Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History


Search Result


131332
Surname: Archer
First Name: George
Ship: Waterloo 1829
Date: 1828 10 April
Place: London
Source: Old Bailey Online
Details: Sentenced to Death for stealing 30 yards of woollen cloth belonging to Richard Ponder at St. Ann, Westminster on 5th April. Apprehended on the day of his wife's confinement


183121
Surname: Archer
First Name: James
Ship: Lord Melville 1829
Date: 2 January 1835
Place: Namoi River
Source: The Australian
Details: Correspondence from Sir John Jamieson regarding his assigned servants James Archer and George Biddles who shot two bushrangers John McDonald and Joseph Lynch at his cattle station on the Namoi. Patrick Tye a ticket of leave holder and stockkeeper to Edward Cox favourably mentioned as having apprehended twenty eight bushrangers and also William Thomas per ship Asia 10, assigned servant who assisted in taking the bushrangers......Notwithstanding the local knowledge of McDonald and his gang enabled them to escape the vigilance of the mounted police for a few months, still their existence appears to have been that of wretchedness and fearful alarm for their safety. McDonald and Lynch were absent from my station eight weeks and three days and from their expectation that the mounted police would closely follow their track, their progress down the river must have been rapid and the distance they penetrated into the interior very considerable. They described with terror to William Thomas the great number, gigantic stature (seven ft in height) and ferocity of the native blacks who they said threw the spear from the hand by its centre and at first from such a distance as to penetrate but little deeper than the skin of their horses, but that afterwards they became so bold as to seize and pull round their horses by the tails and added that the weather was so wet during the attack that their fire arms would not go off; for their protection from the above statement and the anxiety with which McDonald and Lynch enquired of William Thomas if he had seen any of their horses return that way especially a grey mare of Crawford s, it may reasonably be inferred that the report is true which Nutty the Namoi chief received from the native blacks viz, that one of the gang of white robbers had been shot by their own party and two tumbled down (killed) by the natives which would account for the destruction of the whole of McDonalds party which never exceeded five.....George Biddles aged 32 per ship Asia (10) under sentence of transportation for 14 years, a native of Leicester and formerly a marine in his Majesty s naval service gave an account.....I landed in the colony on 26 June 1833 and was assigned to the service of Sir John Jamison in March last; I proceeded to Capita, to his new stock run on the Namoi River. Joe Lynch was described by George Biddles as a tall thin man about six feet high, fair hair, and an effeminate voice and apparently about five of six and twenty years of age; he wore a pair of black trousers, buttoned up the front, a fancy coloured shirt, a fustian shooting jacket and a muslin cravat, a pair of half boots, and a straw hat; the shirt and trousers he boasted of having taken from Mr. Robertson. They all called McDonald by name and acknowledged him as their chief; McDonald was about five feet seven inches in height, dark complexion, black hair and whiskers, a scar on his nose and slightly pock marked, stout made, and about six and forty years of age; wore at this time a blue jacket, blue waistcoat, duck trousers, a pair of laced half boots, cut in several places, and a straw hat. Crawford the other bushranger wore a fustian shooting jacket and trousers, half boots, and a straw hat, five feet nine inches in height, of swarthy complexion, stout made, and stooped much with his head forward; about 30 years of age. The fourth bushranger was described as a good looking dark haired man, who stated himself to be a Welshman; he was about five feet eight inches high, wore a fustian jacket, dark waistcoat, slop blue trousers, half boots, an a straw hat; he appeared to be four or five and twenty years of age and seemed to be a quiet backward man, not well satisfied with his situation. The fifth was a short man, five ft five inches.....I (George Biddles) had some conversation with John McDonald during the night; he related the sundry robberies he had committed and boasted the most of all in having wounded a police man who had charge of one of his party whom they captured; he told me he came to this Colony in the same ship as myself the first time she came; he further stated, that he had held the indulgence of a ticket of leave and lost it; I recommended him to give himself up to the law, he said no, I know my doom if taken. I will therefore endeavour to get out of the country which I shall try to do in following the river. He added that the police could not be more than a day or two behind and desired me to tell Sergeant Temple that McDonald and his mob had gone down the river and that they would leave track enough for them. James Archer addressed himself during the night to Lynch and said what a pity it is that a set of fine young fellow like you should be running yourselves to the gallows in this way; McDonald looked at him and replied, gallows is it? the gallows will never catch Mac, when I die, I die by a ball; Lynch then added the rope will never be made that will hang Joe; the following morning they all breakfasted by daylight, having previously sewed up in bags upwards of 3cwt of flour; they examined the five unloaded muskets and returned them to us also a pistol which was out of repair. From their hatred to Patrick Tye, they were going to shoot his stock horse; I begged of them not to shoot the horse in consequence of which they left him with us; but stated that if they had found Patrick Tye at home when they went to his station they would have punished him with 50 lashes each man and then have shot him; they acknowledged they had taken all his arms, clothing and ammunition, destroyed his provisions and turned their horses in to eat his wheat; their hatred and vengeance against Patrick Tye was from his constant pursuit and capture of bushrangers in that quarter; after leaving the hut they went in quest of a mare in charge of a free man named Farley, who was fencing down the river in the employment of Sir John Jamieson; Taylor or Archer made the near cut to where Farley was at work and informed him that the bushrangers were coming. Farley instantly mounted the mare, and attempted to swim the river but the stream swept him off the mare and he was unfortunately drowned. Towards the end of October George West, per ship Claudine an assigned servant to Sir John Jamison that the bushrangers had taken cattle away from attempted to swim the river on his stock horse but the stream running so high he was swept off the horse and drowned; his body was found next day by the black natives. Lieut. Steel the commanding officer of the mounted police, stated that no harm would come to men who shot McDonald or any of his party. James Arched was aged 27 and under sentence of transportation for 14 years; a native of Bishops Storford, Essex and an assigned servant of Sir John Jamison since his arrival in the Colony 1829


193763
Surname: Archer
First Name: James
Ship: Lord Melville 1829
Date: May 1829
Place: -
Source: Convict Indents. State Archives NSW; Series: NRS 12188; Item: [4/4014]; Microfiche: 672
Details: James Archer age 25. Ploughman and milks. Native place Essex. Tried at Essex Assizes 10 March 1828. Sentenced to 14 years transportation for sheep stealing. Assigned to Sir John Jamieson on arrival


101364
Surname: Archer
First Name: James
Ship: Phoenix 1828
Date: 1829 16 June
Place: Hunter River
Source: SG
Details: Clerk aged 21 from Edinburgh.5' 4 1/4"; brown eyes, brown hair, dark ruddy compl. Absconded from service of Mr. Harper


155321
Surname: Archer
First Name: James
Ship: Phoenix 1828
Date: 1828 July
Place: -
Source: AO NSW Convict Indent Fiche No. 669
Details: Age 20, reads and writes. Clerk from Edinboro. Tried in Surry 16 December 1827 and sentenced to 14 years transportation for stealing a watch. Assigned to William Harper at Hunters River on arrival


54756
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1843 8 July
Place: Newcastle
Source: MM
Details: Charged with disorderly conduct and with being drunk in the street. Sentenced to 7 days solitary confinement


76898
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1837
Place: Maitland
Source: GRC
Details: Aged 29. Tried Hereford. Assigned to Edward Sparke junior


80992
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1851 4 January
Place: Newcastle
Source: MM
Details: To be tried at Maitland Quarter Sessions for stealing mone;y


81193
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1851 11 January
Place: Newcastle
Source: MM
Details: Sentenced to 12mths hard labour for assaulting John Williams at Newcastle


91131
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1852 6 July
Place: Maitland
Source: MM
Details: Cautioned and discharged after being convicted of drunkenness


97091
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1853 26 January
Place: East Maitland
Source: MM
Details: Committed for trial for stealing money belonging to Adam Nixon


98733
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1853 30 March
Place: Maitland
Source: MM
Details: Committed for trial for stealing from the person


99062
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1853 13 April
Place: Maitland
Source: MM
Details: Collier. Found not guilty of stealing money belonging to Adam Nixon


124943
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1837 9 November
Place: Newcastle
Source: Newcastle Bench Books. AONSW Reel 2722
Details: Witness in the case of Jackes, Eggleshaw and Causer who were accused of having a hat in their possession not belonging to them


144877
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 1852 24 December
Place: Stockton
Source: Register Book of Christ Church Cathedral, Newcastle. Baptisms p. 44a
Details: Son of William and Helen Archer. Baptism


203047
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: -
Date: 20 April 1871
Place: Newcastle
Source: Newcastle Chronicle
Details: John Archer fined 40s or be imprisoned in Maitland gaol for one month for using obscene language in a public place


47175
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: Portland 1833
Date: 1837
Place: Newcastle
Source: GRC
Details: Tried in Tipperary. Assigned to Australian Agricultural Company


122986
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: Portland 1833
Date: 1843 11 July
Place: Newcastle
Source: GG
Details: Granted Ticket of Leave


130956
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: Portland 1833
Date: -
Place: -
Source: AO NSW. Convict Indents Fiche No. 685
Details: Age 20. Native place Tipperary. Occupation - coal miner. Tried in Tipperary for having fire arms in his possesion and sentenced to transportation for Life


163882
Surname: Archer
First Name: John
Ship: Portland 1833
Date: 26 June 1833
Place: Port Stephens
Source: Settler and Convict Lists 1787-1834. Ancestry
Details: John Archer per 'Portland', prisoner for life, assigned to the A.A. Company