read the following small section of the first letter from Governor Phillip to Lord Sydney (Secretary of State) dated May 15th, 1788 I think that the weather may have been similar to what we are experiencing in Sydney at this time - windy, hot and with thunder storms. If you have a First Fleeter as an ancestor, please tell us about him or her. If you have an interesting story to share please do, if you only have names and dates, then please don't let that stop you from telling us that you are descended from a First Fleeter.

Lesley I really enjoyed your email re the landing of the First Fleet. Thankyou you very much for sending it out. I intend passing this on to my close family as we celebrate this AUSTRALIA DAY. It is always an exciting time and especially for me as it is right near my birthday which this year is a BIG ONE. I am yet to find a convict of mine on the First Fleet - the convicts I have discovered so far all arrived in the early 1800's. I am so glad my JOHN HAWKES stole those chooks to feed his starving family bringing him here in 1838. Happy celebrations to everyone on the List. Pat Mott CENTAL VICTORIA Researching HAWK, HAWKE, HAWKES, DAVIS, MOTT, GREEN, ANDERSON, RIGG, CAMPBELL, MAC TAGGART, TAGGART, RAIN, CONROY, ROBINSON, HOLGATE, DINES, MARSH On 22/01/2009, at 7:55 PM, Lesley Uebel wrote: > > Hi all, > > We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being > Australia Day. The > most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar. > > > As many of you are aware, the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on > the 18th > January 1788. If you read the following small section of the > first letter > from Governor Phillip to Lord Sydney (Secretary of State) dated > May 15th, 1788 > I think that the weather may have been similar to what we are > experiencing in > Sydney at this time - windy, hot and with thunder storms. > > If you have a First Fleeter as an ancestor, please tell us about > him or her. If > you have an interesting story to share please do, if you only have > names and > dates, then please don't let that stop you from telling us that you > are > descended from a First Fleeter. > > > > > Part of the first despatch from Governor Phillip. > > > Australian coast sighted > ------------------------------ > > The westerly winds we now had continued till the 3rd of January, > when we saw the > coast of New South Wales, but the winds, which had been so > favourable, having > seldom been to the eastward, and then for a few hours only, blowing > from the > N.W. to the S. W., generally very strong gales, now left us, and > we had > variable winds, with a current that at times set very strong to the > southward, > so that we did not arrive at Botany Bay before the 18th. > > > > Arrival at Botany Bay > -------------------------- > > The Alexander, Scarborough, and Friendship came in the next day, > and the Sirius, > with the rest of the ships, the day after. Those Ships had > continued very > healthy. > > > Description of this bay > -------------------------- > > The Supply, sailing very badly, had not permitted my gaining the > advantage hoped > for, but I began to examine the bay as soon as we anchored, and > found that tho’ > extensive, it did not afford shelter to ships from the easterly > winds; the > greater part of the bay being so shoal that ships of even a > moderate draught of > water are obliged to anchor with the entrance of the bay open, and > are exposed > to a heavy sea that rolls in when it blows hard -from the eastward. > > Several small runs of fresh water were found in different parts of > the bay, but > I did not see any situation to which there was not some very strong > objection. > The small creek that is in the northern part of the bay runs a > considerable way > into the country, but it had only water for a boat. The sides of > this creek are > frequently overflowed, and the lowlands a swamp. The western branch > runs up for > a considerable distance, but the officers I. sent to examine it > could not find > any water, except in very small drains. > The best situation that offered was near Point Sutherland, where > there was a > small run of good water; but the ground near it, as well as a > considerable part > of the higher ground, was spongy, and the ships could not approach > this part of > the bay. > > Several good situations offered for a small number of people, but > none that > appeared calculated for our numbers, and where the stores and > provisions could > be landed without a great loss of time. When I considered the bay’s > being so > very open, and the probability of the swamps rendering the most > eligible > situation unhealthy, I judged it advisable to examine Port Jackson; > but ( that > no time might be lost if I did not succeed in finding a better > harbour, and a > proper situation for the settlement, the ground near Point > Sutherland was in > the meantime to be cleared and preparations made for landing under > the direction > of the Lieutenant-Governor. > > As the time in which I might be absent, if I went in the Supply, > must have been > very uncertain, I went > around with three boats taking with me Captain Hunter and several > officers that > by examining different > parts of the port at the same time less time might be lost > > > Exploration of Port Jackson > --------------------------------- > > We got into Port Jackson early in the afternoon, and had the > satisfaction of > finding the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail > of the line > may ride in the most perfect security, and of which a rough survey, > made by > Captain Hunter and the officers, of the Sirius after the ships came > around, may > give your Lordship some idea. > > The different coves were examined with all possible expedition. I > fixed on the > one that had the best spring water, and in which the ships can > anchor so close > to the shore that at a very small expense quays may be made at > which the largest > ships may unload. > > > Sydney Cove > ---------------- > > This cove, which I honoured with the name of Sydney, is about a > quarter of a > mile across at the entrance and half a mile in length. We returned > to Botany Bay > the third day, when I received a very unfavourable, account of the > ground that > was clearing. > > > The Fleet in Port Jackson > ---------------------------- > > The ships immediately prepared to go round, and the 25th – seven > days after I > arrived in tho Supply, I sailed in her for Port Jackson, leaving > Captain Hunter > to follow with the transports, it then blowing too strong for them > to work out > of the bay. They joined me the next evening, and all the transports > were moored > in the cove. > > > > Foundation of Sydney > --------------------------- > > The clearing the ground for the people and for erecting store > houses was begun > as soon as the ships got round, a labour of which it will be hardly > possible to > give your Lordship a just idea. The necks of land that form the > different coves, > and near the water for some distance, are in general so rocky that > it is > surprizing such large trees should find sufficient nourishment, but > the soil > between the rocks is good, and the summits of the rocks, as well as > the whole > country round us, with few exceptions, are covered with trees, most > of which are > so large that the removing them off the ground after they are cut > down is the > greatest part of the labour; and the convicts, naturally-indolent, > having none > to attend them but overseers drawn from amongst themselves, and who > fear to > exert any authority, makes this work go on very slowly. > > > Reasons for choice of site > ------------------------------ > > Your Lordship will permit me to observe that our situation tho’ so > very > different from what might be expected, is nevertheless the best > that offered. My > instructions did not permit me to detain the transports a > sufficient length of > time, to examine the coast to any considerable distance, it was > absolutely > necessary to be certain of a sufficient quantity of fresh water, in > a situation > that was healthy, and which the ships might approach within a > reasonable > distance for the conveniency of landing the stores and provisions, > and I am > fully persuaded that we should never have succeeded had it been > attempted to > move them only one mile from where they were landed. There are some > parts of > this harbour where the trees stand at a considerable distance from > each other, > and where there are small runs of water, which shall be cultivated > when our > numbers permit, and when the country inland can be examined. I make > no doubt but > some good situations will be found that have water, which I have > never yet been > able to find, either in Botany Bay or in this harbour, but in very > small > streams. > > > Source: Typed by Lesley Uebel 2003 from the HRA Vol 1 > > . > > Lesley Uebel > mailto:ckennedy@bigpond.net.au > CLAIM A CONVICT > http://users.bigpond.net.au/convicts/index.html > > > > > > ------------------------------- > 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 Lesley and List James Wright who came out on the Scarborough was my 3xG grandfather. He has been fairly well researched by other family members (thank you in particular to my cousin John Wilson). The following is a very brief outline of what is known about him. James was convicted of robbery on a highway in 1783 (aged 21) and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to 7 years transportation to Africa. He spent 3 1/2 years on a prison hulk before embarking on the Scarborough in Feb 1787. >From his arrival in Sydney until 1791 he was employed as a baker to Governor Phillip (family folk lore is that he didn't know how to bake but when volunteers with knowledge of baking were called for he put up his hand). >From 1791 to 1808 he was Government Baker at Parramatta. He went on to be a respectable Parramatta business man and land owner (granted 60 acres at Duck River on the Parramatta Road in 1820). He died on 15 March 1825 and is buried at St John's Cemetery, Parramatta with his wife Letitia (nee Holland, real name Ann Guest, "Mary Ann", Third Fleet) and his daughter Shepherdess Agland (first wife of John Agland "Guilford" 1811) . Elizabeth Kangro (nee Dooley)

Hi Lesley & Listers, Tha nks Lesley for the opportunity to tell about my First Fleeters. I am proud to be descended from 2 First Fleeters - Mary Groves " Prince of Wales" and William Douglas "Alexander". They were married on 1st June 1788, which makes Mary the first June Bride in Australia. The previous entry was in May. Of course June Brides were something not even thought of then. There is only documentary evidence of them having one child (Elizabeth) born 18 Feb 1796. She had a twin brother who did not survive. Only Elizabeth was christened in September,1796. From this one child , who married Daniel Jurd "Perseus " 1802 we (The Jurd Association) have now found more than 12,500 descendants that we can identify. Not bad for one couple. Imagine how many descendants there'd be if they'd had the usual number of children for those days- the Everingham family for instance. William Douglas lived to the ripe old age of 81 years and is buried at the old River Cemetery at St Albans, next to his daughter Elizabeth. He was given one of the first land grants (No 11) on the Hawkesbury by Francis Grose who said" I have settled on the Hawkesbury 22 Settlers who seem much pleased with their farms". Poor Mary Groves' whereabouts continue to remain a mystery. The last evidence of her existence is the Christening of Elizabeth. Many have tried to find her, but to no avail. Still we will keep trying -). Happy Australia Day to all PJ Listers & especially to Lesley who continues to keep this - the most informative list there is. Many Thanks Lesley. Regards, Norma McLean normabmc@bigpond.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lesley Uebel" <ckennedy@bigpond.net.au> To: "Aus-Pt-Jackson-Convicts@Rootsweb. Com" <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:55 PM Subject: [PJ] Australian coast sighted - 3 January 1788 Hi all, We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being Australia Day. The most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar. As many of you are aware, the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay on the 18th January 1788. If you read the following small section of the first letter from Governor Phillip to Lord Sydney (Secretary of State) dated May 15th, 1788 I think that the weather may have been similar to what we are experiencing in Sydney at this time - windy, hot and with thunder storms. If you have a First Fleeter as an ancestor, please tell us about him or her. If you have an interesting story to share please do, if you only have names and dates, then please don't let that stop you from telling us that you are descended from a First Fleeter.

Hi Listers, One detail I failed to mention in my previous e-mail William & Mary are my 5th G-Grandparents. Regards, Norma McLean normabmc@bigpond.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lesley Uebel" <ckennedy@bigpond.net.au> To: "Aus-Pt-Jackson-Convicts@Rootsweb. Com" <aus-pt-jackson-convicts@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:55 PM Subject: [PJ] Australian coast sighted - 3 January 1788 Hi all, We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being Australia Day. The most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar.

Hi Lesley and friends, A very early greeting to wish you all a very happy Australia Day! Thank you Lesley, for once again posting those wonderful snippets to List. I have no direct First Fleeters, but I am sure that one way or another, I must have many by marriage. Congratulations to all on List for their PJ Convict linage! Through that, and the wonderful connections that we make, we all have a direct link back to 1788! Happy Australia Day! Best regards, Wayne Carter flora.1@bigpond.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Lesley Uebel To: Aus-Pt-Jackson-Convicts@Rootsweb. Com Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:55 PM Subject: [PJ] Australian coast sighted - 3 January 1788 >Hi all, We are fast approaching OUR special day again - that being Australia Day. The most important day on the PJ Convicts calendar... ... ...<