Arrival in Botany Bay of the
Supply, 12 guns- first
ship of the First Fleet at Botany Bay. Captain Arthur Phillip. Lieutenant
H.L. Ball. Surgeon
Mr. James Callam
On the outward journey,
soon after leaving the Cape of Good Hope, Captain Phillip transferred to the
tender Supply, hoping to make an advance survey of their destination at
Botany Bay; he placed Hunter in the Sirius in command of the main convoy,
though in the result the entire fleet of eleven ships made Botany Bay within
the three days 18 to 20 January 1788 (1)
John Shortland (senior)
was appointed naval agent to the First Fleet. He also procured appointments
on the expedition for his sons, John and Thomas George.
National Archives of Australia Image no. : C4078, N7012B
January 19.....
Example of the uniform of the Marines from a
painting by Charles C. Stadden on the jacket of 'The First Fleet Marines
1786 - 1792' by John Moore (ISBN 0 7022 2065
5)
Arrival in Botany Bay, of the ships
Alexander, Captain Duncan Sinclair, (210 male convicts) Marine
Officers - Lieut. J. Johnston, Lieut. Shairp. Assistant Surgeon
William Balmain.(Read the
story of Robert Abel, one of the convicts on the Alexander at
London Lives)
Scarborough(210 male convicts) Marine Officers - Captain Shea, Lieut.
Kellow, Lieut. Morrison. Surgeon Mr. Dennis Considen.
Charlotte (male and female convicts)
Captain Thomas Gilbert, Surgeon
John White,
Marine Officers - Captain Tench, Lieut. Cresswell, Lieut. Poulden
Prince of Wales(female convicts) Marine
Officers: Lieut. Davy, Lieut. Timmins
Lady Penrhyn(female convicts) Marine Officers:
Capt. Campbell, Lieut. G. Johnston, Lieut. William Collins, surgeon
John Turnpenny Altree
and Store ships
Golden Grove(Commander William Sharp, Rev. Richard Johnson), Fishburn
(Commander Matthew Brown) and Borrowdale(Commander Hobson
Reed)
with provisions, implements, clothing etc.
January 21.....
Governor Phillip accompanied by officers set
off in three open boats to examine the coast in the hope of finding a more
suitable site for settlement than Botany Bay. Finding in a cove of 'this
noble and capacious harbour' a sufficiency of water and soil, he returned to
Botany Bay after an absence of 3 days and gave directions for immediate
removal to Port Jackson.
With a party of marines
and some artificers, Governor Phillip anchored off the mouth of the Cove
January 26......
In the
evening of the 26th the whole of the party present assembled where they had
first landed and a union jack was displayed. The marines fired several vollies and toasts to the
health of His Majesty and the success of the new colony were given.
The Monthly Review By Ralph Griffiths, George Edward Griffiths
January 27......
Disembarkation of the troops and remainder of
the convicts on this
day. A portable canvas house brought for the Governor was erected on the
East side of Sydney Cove and a detachment of marines were encamped at the
head of the Cove. The main body of the convicts were placed on the West side
A List of Convicts of the First Fleet
January 28..
French ships L'Astrolabe and La Bussole under Commanders De la Perouse and De d' Angle
anchored in Botany Bay. Assisted into Botany Bay by Lieut. Henry Ball of HMS
Supply
The History of Modern Europe
and a view of the progress of societ By Charles Coote, William Russell
From the
History of Sydney Hospital by Dr. J. Frederick Watson on the centenary of
the laying of the foundation stone of the hospital......In the beginning
of February, 1788, the erection of the first hospital was commenced on the
west side of Sydney Cove, near what are now known as the Commissariat
Stores, George street North; it was completed by twelve convict carpenters
and sixteen hired men from the ships. An soon as it was finished it was
filled, and the overflow occupied tents around it. Some of the drugs were
found to have perished during the prolonged voyage, and others were of
inferior quality; but it is interesting to read that the native sarsaparilla
proved to be powerfully anti-scorbutic, and an infusion of "wild myrtle"
astringent in dysentery, the honour of these discoveries being claimed by
Dennis Considen. (Sydney Morning Herald 28 October 1911)
February 6.....
Philip Gidley King
appointed Superintendent and commandant of Norfolk Island - Departed on 14th
February in the Supply for Norfolk with a petty officer, surgeon's
mate, two marines, two men who understood cultivation of flax and 9 men and
6 female convicts.
The Monthly Review By Ralph Griffiths, George Edward Griffiths
February 7.....
Colony of NSW formally
proclaimed and Governor's commission read, appointing Captain Arthur Phillip to be captain
general and governor in chief over the territory of New South Wales. The
ceremony was performed by the judge-advocate, David Collins.
First Execution in the colony - Convict
Thomas Barrett hanged for stealing provisions
Thomas Barrett arrived on
the Charlotte.
He had been a survivor of the Mercury Mutiny in 1784 and is believed to have
engraved the Charlotte Medallion.
On the point of land which formed the west
side of Sydney Cove, an Observatory building was constructed under the
direction of Lieutenant Dawes who was charged with observing the expected
comet. (HRA.,Vol.1., p47)
July 20......
Departure of Lieutenant Ball on the Golden Grove with
provisions for Norfolk Island. Strong gales on the passage there. Returned
to Sydney 26th August.
Providence Petrel-
Extinct on Norfolk Island by 1800
