On the 12th April 1850, the convict vessel "Eliza" arrived at Hobart Town with sixty male convicts aboard. Aboard were also thirty military pensioners acting as guards. Previous convict transports had guards provided by British Army regiments detailed to India or the Australian colonies, but in 1849 it was decided that pensioners could perform this role. On 13th December 1849, Earl Grey wrote to the Governor of Van Diemen's Land, Sir William Denison, informing him that a "Company of Pensioners" had been raised for establishment in Van Diemen's Land. The pensioners, in exchange for free-passage to Van Diemen's Land, would aid in the defence of the colony and provide call-up support for the civil authorities. They were to be under this obligation for seven years after their arrival in the colony. Earl Grey, however, believed that there may have been difficulties in compelling the pensioners to remain in Van Diemen's Land; "There are some particulars, however, in which, - more ! especially in Van Diemen's Land, - I consider it expedient that they should have some direct aid from the government." Grey went on to say ".in Van Diemen's Land, where labour is more abundant, and much cheaper than in the adjacent Colonies, it is very desirable to endeavour to attach the Pensioners to the spot, and prevent their becoming anxious to remove to the neighbouring Countries." The Colonial Secretary made it clear to Denison that he wanted the pensioners, as far as possible, settled together in one neighbourhood. They were to be settled on small plots of land, which following the provision of seven years obligation as enrolled pensioners, would become theirs. If there were any breaches of the enrollment (such as leaving the colony), the land would not be granted to them. Significantly, Grey told Denison "You will understand that these pieces of ground should be of limited extent, and only calculated to occupy the spare time, and add to the resources of the Pensioners, without constituting his whole means of livelihood. They should rather be in the nature of Garden Allotments, and should probably be limited to from 2 to 5 acres." The pensioners were to be settled "as near as may be, to one of the principal towns". Being near a town ensured that the families would be within reach of schools, and importantly for the government, religious instruction. ! Townships would also facilitate convict labour to assist with the erection of dwellings for the pensioners. The government was prepared to spend £15 per pensioner on housing. The money was to be defrayed from the Land Revenue. Alex Green Campania Tasmania aogreen@bigpond.com Alex Green Campania Tasmania aogreen@bigpond.com

Do you have a Cristana Green M. Robert Martin in 1860s in your tree. Thanks Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "JULIAN O GREEN" <aogreen@bigpond.com> To: <AUS-TAS-SURNAMES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 8:41 PM Subject: [AUS-TAS-SURNAMES] Re: AUS-TAS Pensioner Arrivals > On the 12th April 1850, the convict vessel "Eliza" arrived at Hobart Town with sixty male convicts aboard. Aboard were also thirty military pensioners acting as guards. Previous convict transports had guards provided by British Army regiments detailed to India or the Australian colonies, but in 1849 it was decided that pensioners could perform this role. On 13th December 1849, Earl Grey wrote to the Governor of Van Diemen's Land, Sir William Denison, informing him that a "Company of Pensioners" had been raised for establishment in Van Diemen's Land. The pensioners, in exchange for free-passage to Van Diemen's Land, would aid in the defence of the colony and provide call-up support for the civil authorities. They were to be under this obligation for seven years after their arrival in the colony. Earl Grey, however, believed that there may have been difficulties in compelling the pensioners to remain in Van Diemen's Land; "There are some particulars, however, in which, - more ! > especially in Van Diemen's Land, - I consider it expedient that they should have some direct aid from the government." Grey went on to say ".in Van Diemen's Land, where labour is more abundant, and much cheaper than in the adjacent Colonies, it is very desirable to endeavour to attach the Pensioners to the spot, and prevent their becoming anxious to remove to the neighbouring Countries." > > > The Colonial Secretary made it clear to Denison that he wanted the pensioners, as far as possible, settled together in one neighbourhood. They were to be settled on small plots of land, which following the provision of seven years obligation as enrolled pensioners, would become theirs. If there were any breaches of the enrollment (such as leaving the colony), the land would not be granted to them. Significantly, Grey told Denison "You will understand that these pieces of ground should be of limited extent, and only calculated to occupy the spare time, and add to the resources of the Pensioners, without constituting his whole means of livelihood. They should rather be in the nature of Garden Allotments, and should probably be limited to from 2 to 5 acres." The pensioners were to be settled "as near as may be, to one of the principal towns". Being near a town ensured that the families would be within reach of schools, and importantly for the government, religious instruction. ! > Townships would also facilitate convict labour to assist with the erection of dwellings for the pensioners. The government was prepared to spend £15 per pensioner on housing. The money was to be defrayed from the Land Revenue. > > Alex Green > Campania Tasmania > > aogreen@bigpond.com > Alex Green > Campania Tasmania > > aogreen@bigpond.com > > > ==== AUS-TAS-SURNAMES Mailing List ==== > Link your Webpages to the Australian Families WebRing > The navigation bar is located at: > Http://hometown.aol.com/romniroser/myhomepage/newsletter.html > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=702&sourceid=1237 >