Thomas Clarkson  - BRAVE DECISIONS

    The decision for Catherine Clarkson to take her children and accompany Thomas Clarkson halfway across the world, with the added stigma of being the family of a convict, was indeed a brave one. It would be in a strange land, this new home, away from friends and family. They would be on their own, totally. Catherine must have been aware that survival as a family unit would very much depend on their abilities to cope with many unknown factors but in spite of this, she chose to go.
    Already she had endured some months alone, without the support of her husband, while Thomas was imprisoned in Warwick gaol prior to his conviction.(21) Now it was obvious that this added misfortune was not going to separate the family. We can only speculate their feelings and the decisions they may have had to make, but, one way or another, the final decision for the family to embark was made, and in January 1806 they were aboard the "Alexander" ---- Thomas in chains and Catherine and her babes, Catherine, John and Sarah, with the distinction of "coming free".
    It has been a hotly disputed issue as to whether their son John accompanied the family or not, but we are of the opinion that he did, and the reasons for this will be discussed in a later chapter.
    A letter from Lord Hawkesbury, dated 19 December 1805 to the Commissioner of Convicts, A.H. Bradley (Esq), requested that 150 convicts who were considered in good health and not showing signs of any infectious diseases were to be selected and embarked on the ships "Fortune" and "Alexander" and transported to NSW.(22)
    Mrs Wiseman, wife of Solomon Wiseman, a convict, accepted passage on the "Alexander" Transport, with her husband, in the place of Mrs Henshall who decided not to accompany her husband William to NSW.(23)
    In January 1806 the ships "Fortune" and "Alexander" were lying at Portsmouth under the command of Henry Moore and Richard Brookes respectively.
    A contract to transport the convicts on board these vessels was drawn up by Thomas Shelton of the Sessions House in the City of London with merchants Peter Everitt Mestaer, of New Broad St, and John Locke of America Square, both of London. The terms were clearly set out. They were to transport the convicts and produce evidence of landing each one, and to ensure none returned to England or Ireland. For this they were to receive 5/ for each convict delivered into the hands of William Bligh Esquire Governor General of NSW. It was signed by both merchants on the 28 January 1806.(24)
    The convicts listed on the indent annexed to the contract were already on board the two ships. By this date Thomas Clarkson would have been in gaol for over eleven months, perhaps even on one of the hulks.
    This list, or indent as it was known, gives us basic details of the individuals in the holds, their names, date and place or conviction and sentence. Indents in later years would show a wealth or detail which would enable a researcher to compile a fairly comprehensive profile or the convict in question. Unfortunately data such as age, place of origin, marital status, education and colouring or hair, eyes and complexion found on later indents is not available to us as they were not noted at the time of Thomas' conviction, it just states:
 Thomas Clarkson, Warwick Assizes, 26 March 1805, 14 years. (25)
    The "Alexander" was under the command of Capt. Richard Brookes. His reputation had been under a cloud since his voyage in the convict ship "Atlas". On that occasion he had disregarded the welfare of his charges to such an extent that on arrival Governor King described them as being dreadfully emaciated and close to death.
    Captains of these convict ships had very quickly realized that the supply of goods to the new colony was a lucrative business, and Brookes, more concerned with his retail goods than his human cargo, crammed every available space (even parts of the hospital) with commodities and liquor to sell for his own private profit. On arrival however, he was refused permission to unload his spirits, as it was considered supplies of spirits would only add to the increasing problem caused by liquor at the time.
    In spite of the fact that serious charges were leveled against Brookes, he escaped disciplinary action and was surprisingly given another command, ---- that of the "Alexander".
    Brookes brought the vessel to anchor in Sydney Cove on 20 August 1806, just six and a half months after departing Portsmouth and this time there were no reports nor complaints of ill treatment or neglect.
    The arrival of the "Alexander" was reported in the Ship's News of the Sydney Gazette 24 August 1806.
On Wednesday arrived the "Alexander", Captain Brookes, formerly of the "Atlas", with 14 males and 42 female prisoner, all remarkably healthy and with the loss of only one of the former on the passage and one child likewise...    (26)
    Ships' captains sought to protect themselves from debts incurred by the crew whilst ashore, and it was customary for them to caution the settlers against giving credit. The Sydney Gazette 24 August 1806 ran one such item--- (27)
Notice
Captain Richard Brookes of the ship "Alexander" of London, hereby cautions the inhabitants from crediting the crew of the said ship as he will not be    responsible    for any debts contracted by them.        Image of this Notice
    Those on the "Alexander" and "Fortune" were not the only ones to arrive that August. Just a few days earlier, Governor King's successor, Captain William Bligh had arrived on the "Lady Magdaleine Sinclair", to relieve Governor Philip Gidley King.
     Governor King's six years at the helm had not been easy. He had added his contributions to the developing colony, had dealt with the revolt of the Irish at Vinegar Hill but was unable to withstand the wiles of John Macarthur and the members of the Rum Corps. King encouraged the small farmer, whereas Macarthur advocated large holdings and more power for the well to do free settlers. The Rum Corps on the other hand held a monopoly on trade and had created a very unstable economy with their rum trafficking. To make matters worse the colony experienced an acute food shortage created by the floods on the Hawkesbury in 1806, and this was in turn aggravated by the high price of supplies.
    Into this scene sailed William Bligh and Thomas Clarkson within days of each other. Together, they may have arrived, but their welcome would be anything but similar.
    Bligh was greeted by Major Johnson and Captain Houstan and received Governor King's congratulations on his appointment; Thomas Clarkson would have been mustered, along with the other felons aboard, to be met by the Colonial Secretary. Having first checked their particulars, he would have then supervised their disembarkation. An assignment of employment was then issued to each convict, for as well as serving time in the colony they were to be a work force. (Labour being urgently needed for clearing ground, preparing roadways, public buildings etc.) If a convict had a trade or was a skilled worker he might be given work in his field if his services could be utilised.
    An example of this was in the case of William Henshall, convicted and transported with Thomas Clarkson. He was guilty of forging silver dollars in 1806 but in 1813, now a silversmith, he was employed by Governor Macquarie to convert Spanish Dollars into the well known Dump and Holey Dollar. It was obvious Henshall continued and fostered his old trade in the colony and it had served him well. (28)
    The assignment system was introduced by Governor Phillip in 1709. It placed convicts in the charge of Officers and Free Settlers but they were still fed and clothed by the Government. This was known as being "on stores". After 1802, those using the services of assigned convicts had to undertake to feed and clothe them in return for a ten hour working day; five days a week and six hours on Saturday. The convict could then feel free to work for himself for wages under another employer, payment usually in rum.
    So it was with Thomas Clarkson. He found himself assigned
his wife Catherine, and so received no indulgences from the Government, Proof of this was given by Catherine herself in later memorials.
     On 12 October 1806, Catherine purchased land, "with a small house erected on it" in Upper Bell Row from John Parks. She claimed she paid £38 for the land, and that she received, in return, a receipt. This receipt was to serve as a title to the holding.(29) Now the family had a home, and since, as Catherine was to repeatedly claim, they received no indulgences from the Government, they obviously intended to be as independent as possible and to make the most of what this new life offered them.

   Page last updated -  7 July 2006