Churches. During the convict period, prisoners were mustered on Sundays and had Divine Service read to them whether they liked it or not. Moreton Bay briefly enjoyed the services of a Reverend Vincent, but he only stayed several months, returning to Sydney after suffering a bad case of Commandant Logan. Once free settlement began, housesContinue reading “The A-Z of Old Brisbane – some “C” stories.”
Tag Archives: Convicts
The Amity Convicts – the Runaways and Incorrigibles. Part 2.
A repost of an earlier account of a convict absconder, to mark the anniversary of the Amity’s landing. John Welsh Forbidden from Society. John Welsh was born in the historic port and garrison city of Waterford around 1799. Unsurprisingly, he became a sailor. How he got to Nottingham, and committed a robbery, is unclear, butContinue reading “The Amity Convicts – the Runaways and Incorrigibles. Part 2.”
The Mystery of the First Convict at Moreton Bay.
Who was John Anderson? The very first entry in the Chronological Register of Convicts at Moreton Bay is that of John Anderson, per Baring 2, making him (technically) the first Moreton Bay convict. John Anderson was described in the Moreton Bay records as being 23 years old, a sailor and sailmaker who hailed from Leeds.Continue reading “The Mystery of the First Convict at Moreton Bay.”
Theft, Transportation, Repeated Absconding and Mutiny.
Or, how John Stewart occupied himself between the ages of 18 and 25. The bare facts of John Stewart’s convict career in Australia can be summed up fairly easily – he was transported in 1823, absconded from a few settlements, and received a Certificate of Freedom in 1829. What he actually got up to isContinue reading “Theft, Transportation, Repeated Absconding and Mutiny.”
Convict Snapshot – Morgan Edwards.
Contemporary views of Monmouth, Wikimedia Commons. Morgan Edwards was a native of Monmouth, who had been born around 1800. On 10 August 1822, at the age of 22, he was convicted at the Monmouth Assizes of Sheep Stealing and was ordered to be transported for life. After a spell in the prison hulks, he wasContinue reading “Convict Snapshot – Morgan Edwards.”
The Convicts from Mauritius
In April 1840, the Colonial Secretary, by command of the Governor, did himself the honour to acquaint the Commandant at Moreton Bay that the schooner John had been engaged by the Commissariat to bring 15 prisoners to work for that department in Brisbane. The men had been transported earlier that year – 13 in theContinue reading “The Convicts from Mauritius”
The Hazards of Life in Old Brisbane
It’s quite comforting to look back on old Brisbane and find that many of the hazards of life these days also troubled our forebears. The river still has its surprises for the unwary. Pet ownership attracts all manner of official scrutiny, not to mention revenue-raising. Traffic is still appalling and drunks still populate our watchhouses.Continue reading “The Hazards of Life in Old Brisbane”
What do you have to do to go to Moreton Bay?
A survey of some early cases Criminal sentencing is a polarising topic – it’s not harsh enough on some criminals, too harsh on others. The press and public periodically lament the judiciary’s lack of community awareness. Life means life etc. Modern Australia does not have the death penalty, but it was well and truly onContinue reading “What do you have to do to go to Moreton Bay?”
Convict Insolence and Insubordination at Moreton Bay
By the end of the 1830s, the penal settlement of Moreton Bay was winding down operations, and those serving there knew this only too well. There was little chance of being sent to Norfolk Island – even notorious characters were finding themselves fairly respectable work. Constable George Brown, formerly the most flagrant of the Bay’s absconders,Continue reading “Convict Insolence and Insubordination at Moreton Bay”
November 1, 1849 – the arrival of the Mount Stuart Elphinstone.
The Mountstuart Elphinstone arrived in Moreton Bay on 01 November 1849, with transported convicts and convict exiles on board. The local burghers went out to meet the ship, and selected the best (or least worst) of those on board to work on stations and in businesses about South East Queensland. The convicts were then disembarked,Continue reading “November 1, 1849 – the arrival of the Mount Stuart Elphinstone.”
Moreton Bay and More 