Tuesday, January 29, 2013

What would you like to ask James Gough?







If you could ask James Gough a question, what would it be? Would you ask him why he broke into the house in 1812 and stole the gun? Would you ask him why he split up with Ann Cain in 1822? I think I would ask him what was it like to live in Sydney in the 1820s. I'd also like to know if he had a Cockney accent...

Any questions? Feel free to add your comments.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Australia Day 26 January 1818







On Monday last His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR review[ed] the 48th Regt, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel ERSKINE, and we learn expressed himself much pleased with the military appearance of this distinguished corps.

The same day a dinner was given at Government House to the Civil and Military Officers at Head Quarters, in commemoration of the Establishment of this Colony, which on that day had attained its thirtieth anniversary. We understand that His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR, in celebrating an event in which all present necessarily felt much interest, was pleased to pay a handsome tribute to the memory of the late Admiral PHILLIP.

In the evening a Ball was given by Mrs. MACQUARIE to a numerous party, which was continued with spirit to a late hour. We were particularly gratified with a likeness of GOVERNOR PHILLIP (executed by Mr. Greenway, who felt much pleasure in this opportunity of celebrating the memory of the Vice Admiral, who had ever been his steady friend and patron), suspended at one extremity of the room, in a wreath, supported by two banners; one being that of Vice Admiral, and the other containing the following inscription. "In Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Colony of New South Wales, established by ARTHUR PHILLIP, whose virtues and talents entitle him to the grateful remembrance of his Country, and to whose arduous exertions the present prosperous state of the Colony may chiefly be ascribed."


Sydney Gazette 31 January 1818 pp.2b-2c. 



On 26 January 1821, James Gough was granted a conditional pardon having served nine years of his life sentence. He was now free within the colony but could not return to England.


Thursday, January 17, 2013

Convict tattoos





Many of the convicts had tattoos usually on their upper arms and symbols such as hearts, anchors and crosses were popular. The anchor was a symbol of hope and constancy and initials of loved ones were placed nearby. Other tattoos included the date of trial, name of transport ship and date of release. Black soot from lamps was used to tone the design of the tattoo. These distinguishing marks were usually included in the detailed reports written by the authorities describing the physical appearance of the convicts. 


In 1849, James Johnson, (Guildford 1827) the ex-convict father-in-law of Thomas Gough, was arrested at Sutton Forest for the theft of some bags of sugar (about 450 kilos) worth 20 pounds sterling and a tarpaulin worth 4 pounds sterling, from a carrier's dray parked outside Field's pub, and was imprisoned in Goulburn jail. His jail entrance report describes his tattoos in detail.


left arm: mermaid; a woman and child; sun, moon and seven stars; 1827

right arm: S.J.-M.J.-J.J. tree; E.S.J. anchor; J.J.-W.J. and a bird


Any ideas on these tattoo symbols? The family initials? 1827 was his date of arrival but what was the meaning of the sun, moon and stars? Were they just decorative? Feel free to add your comment.



Source: SRNSW Gaol Description & Entrance Books 1818 -1930 
series 2229; item;6/5430; reel 1875

SMH 7 Feb 1849 p.2 report of trial at Goulburn 3 Feb - found not guilty

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Sent to the Hawkesbury



On 14 October 1813, a letter was sent to William Cox from the Colonial Secretary's office informing him that 45 convicts recently arrived on the Earl Spencer, would be forwarded to Windsor to be distributed amongst the settlers by ballot, but only to those who had no Government men. One of these men, William Jones, would later be sent to Parramatta and assigned to James Gough in 1819 at the lumberyard. However Cox was to use his discretion to allocate those men left at the end of the ballot.  Another 35 men were to be sent to the Reverend Samuel Marsden at Parramatta and 16 were to be sent to Thomas Moore at Liverpool.

(SRNSW Col.Sec. Copies of letters sent 1809 -1813; NRS 935, item 4/3491, pp 558-9)





Isaac Bowers                     labourer
John Yorath                       labourer
Thomas Collicott              vendor
Richard Richards               servant
John Richardson               gilder
Samuel Andrew                 taylor
James Graham                  sailor
John Bowman                   carver & gilder
William Lewes                   glass manufacturer
John Parerio                      seaman
Stephen Hasketh               seaman
Jeremiah Butler                 shoemaker
William Hull                       taylor
James White                      dealer in horses
James McCoy                    weaver
David Weir                         labourer
William Thompson
Alex McMarvill                  labourer
John Barnes                       gun founder
John Crane                         ladies shoe maker
William Bryce                    tallow chandler
Thomas Bufford                labourer
James Ashton                    boot & shoemaker
Robert Rainey                   farmer
William Reine                    labourer
Thomas Goughley            labourer
Andrew Scott
William Jones                    taylor
Charles Johnson                driver
Benjamin Child                  butcher
Thomas Collard                 jeweller
John Rodgers                     labourer
James Westbrooke          butcher
John Wood/Leach            shopman
Henry Rodgers                  boot & shoemaker
Richard Lowndes              shoe maker
William Greenhough        weaver
John Haywood                  weaver
Thomas Jones                   goldsmith
John Bennett                     stableman
John Bradshaw                  weaver
George Fisher                    servant
Thomas Hoffnell               labourer
James Bennett                  hatter
Samuel Lees                       hatter