Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




Colonial Events 1827




39th Regiment (Dorsetshires) stationed in Maitland between 1827 and 1832

Gold Ceres medal presented to Gregory Blaxland for the production from his vineyard - Transactions of the Society Instituted at London for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce By Royal Society of Arts (Great Britain)


January

Signal Flags in Newcastle Harbour worn out. Vessels in danger entering the harbour


January

Detachments of the Buffs depart for Calcutta on ships Woodford and Speke


January 1

Captain Francis Allman appointed Police Magistrate at Newcastle


January 1

Appointment of Duncan Forbes Mackay to position of Superintendent of Prisoners and public works at Newcastle


January 5

First Regatta on the Derwent River, Tasmania


January 10

Arrival in Sydney from Newcastle, the vessel Governor Macquarie with a detachment of 3rd regt (Buffs) under Captain Foley


January 21

Appointment of John Mackaness as Sheriff of NSW


January 23

Arrival of convict ship Grenada


January 27

'With a view to the convenience of the inhabitants of the more remote districts, His Excellency the Governor is pleased to direct that the Court of Requests shall be held in future at Campbelltown instead of Liverpool and at Wallis Plains, Hunter River instead of Newcastle. '


February 4

Arrival of convict ship Brothers . Master Charles Motley


February 14

Arrival of the convict ship Albion, Captain Ralph


February 15

Arrival of the convict ship Midas, Captain Baigarie


February/ March

12 natives killed by assigned servants of Mr. Cory at Paterson


March 3

Thomas Stanley found guilty of the murder of a native boy 'Tommy' at Port Stephens.


March

Edward Charles Close retired from the Bench of Magistrates Hunter's River


March

Resignation of Captain Francis Allman as Police Magistrate at Newcastle


March 9

Appointment of Samuel Wright to the position of Police Magistrate at Newcastle.


March

Newcastle wharf completed by Alexander Busby under the direction of his father


March 30

Australian Museum founded in Sydney


April

Refusal by Chief Justice Forbes to certify legislation to impose tax of 4d a copy intended to stifle criticism in newspapers


April 2

Appointment of James Busby as collector of Internal Revenue and Member of Land board


April 5

Appointment of John Thomas Campbell as Acting collector of customs N.S.W


April 7

Arrival of the vessel Elizabeth, Captain Collins. A.A. Company employee Simon Kemp, wife, son Charles Kemp and 3 daughters; and Rev. Charles Pleydel Neale Wilton and family came passengers


April 28

Regatta held in Sydney Harbour


April 30

Departure of explorer Allan Cunningham from Segenhoe Station in the Hunter Valley. After leaving Segenhoe the party reached the formidable Liverpool Ranges where they were forced to carry their baggage to the crest as the packhorses were unable to manage the load. (Wood, Allan., Dawn in the Valley, p218)


May

Heavy rain at Newcastle


May 1

Grand Jury Presentment - Call for Quarter Sessions to be held in Wallis Plains instead of Newcastle.


May 7

Appointment of John Dalhunty as Principal Superintendent of Police N. S. W.


May

Lieutenant Nathaniel Lowe charged and later acquitted for the murder of an Aboriginal man in custody.


May

Allan Cunningham explored north of the Hunter river, crossing the Gwydir, Macintyre and Dumaresq rivers


May 17

Rev. Frederick Wilkinson nominated to the chaplaincy at Newcastle


May

Distribution of blankets and clothing to 150 natives at Newcastle in honour of the King's birthday


May 23

Arrival of the convict ship Mariner from Cork


June 2

Appointment of William Lithgow to position of Private Secretary to the Governor


June 7

Captain Patrick Logan set out on an expedition from Moreton Bay


June 8

June 8 Severe gales and heavy rain at Newcastle


June

Governor Darling and Archdeacon Scott visit northern settlements (not Newcastle)


June 17

Captain James Stirling arrived at Raffles Bay with convict labour and supplies to establish settlement in Northern Australia


June 19

David Roberts appointed constable at Reid's Mistake.June....... Convict barracks at Newcastle in dilapidated state with rain pouring through the roof


June

Departure of Captain Henry Gillman, wife and family for London on the ship Australia


June

Discovery of coal at Lake Macquarie

First Specimens of coal discovered at Lake Macquarie sent to Sydney per Lord Liverpool


June 28

Arrival of convict transport Countess of Harcourt


July 7

Death of surgeon D'arcy Wentworth at Homebush


July 25

Arrival of the Convict ship Guildford


July 31

Arrival of the convict ship Marquis of Hastings, Capt. Drake. Alexander Macduff Baxter arrived as a passenger on the Marquis of Hastings.


August 1

Alexander Macduff Baxter appointed Attorney General of N.S.W.


August 6

Arrival of the convict ship Princess Charlotte Captain Stephenson, Surgeon Dr. Cameron.


August 11

Arrival of the Convict ship Manlius . Capt. W. Johnstone. Surgeon Dr. Conway


September

Vessel Charlotte lying wrecked on a beach near Newcastle after foundering at sea on 7th Sept.

The wreck of the Charlotte sloop, beyond Reid's Mistake, on her passage from Newcastle to Sydney has plunged the family of Mr. E. Lamb, of Underwood's Buildings George St. Sydney in to deep affliction. Mr. L's second son Robert, a fine youth about fifteen years of age, who lived at Hunter River, was subpoenaed as a witness in an action before the Supreme Court and had taken his passage in the Charlotte. The little bark encountered a tremendous gale shortly after leaving port, in which she upset and was drifted on shore. Every soul consisting of four person is supposed to have perished.


September 8

Appointment of Henry Grattan Douglass to position of Commissioner of Courts of Requests


September 14

Ambrose Hallen appointed Assistant surveyor to Government of N.S.W.


September 17

Arrival of convict ship Cambridge with 198 male prisoners.


September 17

Arrival of convict ship Harmony with female prisoners


September 27

Arrival of convict ship Prince Regent with male prisoners. Passengers included Deputy Surveyor-General Thomas Livingstone Mitchell  and family


September 27

Work commenced on 'Busby's Bore'


September

Robert Wardell is tried for seditious libel for referring to Gov. Darling in the Australian as 'ignorant and obstinate'br>

September

Absconder Michael Reilley shot dead near Newcastle. Read the Coroner's Inquest


September

39th Regiment leave Newcastle for Sydney. Replaced by detachment of Royal Veterans


September

Convicts in Newcastle moved from the old barracks

A very great nuisance, which has long existed here, I am happy to inform you has upon the representation of the Grand Jury of the last Sessions, and the complaint of several private individuals to the Authorities at head quarters, been promptly remedied, we mean that of allowing prisoners to the number of 13 or 14, to sleep out of barracks in the settlement. The reason was, on account of the very incommodious state of the old barracks, which would not admit of above 60 or 70 to sleep in. According to instructions however, received about a week ago, from Government, a new barrack, one of the Buildings on the settlement, has been constructed with considerable neatness and despatch, under the direction of Mr. Mackie, Superintendent of works adjoining the lumber yard, where the whole of the prisoners will be comfortably accommodated. - Sydney Gazette 28 September 1827


October

Cutter Amelia seized at Newcastle.

The light little cutter the Amelia, was seized at Newcastle on Monday week, having arrived there from Sydney that day with a full cargo, consisting of spirituous liquors and various other articles. She had neither port clearance, permits, nor any document whatever, except a memorandum from the Master Attendant at Sydney, stating that she was bound to Newcastle for a cargo of coals on account of Government.


October

Pilot boat crew-man died while attempting to rescue the cutter Lord Liverpool at Newcastle


October

Vessel Australian Lad wrecked at Newcastle. Crew perished


October 6

Captain James Thomas Morisset appointed Magistrate N.S.W.


October 15

Arrival of the vessel Waterloo, Capt. Thomas Carter. Australian Agricultural Company employees Henry & William Croasdill and Master John Croasdill came passengers. Steerage 10 men, 6 women, 10 boys and 4 girls.


October 17

Arrival of the convict ship Champion, Captain Henry Lock. Surgeon. Francis Logan R.N.


October 19

Lieutenant-colonel Morisset appointed Principal Superintendent of N.S.W. Police.


October

Detachment of 39th regiment from the guard of the Champion marched through George Street to their quarters in the Military Barrack preceded by the regimental bugles, fifes and drums.


November

Departure of the 3rd regt., (Buffs) for India. Dinner at Government house for Colonel Stewart and the Officers of the Buss previous to departure.


November 5

Arrival of the Marquis of Anglesea with 284 French merino sheep and 10 Welsh ponies imported for Australian Agricultural Company. Passengers J Graham, G. Graham, William Hervey, Thomas Ebsworth, George Oliver 14 in steerage including William & Eliz. Street; Joseph Gorton and James Fletcher


November 8

Arrival of the convict ship Eliza. Master Daniel Leary. Surgeon George Shaw Rutherford


November 23

Arrival of ship Frederick, Capt. William Leggs. A. A. Company accountant William Barton and clerk J. E. Ebsworth passengers


November 25

Arrival of the convict ship John from England.


December 3

Arrival of the convict ship Louisa


December

John Donohoe (Bold Jack Donohoe) began robbing carts on the Sydney Windsor road


December 1

Australian Subscription Library opened in Sydney


December 15

Piracy - Brig Phoebe, belonging to Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft, seized by 15 convicts while at anchor at Crookhaven on south coast of NSW


December

News reached Sydney that Captain Dillon of the Research had found evidence of the expedition of La Perouse.....By the schooner Herald, arrived yesterday afternoon, from New Zealand, we have been favoured with the following extract of a letter, received from Captain Dillon, of the H. E. Indian Company's ship Research I take this opportunity of informing you of my safe arrival here, on the 5th instant, from the Solomon Islands, where I have been successful in procuring some of the alter and mess plate belonging to the expedition under the command of Count DE LA PEYROUSE. I have also procured the ship's bell, a brass mortar, five brass guns, several copper kitchen utensils, the greater part of which are marked with the arms of France ; namely, three fleur-de-lis. I have got the rudder irons," the brass shieves of the frigate's topmast, and many" other things too tedious to mention. - The Monitor 6 December 1827