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From The Age
~ TWO hundred and twenty years ago today, a young London-born solicitor's clerk, all of 18 years of age, arrived in Sydney Cove on the First Fleet. Matthew James Everingham's sin was pinching a few books worth 10 shillings, and for that he was given seven years.
~... an illiterate convict woman from the Second Fleet — one Elizabeth Rimes — whose crime was taking a bed sheet that didn't belong to her.
* Matthew and Elizabeth married.
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~ From Convict Tales
~ At the age of 18, in 1821, William Cox was sentenced to death for stealing a horse. This was changed to a life sentence in NSW.
~ Charles Lansbury was convicted at Oxford 12/4/1841 to 7 years transportation. He and 3 mates scuffled with a man at a party at a lady's house at midnight 12/1/1841. They stole his hanky and hid it in the snow.
~ Edward PUGH was born sometime between 1749 & 1766 (possibly February 1758) in the Parish St Marys, Shewsbury, Shropshire, England. Convicted on October 5th 1784 at Gloucester Quarter Sessions, England of stealing a great coat which belonged to one William Barnard. He was sentenced to 7 years and ordered to be transported to America but due to the American War of Independence was transported to New South Wales. He remained in gaol for nearly 3 years before being ordered to Portsmouth for the “Prince of Wales” on March 23rd 1787, with Betty Mason and Elizabeth Parker and probably fathered the child to Elizabeth, Ann (Nancy) Parker who went with them. Edward was received on the “Friendship” on April 17th 1787 and his occupation given by Ralph Clark as “House Carpenter” and his age 22 years.
~ OLD BAILEY SESSION PAPERS. 11th June 1829.1116. DAVID LANGLEY was indicted for stealing, on the 1st of May, 1 screw-cap, value 25s. , the goods of William Thomas Smallwood . JOHN CUTHBERT . On the 1st of May I was standing at my door, and saw the prisoner coming towards me - when he got past he ran, and dropped this screw-cap; I took him and the screw-cap to Mr. Smallwood. WILLIAM THOMAS SMALLWOOD. I am a brass-founder, and live in York-terrace. This brass cap is mine; it was cast from a pattern which I have in my hand - it was taken from my window that morning.
Prisoner's Defence. I did not see any thing of it till that gentleman caught me; two young men passed, and I suppose they dropped it. GUILTY . Aged 17. Confined Three Months .
~ David Langley was convicted at Middlesex on the 16 January 1830 for stealing 24lb of cheese, the property of Thomas Davidge. David was found guilty and transported for life. Prior to this charge, in June of 1820, he was imprisoned for 3 weeks for larceny, after being charged at the Old Bailey.David was transported aboard the 'David Lyon' which left Sheerness, London on the 2 May 1830, and arrived in Van Diemen's Land on the 19 August 1830.
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From Australian Government Culture and Recreation Portal
~ From Among the arrivals with the First Fleet was Mary Bryant (also known as Mary Broad).
In 1786 at age 21, Mary was found guilty of stealing a cloak and was sentenced to death. Luckily for Mary, her sentence was later changed to seven years transportation.
~ At 13 years of age, after being orphaned as a young girl, Mary Reibey (sometimes spelled Reiby) stole a horse as a childish prank. She was arrested and sentenced to transportation for seven years, arriving in New South Wales in October 1792.
~ Seventeen year old Esther Abrahams was sentenced to seven years transportation after stealing a piece of black lace when she was employed as an apprentice milliner.
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~In 1788, the eleven ships of the First Fleet landed their 'cargo' of around 780 British convicts at Botany Bay in New South Wales. Two more convict fleets arrived in 1790 and 1791, and the first free settlers arrived in 1793.
~ When the last shipment of convicts disembarked in Western Australia in 1868, the total number of transported convicts stood at around 162,000 men and women. They were transported here on 806 ships.
~ Men had usually been before the courts a few times before being transported, whereas women were more likely to be transported for a first offence.
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The chains are long and sinuous
But the links
Of shame
Are slowly
Breaking
~
Sails
Cursed to
Billow in
Fickle
Roaring
Winds
Are almost
Furled
~
Anchorage
Is the art of feeling
Home
~
And the artist
Tests
The pigments
Of sapphire island seas and
Dusky desert silence~
The tones
Of mountains rambling in
Cool eucalypt greens and
Iced white peaks~
The magical
Songlines
Of secret gems
Buried
Deep in
Marakoopa and
Solomon
Caves
~
The chains are long and sinuous
But the links of
New
Colours
Tones
Freedoms
Are slowly
Shaping
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