The Amity Convicts: James Turner.

Prisoner No. 36. Bristol and Shadwell. James Turner was destined for a life on the water – he was born in the harbour town of Bristol around 1799. At the age of nineteen, he stood nearly five feet six inches, had light brown hair and blue eyes. He had tattoos on his right arm –Continue reading “The Amity Convicts: James Turner.”

The Amity Convicts: Henry Allen.

Prisoner No 501, Moreton Bay. Henry Allen was a carpenter by trade, a native of Warwickshire, and was born around 1798. With the foolishness of youth, he tried his hand at burglary in 1817, which brought him before the Warwick Lenten Assizes in April 1817. He was found guilty (death recorded) and sentenced to 14Continue reading “The Amity Convicts: Henry Allen.”

Modern Problems, Old Queensland.

The past might be a different country, but in some ways, they did things the same way there. The Housing Shortage. Building.-We are glad to perceive that the advice which we have so frequently tendered to the owners of town allotments is beginning, to be acted upon, namely, that of building small cottages to obviateContinue reading “Modern Problems, Old Queensland.”

Let’s Elope!

Reading the 1846 article, “Love in the Bush,” made me think of that grand old 19th century tradition – elopement. Was it common in Queensland? A survey of the papers revealed that elopement in that century was a portmanteau term – it could mean a flight to the altar against parental wishes, a cheating spouseContinue reading “Let’s Elope!”

Consulting AI to Depict the Quiet Day in Ipswich.

AI image generators are fascinating things. I knew that I probably shouldn’t have. But sometimes the temptation is simply too much. I just had to go and play with image generation software to help tell the Ipswich Courthouse stories. The first story, that of the drunken man who sells his horse for too little, thenContinue reading “Consulting AI to Depict the Quiet Day in Ipswich.”

A Quiet Day at Ipswich.

The cases before the Magistrates, translated from the original Moreton Bay Courier,1850. IPSWICH. Tuesday, 23rd July. Two of the genus homo, named respectively Arnold and Tasker, the latter commonly called “Gooseberry,” appeared on warrant this morning, before our resident Magistrate, to answer the complaints of Mrs Deborah Grocott, alias Howell, or Howard, and her friendContinue reading “A Quiet Day at Ipswich.”

Love in the Bush.

With a translation from the original Moreton Bay Courier, 1846. This is the Victorian equivalent of a gossip blind item. My one-sentence translation is below. LOVE IN THE BUSH. We have been informed that the blind god[i] has been making great havoc lately on Darling Downs; and that a sad misadventure has befallen an ancientContinue reading “Love in the Bush.”

The Plebian Tyranny.

Or, how Moreton Bay dealt with the Servant Problem in the early years. Tackling the subject of the 19th century “servant problem” conjures up ideas of exacting upper- and middle-class ladies bemoaning a few specks of dust left on the mantelpiece. In our first years of free settlement, a servant could be a shepherd, labourer,Continue reading “The Plebian Tyranny.”

A Strange Man in a Strange Land.

Only he knew how his name really should have been recorded and pronounced. He was best known as Kimboo[i], and all we know of him comes from his interactions with European employers and the courts. He was born in China around 1820. He stood around 5 feet, 2 inches, and was described as neat, pleasant-lookingContinue reading “A Strange Man in a Strange Land.”