SAMUEL MIDGLEY - First Fleeter
Samuel MIGLEY (M)..................... C: 15 Sep 1765 Ba: C005464 Father: John MIGLEY Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England So: 443327 Mother: Ann Pr: 6900001
Samuel Midgley* Transport- Alexander,
place & date of trial: Lancaster Assizes (Tues) 22nd March 17851.
Stealing goods (after a break-in15)
with three others, Thomas Smith*, John Winter, William Shore (q.qv.)* from Mrs. Braddock
of Manchester.2
(*transported on H.M.S. Alexander
together, John Winter seems not to be on the First Fleet- died?)
One week later (29th March 1785)
Samuel and the other three were condemned (to death) but on the 13th April15 was reprieved
and sentenced to be transported for 7 years.
Appears in the order in Council
No.1 page 2 (9) Ross’s
Returns- Midgeley (sic) p.235.
Richards Returns p. 259-Reference Manchester Mercury
and Harrop’s General Advertiser, No. 1773 Tuesday
29th March 1785.
Lancaster
Castle
After sentencing, the prisoners were taken down into the windowless cells of the castle which , since H.M. prison Lancaster was closed, can be visited today. Those who received a reprieve were initially destined for the American colonies, but after the American war of Independence, a new 'off-shore detention centre ' had to be found. Following Lieutenant Cook's exploration of the coast ,of what is now known as Australia, a system was devised whereby prisoners could be made to travel to the hulks moored on the River Thames before transhipment to the 'First Fleet' at Portsmouth.
The prisoners at Lancaster were made to walk the 320 miles to London in chains! This, it is surmised was to select the strongest prisoners who would then help to build a new nation.. Basically it was Darwin'ian natural selection, although the selection process was not natural. Survival of the fittest became corrupted into the survival of the strongest and most resilient.
What came to be known as the First Fleet
amassed &sailed from Portsmouth on 13th May 1787. Samuel Midgley
was aboard the Alexander, 452 tons (with 215 convicts aboard).
The Alexander was the largest ship
in the fleet an all male prison ship, it was reported as the dirtiest ship
with the most trouble and mutiny than any other in the fleet.
The rest of the fleet consisted
of H.M.S. Sirius (Capt. John Hunter), the armed tender Supply, three store
ships, six other transports with two years supplies. On board were 1044 people
made up of 568 male convicts,191 female convicts (3:1)and 13 children. The
official party comprised 206 marines with 26 wives and 19 children
and 20 officials.11
Captain Arthur Phillip was
head of the Fleet. A colony in the making.
The Fleet left Rio de Janiero on the 4th September 1787 after loading citrus fruit as a prevention for scurvy & sailed for Cape Town leaving here on the 12th November 1787 carrying livestock.
The Alexander, carrying Samuel
arrived in Botany Bay with the Scarborough and Friendship
dropping anchor in this
wide sheltered sandy bay on Saturday 8am on the 19th January
1788.
[Samuel Midgley is recorded in
The Index of N.S.W. Convict Indents (0004, 1986): Samuel Midgeley (sic) 1788-1800
324 616 392 4/4003]
The rest of the Fleet arrived in
Botany Bay 24 hours later, at 8am Sunday 19th January 1788.
.
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Leaving
Portsmouth![]() |
On the Monday 20th January 1788 Capt. Arthur Phillip travelled in an open boat to Port Jackson then returned to Botany Bay.
H.M.S. Supply left Botany Bay on
Friday 25th Jan. 1788 with 40 convicts and sailed to Port Jackson arriving
in Sydney Cove at 7pm.
The remainder of the fleet left
Botany Bay at 7am on
Saturday 25th January 1788 arriving
Sydney Cove at 6.30pm
On Sunday 27th January 1788 Marines and 40 convicts were set to clearing trees along the Tank Stream.
Strong winds with rain and thunder were
experienced in Sydney
on Saturday 2nd February.
On Tuesday 5th Feb. five couples
were married by the Rev. Johnson (including Kable & Bryant).
The female convicts were released on Sunday 10th February, this episode has been termed “debauchery in the rain”.
On the 6th March Sydney Cove .James
Barrett was hanged at the age of 17 years.
Thurday 14th February 1788 Lieutenant
King arrived on Norfolk
Island in the Supply with a small party of marines & convicts
(19 males & six disciplined convicts). They were to establish a permanent
settlement to grow flax, cotton, corn etc.
King ordered 12 men to clear the
land for a vegetable
garden at Sydney Bay, Norfolk Island.
A settlement of tents was set up at “Sydney Bay” (Kings Town, later Kingston) with 35 people.
On the 29th Feb. 1788 the first “settlers”
arrived on the sloop “Supply”. The Supply did not return to Norfolk
Island until late July 1788.
Meanwhile in the Sydney area
in April 1788 Governor Phillip had explored and found fertile soil
at Rose Hill, near Parramatta.
Soon convict gangs were building
a road ,felling trees and brush and putting in rough log bridges.
By November 1788 The Government
Farm was established at Rose Hill. Henry Dodd took 100 convicts and
marine guards to start the Rose Hill farm. James
Ruse was amongst the convicts and most likely so was Samuel Midgley.
In October 1788 the “Golden Grove arrived at Norfolk Island with convicts, troops and a few free people but Samuel was still in the Parramatta - Sydney Cove area. We know this because he rates a mention in at least three places in Capt.(Governor) Arthur Phillip’s diary when he recorded:
1. “March 9th 1789 Samuel Midgley landing stores”6
In June/July 1789 food was becoming a problem in Sydney because it was winter and there was virtually nothing growing.
2.“Monday 13th April 1789. Collins (Capt. David Collins as Judge-Advocate) conducted two examinations. George Eggleston, William Connelly and Samuel Midgley were accused of stealing one gallon of pease at Rosehill. Samuel Benear and the prisoners gave contradictory evidence about events which occurred on Thursday 9th March when stores were being landed. Connolly and Eggleston were discharged but Midgley was ordered 100 lashes to be administered at Rosehill.”6
In July 1789 W. Grenville (Secretary to the Home Office) wrote to Governor Phillip suggesting he transport as many convicts from Sydney to Norfolk Island as possible.7
3. “Sunday 13th September 1789 The
records of the
magistrates Court show
that three convicts were sentenced at Rose Hill. Samuel Midgley was ordered
100 lashes for being found in a stoker’s (John Stokoe q.v.15)hut
with an intent to commit a felony; Gepp 25 lashes for insolence to
a sentry and John Boyle 25 lashes for insolence”6
In November 1789 Phillip granted James Ruse 1.5 acres of cleared ground at Rose Hill, A hut was built, tools, rations, 2 pigs, 6 hens &seeds were provided.
By October 1789 the population was on
2/3 rations.
“Samuel Midgley, arrived Norfolk
Island Dec. 3rd 1789 in the ?Alexander and received rations until 1794” 4
However Gillen 15states that Samuel was sent on the ship
Supply to Norfolk Island on 8th January 1790. In December 1789 Norfolk
Island besides one free male, held :
TYPE | civilians | military | male convicts | female convicts | children |
NUMBER | 7 | 24 | 51 | 24 | 5 |
In 1790 Governor Phillip sent parties of convicts, probably re-offenders from Sydney to Norfolk Island due to the pressure on food and supplies in Sydney.
The soil and the plant growth
was much better on Norfolk Island, the growth season being in full swing.
By January of 1790 famine
was approaching for the 900 inhabitants of Sydney, the salt pork was rotten.
By 19th March 1790 Commander Kings
first term on Norfolk Island ended and he was replaced by Major Robert Ross.
The Sirius and Supply (Samuel
had arrived earlier in January in the Supply15)arrived at Norfolk
Island in March 1790 with 300 people which left only 600 in Sydney and Parramatta.
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The Captain of the Sirius, John Hunter
manouevering the Sirius into Kings Town
harbour hit a reef. It is likely that Samuel Midgley was among the
convicts who helped
save the crew & salvage the cargo.
Later Samuel was to have
a petition endorsed by John Hunter to settle in Norfolk Island as
a free settler15.
Because of this accident almost
500 souls were left marooned on Norfolk.
As a result, martial Law was
invoked.
The ship“Supply”returned to
Sydney Cove and then to
Batavia to get food.
By May 1790 Petrels and their eggs from Mt. Pitt were being killed for food in large numbers ,Convicts were sent out in the evening with knots of pine leaves to take the birds from their burrows. Fish & the heads of Cabbage Palms were being eaten in Kings Town.
The “Justinian” and “Surprize” arrived
at Norfolk Island in August 1790. The Surprize carried 200
female convicts.
Food supplies were improving
& The Great Hunger was over, as a result martial law was discontinued.
The crew of the foundered Sirius departed
in January 1791 from Norfolk after 11 months.
Clay was found and 12 prisoners
were set to make bricks in January.
In 1791 the Rev. Johnson sailed
from Sydney to baptise 30 children all born at Norfolk, perhaps as a result of the
influx of female convicts the previous year.
It may have been at this time that
Samuel had a child born15.
At this time Major Ross tried
to make the convicts self
sufficient, it did not work so
on King’s return in November 1791 to Norfolk the idea was abandoned.
In March 1791 William & Mary
Bryant with two young
children & seven convicts escaped
to Timor in an open boat.
For July 1790 Samuel Midgley is
recorded15 as subsisting himself on a Sydney Town lot (N.I.) of which he had cleared 54 rods (1 rod = 30.5 square yards) i.e. about
0.4 of an acre or 0.17 of a hectare.
Phillip Gidley King returned as
Lt. Governor of Norfolk Island in November 1791.
By 1792 the stone beach at Cascade
Bay was cleared to
provide another landing place.
By September the population had grown to 1,115 with 812 being maintained
from the public store. Of the remaining 303 convicts, which included
22 females, 158 were permanently employed in cultivation and others as
carpenters, shingle makers, charcoal burners, quarrymen, limeburners, lath makers
,barrowmen, masons &labourers.
In 1793 Norfolk Island became self
sufficient, the harvest was successful so that by May the population of
1,028 souls was well fed. But by November 1794 the Norfolk Island population
had fallen to 954 and remained at about this level until at least late
1795 when a good harvest was again recorded.
King's report for 18th October 1795
showed that out of a total of 887 people there were 120 military with wives
& children, 767 settlers, people whose sentences had expired and prisoners.
There were two schools, an orphanage & 619 hectares cleared
of timber for maize, wheat, potatoes, sugarcane, bananas, lemons,
apples and coffee.
There were 12 cattle, six horses,
12 asses, 374 sheep, 772 goats, 14,642 swine, 2 windmills and one watermill.
From Nov. 1791-18th Oct. 1796
there were 191 births and 137 deaths. Convicts were bartering clothes etc.
to obtain liquor from the soldiers
and settlers.
The convicts worked the military
officers pig farms , the pork being sold to the government store on Norfolk
Island. The free settlers resented the preference given to officers farms.
Hunter had to confiscate the sloop
“The Norfolk”
In May 1794 Samuel was hired for six months as a labourer by Thomas Sparks and probably continued as a labourer on Norfolk Island until late 179615. Gillen then states that "Samuel returned to England in the next few years" 15. This contradicts later references to a Samuel Midgley of Hobart but it must be conceded that there could be more than one Samuel Midgley in the Van Dieman's Land records at this time.
In late 1796 King left the island and
was replaced by Capt. Townson on Norfolk Island, King retiring in April
1800.
Between 1797 and 1801 there are
very few records forNorfolk Island.
By the end of 1797 there were 875
people on Norfolk island and wheat had ceased to be grown. The maize
crop was lost in 1799 and many people fell sick from drinking from two liquor
stills on the island.
It is recorded that Samuel had his sentence expire in 1805 and Gillen15 states he returned to England .This would indicate he had served about 27years in the penal colonies and would make him about 40 years of age.
By 1800 the Irish were appearing on
Norfolk Island as a result of the Insurrection in 1798.
About this time the last of the
petrels (“Birds of Providence”) disappeared and today no longer exist on
the island.
Major Foveaux was appointed
to Norfolk Island on 6th June 1800, he gave orders to :
I) Make sure the convicts laboured
for the public welfare, not for private persons (except in special circumstances.,
when they should be clothed and fed by them.)
II) Establish a Government Store.
By the end of 1800 the population was only 953 and Kings Town was run-down and little work being done.
About this time there was a convict
conspiracy at Norfolk Island ostensibly run by the newly arrived Irish
rebels. About 100 convicts formed a plot to take over the island. Each
man made and concealed a pike.
Capt. Foveaux was given information
where the pikes were kept
and arrested the ringleaders, Two Irishmen were hanged without trial. Shortly
after this the military strength was increased to 100 men.
In 1801 is was reported that the
inhabitants were often drunk,
some for a whole week.
1st January 1802, Samuel Midgeley (sic) was reported to be a labourer &"given rations (victualled) for 365 days" at Norfolk Island from this date , he heads the male convict list after the listing of the free women12
However as Samuel stated in a
petition to John Hunter, second governor of N.S.W. 15
he had a son living in Norfolk Island in 1811, this son who
may by now have been aged about 20 could conceivably have been moved to Tasmania
or he may have gone to England.
However a large branch of the
Midgley pedigree in Tasmania indicates that Samuel Midgley (baptised
1765) nor his son were progenitors of at least one branch
of the Midgley's of Tasmania14
In June 1803 Lord Hobart
wrote from London that all settlers bonded and free should be moved from
Norfolk Island to Port
Dalrymple, Tasmania.
In September 1803 Lt. Gordon John Bowen
left the Island in the barque “Albion” with Capt. Arbor Bunker and settled
a group of convicts at Risdon Cove on the Derwent River, the first settlement
in Tasmania.
For each acre on Norfolk Island
four were provided at Risdon.
By 1804 Risdon Settlement moved
to the present site of
Hobart on the other side of the
Derwent River.
In August 1804 41 persons left Norfolk
Island, and by August the same year Lt. Gov. Foveaux had left for England
being succeeded by Capt. John Piper.
Nine large ships were seen off the
S.W. of the Island on the 7th of November, this was the English China Fleet.
“Samuel Midgley - Laborer, sentence expired ,off stores. Norfolk Island muster February 1805”3
In March 1805 , the first evacuation of any size from Norfolk Island took place with almost all military staff and a number of convicts in the “Investigator” bound for Port Dalrymple (Launceston - the second settlement in Tasmania)
On the 25th March 1805 H.M.S. Buffalo
left Sydney , arriving at Norfolk Island it departed for Hobart Town.
She was run by Capt. Lt. John Houston R.N. The Buffalo
carried 50 convicts and settlers
from Norfolk Island. She also carried sheep, cattle, horses, stores and
provisions. She was the
first R.N. ship to visit Hobart Town8.
The Buffalo left Hobart Town with
the “Integrity” in
company until 26th April arriving
at Port Jackson
(Sydney).8The Buffalo
returned in August to Norfolk Island but this time took only provisions
and one passenger, Mr. Humphrey a mineralogist to Hobart Town8.
There were no other recorded ships
travelling from N.I. in 1805 so Samuel could have been on
one of the March sailings.
Free settlers were moved from Norfolk
Island to Tasmania and were
compensated by the Government. Many declared they were too old to pioneer again,
Samuel would have been about forty years of age.
In September 1808 the “City of Edinburgh” carried 28 families from Norfolk Island to The Derwent River and “left them in a state of wretchedness, almost naked”9
In the 1811 Norfolk Island Muster there is no mention of Samuel so we must assume he had left the island before this time12.
In Mid 1811 Gillen states that Samuel
Midgley sent a petition on his own behalf and his nephew Charles for a
passage from England to Norfolk Island saying he had been a settler there
for upwards of twelve years and had property there and a son. "Whilst I was
there I conducted myself with a steady manner" The petition was endorsed
by John Hunter. Midgley wrote that he could provide for himself. No
later records have so far been traced15.
Of course at this time the inhabitants
of the First Norfolk Island Settlement were being moved to
Tasmania so it is unlikely that Samuel's wishes were ever granted. However
if he had a son as he stated15 then this son perhaps with his
mother could have been moved to Tasmania or returned to England when the
mother's sentence expired.
There should be records of the child's
birth or baptism probably about May 1791 as Norfolk Island had
seen an influx of 200 female convicts in August 1790, and the Rev. Johnson
had baptised 30 chilfdren in 1791, later in November there were many births.
Also
the mention of a nephew named Charles may be a useful point to follow
genealogically although if Samuel's sibling was a sister, Charles could have
been given a different surname.
In 1808 The New Norfolk Colony was settled (Norfolk Bay Settlement on the Tasman Peninsula?)
In 1979 I found a family home here
at the Norfolk Bay Settlement, near Port Arthur, with a sign
“The Midgleys”. Are these the surviving members of his family? The family
pedigree subsequently shown by David Midgley of Tasmania does not
indicate this14.
Today in Tasmania there are Midgleys
living at: Riana, Trevallyn
(Launceston), Glen Orchy, Moonah, Dodges Ferry,
Rokeby, Austin's Ferry, Chigwell and Stanley.
The oldest gravestone in GlenOrchy
churchyard near Hobart is 1847.
A record of a Samuel Midgley shows:
“Midgley, Samuel, Came Free,
off stores. Hobart Muster 1819”3
However this could
conceivably be another person to the one who had lived on Norfolk Island.
Evidence14 suggests that Samuel was issued with a pardon and in 1805 returned to England and applied in mid 1811 for a land grant for himself and a nephew, Charles15 but we do not yet know what happened to him after this.
The final comment goes to Norfolk
Island.
The first penal colony on
the island was abandoned in February 1814 after 26 years. The last people
left in the brig “Kangaroo”. All the buildings were destroyed lest the
French use them. The island heaved a sigh of relief until the next settlement
which proved to be a hell from which few escaped.10/13
First Fleet List
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Model of the bonded warehouse in Hobart Town during the 1820's. | |
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2.The Crimes of the First Fleet Convicts- J. Cobley.
3. T.D. Mutch Index cards.
4. Norfolk Island Victualling Book p.215 (A/1958 N.I. Vict.Book).
5. Pers. Comm. J. Selkirk Provis , Research Officer The 1788-1820 Association, Box 1212 G.P.O. Sydney 2001.
6. From the Diary of Capt.(Governor) Arthur Phillip in “Sydney Cove 1789-1790” - John Cobley p. 25.
7. Historical Records NSW Part 2 p.253.
8. Shipping Arrivals and Departures, Tasmania, 1803-1833, I. Hawkins & Nicholson.
9. Governor Bligh's Diary (Governor N.S.W.)
10.The Commandants- M.G. Britts.
11. A Pictorial History of Australia -Rex & Thea Rienits Paul Hamlyn 1969.
12. "Musters & Lists N.S.W. & Norfolk Island, 1800-1822." 1802: Ref C.A. 320 male convicts & "A list of every man, woman & child on & off stores residing in His Majesties settlement of Norfolk Island February 1805".
13.Convicts & Commandants of Norfolk Island 1788-1855, M. Hazzard, Norfolk Is. 1978
14. Email communication with David Midgley, Launceston, Tasmania, November 1998
15. Founders of Australia - A Biographical Dictionary Of The First Fleet, Mollie Gillen 1989, 245. (First Fleet Association, Wooloomooloo, Sydney). I am indebted to Milnthorpe and David Midgley of Tasmania for the supply of this resource.
16. Arthur Phillip, The Voyage to Botany Bay, Hutchinson, 1968.
17. List of Australia's First Fleet Captain Cook's Journal online
Norfolk Island on the Net Norfolk Island Travel Information
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