What would you like to ask James Gough?

If you could ask James Gough a question, what would it be? Would you ask him why he broke into the house in 1812 and stole the gun? Would you ask him why he split up with Ann Cain in 1822? I think I would ask him what was it like to live in Sydney in the 1820s. I'd also like to know if he had a Cockney accent...

Any questions? Feel free to add your comments.

Australia Day 26 January 1818

On Monday last His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR review[ed] the 48th Regt, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel ERSKINE, and we learn expressed himself much pleased with the military appearance of this distinguished corps.

The same day a dinner was given at Government House to the Civil and Military Officers at Head Quarters, in commemoration of the Establishment of this Colony, which on that day had attained its thirtieth anniversary. We understand that His EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR, in celebrating an event in which all present necessarily felt much interest, was pleased to pay a handsome tribute to the memory of the late Admiral PHILLIP.

In the evening a Ball was given by Mrs. MACQUARIE to a numerous party, which was continued with spirit to a late hour. We were particularly gratified with a likeness of GOVERNOR PHILLIP (executed by Mr. Greenway, who felt much pleasure in this opportunity of celebrating the memory of the Vice Admiral, who had ever been his steady friend and patron), suspended at one extremity of the room, in a wreath, supported by two banners; one being that of Vice Admiral, and the other containing the following inscription. "In Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Colony of New South Wales, established by ARTHUR PHILLIP, whose virtues and talents entitle him to the grateful remembrance of his Country, and to whose arduous exertions the present prosperous state of the Colony may chiefly be ascribed."

Sydney Gazette 31 January 1818 pp.2b-2c. 

On 26 January 1821, James Gough was granted a conditional pardon having served nine years of his life sentence. He was now free within the colony but could not return to England.

Convict tattoos

Many of the convicts had tattoos usually on their upper arms and symbols such as hearts, anchors and crosses were popular. The anchor was a symbol of hope and constancy and initials of loved ones were placed nearby. Other tattoos included the date of trial, name of transport ship and date of release. Black soot from lamps was used to tone the design of the tattoo. These distinguishing marks were usually included in the detailed reports written by the authorities describing the physical appearance of the convicts. 

In 1849, James Johnson, (Guildford 1827) the ex-convict father-in-law of Thomas Gough, was arrested at Sutton Forest for the theft of some bags of sugar (about 450 kilos) worth 20 pounds sterling and a tarpaulin worth 4 pounds sterling, from a carrier's dray parked outside Field's pub, and was imprisoned in Goulburn jail. His jail entrance report describes his tattoos in detail.

left arm: mermaid; a woman and child; sun, moon and seven stars; 1827

right arm: S.J.-M.J.-J.J. tree; E.S.J. anchor; J.J.-W.J. and a bird

Any ideas on these tattoo symbols? The family initials? 1827 was his date of arrival but what was the meaning of the sun, moon and stars? Were they just decorative? Feel free to add your comment.

Source: SRNSW Gaol Description & Entrance Books 1818 -1930 

series 2229; item;6/5430; reel 1875

SMH 7 Feb 1849 p.2 report of trial at Goulburn 3 Feb - found not guilty

Sent to the Hawkesbury

On 14 October 1813, a letter was sent to William Cox from the Colonial Secretary's office informing him that 45 convicts recently arrived on the Earl Spencer, would be forwarded to Windsor to be distributed amongst the settlers by ballot, but only to those who had no Government men. One of these men, William Jones, would later be sent to Parramatta and assigned to James Gough in 1819 at the lumberyard. However Cox was to use his discretion to allocate those men left at the end of the ballot.  Another 35 men were to be sent to the Reverend Samuel Marsden at Parramatta and 16 were to be sent to Thomas Moore at Liverpool.

(SRNSW Col.Sec. Copies of letters sent 1809 -1813; NRS 935, item 4/3491, pp 558-9)

Isaac Bowers                     labourer

John Yorath                       labourer

Thomas Collicott              vendor

Richard Richards               servant

John Richardson               gilder

Samuel Andrew                 taylor

James Graham                  sailor

John Bowman                   carver & gilder

William Lewes                   glass manufacturer

John Parerio                      seaman

Stephen Hasketh               seaman

Jeremiah Butler                 shoemaker

William Hull                       taylor

James White                      dealer in horses

James McCoy                    weaver

David Weir                         labourer

William Thompson

Alex McMarvill                  labourer

John Barnes                       gun founder

John Crane                         ladies shoe maker

William Bryce                    tallow chandler

Thomas Bufford                labourer

James Ashton                    boot & shoemaker

Robert Rainey                   farmer

William Reine                    labourer

Thomas Goughley            labourer

Andrew Scott

William Jones                    taylor

Charles Johnson                driver

Benjamin Child                  butcher

Thomas Collard                 jeweller

John Rodgers                     labourer

James Westbrooke          butcher

John Wood/Leach            shopman

Henry Rodgers                  boot & shoemaker

Richard Lowndes              shoe maker

William Greenhough        weaver

John Haywood                  weaver

Thomas Jones                   goldsmith

John Bennett                     stableman

John Bradshaw                  weaver

George Fisher                    servant

Thomas Hoffnell               labourer

James Bennett                  hatter

Samuel Lees                       hatter