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Be for hear is maney one that hav Benn hear for
maney year and thay hav thar poor head shaved and sent up to the Coole
river and thear Carrey Cooles from Day Light in the morning till Dark at
Knight, and half starved, but i hear that is a Going to Be put By, and
so it had need, for it is very crouell in ded.'
(1)
So
writes
Margaret Catchpole of the miners of Coal River in January
1802. These were possibly Irish rebel convicts who had caused Governor
King so much concern, however the records don't reveal their
names. Margaret
Catchpole's information predicting the Coal River camp would be 'put by'
was indeed correct for the fledgling settlement was soon to close.
Just a few months previously after
receiving favourable accounts of the Hunter
(Coal) River,
Governor King determined to establish a settlement at the river mouth with the
intention of mining coal to contribute to financing the colony
(2) and to
separate worrying Irish political leaders from the main colony.
(29)The expedition included
Lieutenant-Colonel
William Paterson,
Lieutenant James Grant,
Ensign Barralier
(surveyor) and miner John Platt. Paterson was instructed to choose a site for a
mine and settlement(23) In a letter to King in June,
Paterson described the area he had named
Collier's Point
A military guard was sent on the
schooner Francis and consisted of
Corporal Wixtead (in command), five private soldiers and 12 convicts who joined those
already at the river. Later another miner, Broadbent was sent to assist John
Platt.
(29)
By
July the miners were hard at work. Three tons per day were
raised however Corporal Wixtead became involved in disputes, and after three months,
assistant surgeon
Martin Mason, who had been Magistrate at Toongabbie and
Parramatta was appointed superintendent at Coal River. Reportedly a cruel man, -
it was he that Joseph Holt writes of in his memoirs when describing punishment
of rebel convicts in 1800
Select here to read an excerpt
from the Memoirs of Joseph Holt
By October four extra convicts
were sent, making a total of sixteen men
(4) . Three of the men were
miners and six were employed carrying the coal. They had no wheelbarrows and the
tools were badly constructed, needing repairs already. Vessels loaded straight
from the beach. Mason suggested to
Governor King that a saving could be made if mining were to continue on an
extensive scale, by having a path made with slabs from the pit to a wharf 'run
out upon a bank of stones and sand'. Mason had noted that the coals were better in quality the further the men went
underground and he had intentions of extending the mines further. He requested
small candles of the type commonly used in coal mines, large scales to weigh the
baskets and six box barrows that would hold two hundred weights each(5) (this is the equivalent of 100 kilograms each barrow).
In November Mason would report to the
Governor that he had 3,820 baskets of coal at hand. He estimated this amounted
to 190 tons (if the baskets held one hundred weight each). With three miners and
three carriers he was raising about 9 tons a day from four different mines.
One mine was 34 yards under ground; one was 31 yards; one was 27 yards and one
was 10 yards. He told Governor King that he could set nine more miners to work
immediately and with one man to draw for each miner, could raise 190 tons per
week. The
strata of coal they were working on was 3 foot high, out of
which there was one inch of clay and other rubbish, with 22 inches of neat coal; over this there
was a strata
of 18 inches of good coal. Mason writes of opening another mine further around
in Fresh Water Bay. Hugh Meehan, master of the Anna
Josepha had built sawpits in Fresh Water Bay in April
(6) and Mr. Palmer's sloop loaded nearby. Here at Freshwater Bay, Mason tells King, 'where there was a strata of three foot neat coal under the above
two stratas, the coals were of superior quality'. Mason sent back to headquarters a
cask of coal as example and envisioned that he could 'open mines to
set twenty men to work in Fresh Water Bay; if there are not
minors in the colony then many ruffens may be made good
minors'.
Surgeon Mason regarded John Platt
as a 'good working miner, but criticized his foresight - 'he cannot see much
further into the ground than his pick cuts'. Mason needed a skilled surveyor to
explore the hills and ascertain where to 'conduct mines to save labour and
carrey of the water' to the best advantage. Despite these enthusiastic plans, Mason's stay at the River was short
- King refers to his 'improper behaviour' and Mason was removed at the end of the year
leaving a guard of five privates
at the river.
(8)
Although official settlement was withdrawn, miners remained at the
River. Coals were obtained by private vessels and small quantities for
government use. Miner John Platt was employed by John Palmer and in May
1803 the Sydney Gazette reported enthusiastically that
' A new mine has been found at
Hunter’s River, which is likely to yield an abundance of the finest coal
that has ever been witnessed. The discovery was made by J. Platt, a miner in the employ of J. Palmer Esq., and a quantity of coal was brought round by
the ‘Edwin’.'(9)
Perhaps John Platt had followed Martin Mason's advice after all and
examined more closely the land up from Freshwater Bay.
(35) In 1805
Platt gave an
account of mines then in operation -'The coal mines on the sea side
Government House, Newcastle are 3 ½ feet thick, solid coal, and resemble
those of Bushy Park between Warrington and Prescot. The same mine is
also in Lord Derby’s Park near Prescot called Nozeley Park. The coals
are of the best quality and are used for furnaces, malt houses, being
free of sulphur. Those (coals) at the harbour by the salt pan called New
Discovery from it being like a Delfi in Weston near
Prescot in Lancashire are of bad quality having as much dirt as coal and
fit for burning bricks and fire engines
(19)
By
1804,
the possibility of establishing valuable commercial enterprise coupled with a
desire to remove the worst of the Irish insurgents from Sydney district in the
aftermath of the rebellion at Castle Hill, encouraged Governor King to re-settle
Coal River. A young naval Lieutenant, twenty one year old
Lieutenant Charles Menzies
requested command of the settlement and Governor King thinking him equal to the
undertaking eagerly accepted the offer.
Governor King and his family made a
special excursion to Sydney harbour to farewell Lieutenant Menzies and his
little fleet.(11)
Over thirty Irish rebels from the Castle Hill uprising formed the convict work
party.
Find the names of the convicts
here
Under Menzies' directions, the rebel convicts
were put to hard labour and at first were kept under tight
discipline and control. Security at the settlement was strict in an
attempt to prevent desperate convicts absconding and to increase
supplies of coal for the government.
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Bryan Riley and ....Tierney who had been severely
flogged in March took to the bush in a desperate bid for freedom - (they had
little chance of being out long as Menzies had already befriended the natives of
the neighbourhood giving them jackets, caps, blankets and 4lbs of Tobacco each
in May)
(17)
In March
1805, twelve months
after second settlement, thirty four year old
Charles Throsby took
over command. His instructions from Governor King included the hours of
work that were required of convicts - they were to haul coal from
daylight (sunrise was approximately 6am) till 8 a.m, from half-past 8 till noon, and from 2
p.m. to
sunset which in March in Newcastle in 1805 was about 5.50p.m.(21)
Huts were built or being
built by this time as in 1805 Throsby makes mention of them in some of
the many orders he issues.
The convicts were almost certainly hungry.
Supplies to the settlement continued to be a problem for the remainder of the
year; when fly moth destroyed wheat crops in the rest of the colony inhabitants
at the River suffered rationed wheat portions too. To make matters worse grain
supplied from Sutton, the storekeeper at Newcastle was full of dirt.
Throsby permitted convicts to
cultivate gardens near their huts, however many of these may have been
destroyed in December in the same 'hurricane' that caused such damage to the mine
entrances, filling them with earth and other debris.
Sufficient clothing was not sent
from head quarters in winter and Throsby arranged that those he had personally
observed most in need would receive slops first. Oil had also been in short supply for some time
obliging Throsby to put everyone, including himself, on short rations.
Little wonder the
prisoners tried
to escape. Throsby was aware there were plots to abscond and he issued
orders for all convicts (fifty five men and six women at the July 1805 muster) to be
in their huts by 8pm each evening for muster.
The proprietors of
the private huts (where many convicts lodged as there were no co nvicts barracks as
yet) were responsible for the conduct of all residing in their hut; They
were liable to forfeit their hut to Government if they failed to report
absentees(22)
Thomas Brady who was sent to Newcastle in 1804 was one of these hut
owners.
These strict
conditions did not deter those who were determined to be free.
Thomas Desmond
an Irish rebel
(20) - an 'inflexible and
audacious fugitive' possibly sent with the first
group
in March '04 was one who continued to attempt escape. With great
determination he was to try again and again for the next decade or more.
There were many hundreds
of convicts who over the years toiled in exile at Newcastle. They were
employed in cedar getting, making salt, burning lime, and general labouring
work around the township, wharf and mines. At the coal mines skilled
miners were employed underground, however others were required to wheel
coal to the wharf or load it onto the ships.
Lieutenant Purcell was appointed Commandant in 1810.
Select here to read about
the settlement under the command of Lieutenant Purcell .
Over the next few
years
conditions for the convict miners at Coal River, improved little. Illness and disease plagued the
convicts. A building was in use as a hospital however it was inadequate and often unable to provide beds or bedding.
Convict Surgeon
Richard Horner was in charge until
1811
when William Evans
was appointed.
Evans reported convict patients to be in great distress.
Their rations were inadequate and they suffered dysentery in summer,
bitter cold in winter and chest complains all year round. Monotonous
drudgery was broken only occasionally by special events such as Governor
Macquarie's visit in
1812 or perhaps one of the many
shipwrecks. (Select
Sea Graveyard to find
a list of vessels to Newcastle in the early years.) And of course accidents were not uncommon.
In September
1825 it was reported that one of the most useful men in the mines was
severely injured with little chance of recovery after a large mass of
coals fell on him causing massive head injuries and fractured thigh
bone.
Select
HERE to read an interesting
letter describing convict conditions in 1825
In 1830 the government handed over its Newcastle coal mines to the
Australian Agricultural Company and coal mining became the most
profitable arm of the company for the rest of the
century.
The First Mine was located above the Dudley Seam on the corner
of the present Brown and Church Streets.(45)
Select here to find John Armstrong's Map of Newcastle showing
the location of the mine.
By 1831 they were in full operation. The mines were being worked by convicts until this
time however the company found that convict labour was inefficient and
insufficient and began to recruit miners from Britain
as well.
(40) Although it wasn't for some time that the miners
would gather sufficient power to strike for improved conditions, in 1833
there was a glimmer of united hope at least when they jointly applied to
Sir Edward Parry for adequate clothing, although his
Response could not have been what they hoped for.
Select here to find a list
of A. Company Coal Miners in
Newcastle 1830s - 1840
There
was a labour shortage in the Company in the 1830's particularly when
assignment was severely limited late in
1838. Adequate supply of coal
could not be maintained and the company was forced to commence an
immigration program because of dislike by colonial labourers of
underground work.
(45)
The Commercial Journal reported in 1840 -
' Great inconvenience and delay has of late
been occasioned, by the Australian company not being able to supply coals in
sufficient quantities for the numerous vessels now lying at Newcastle. The chief
cause appears to arise from the feeble and worn out state of their assigned
servants, occasioned by excessive labour and the small allowance of rations
awarded them. These miserable creatures have every appearance of "Walking spectres" - such woe begone
and wretched objects are scarcely to be met within the colony. An
allowance of 3s per ton has been offered these men to perform extra
work; but their strength will scarcely carry them through their regular
work, setting aside over time labour. They can only be compared with an
over worked horse, who, despite all whipping, is unable to job one step
farther. We have numerous instances of men belonging to the Company,
committing offences for the mere purpose of getting into ironed gangs,
in preference to remaining in their service. We consider that if these
men were governed by persons disposed to serve the Company instead of
themselves, things would go on much better
(44)
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The Extraordinary Adventures of Margaret Catchpole, A Suffolk Girl
(1) Letter to Mrs Cobbold from Sydney, 21 January 1802. http://www.atmitchell.com/journeys/law/justice/convict/MargaretCatchpole/catchpole.cfm
(2) Historical
Records of New South Wales. vol. IV. Hunter and King. 1800, 1801, 1802.
Edited by F. M. Bladen. p. 205 - 206,
Governor King to Sir Joseph Banks (Banks Papers)
(3) Rum Rebellion, Memoirs of Joseph Holt
(4) Historical Records of New South
Wales. Vol IV. Hunter and King. 1800, 1801, 1802. Edited by F. M. Bladen. p620 -
621, Governor King to the Duke of Portland Sydney, New South Wales, 14th November 1801
(5) Historical Records of New South
Wales. Vol. IV. Hunter and King. 1800, 1801, 1802. Edited by F. M. Bladen. p 597
- 598Mr. M. Mason to Governor King (King Papers)
(6) Historical
Records of Australia, Series 1 Vol. III p772
(8) Historical Records of Australia, Series 1,
vol. III, p.406 .
Governor King to the Duke of Portland (Despatch No. 6. per American schooner
Caroline; acknowledged by Lord Hobart, 24th February 1803)Sydney
New South Wales, 1st March 1802
(9) Sydney Gazette 8 May 1803.
(11)
Sydney Gazette 25 March 1804
(12) Silver, Lynette Ramsay,
The Battle Of Vinegar Hill. Australia's Irish Rebellion, 2002.
(17) Historical Records of Australia
Series 1 vol. V, pp. 412 - 414Governor King to Earl Camden.
Enclosure 5, Governor King to Lieutenant Menzies, Sydney May 24th 1804
(18)
Historical Records of Australia Series 1 vol. V, pp. 416 - 417Governor
King to Earl Camden. Enclosure 8, Governor King to Lieutenant Menzies, Sydney July 2nd 1804
(19) Sydney Gazette
5 May 1805
(20) http://members.pcug.org.au/~ppmay/
(21) Historical Records of New South Wales, Vol. V, King 1803, 1804, 1805.
Edited by F. M. Bladen, Lansdowne Slattery & Company, Mona Vale, N.S.W.,1979.
p. 571.Governor King to Major Johnston (King Papers),
15th March 1805.
(22)
Historical Records of New South Wales, Vol. VI, King and Bligh 1806,
1807, 1808. Edited by F. M. Bladen, Lansdowne Slattery & Company, Mona
Vale, N.S.W.,1979. pp. 836 - 841 Throsby's General Orders (King Papers) 3rd
April, 1805 to 14th February 1806.
(23) Perry, T.M., Australia's First Frontier,
Melbourne University Press, Victoria., 1963, p57.
(24)
The Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux, Edited by Noel
McLachlan, William Heinemann Ltd., London, 1964. pp 214
(25)
Reel
6066, 4/1804 pp.66, 68
(26) Reel 6003, 4/3490A pp.173 - 29
March 1811
(27) Historical Records of New South Wales, vol. VII,
p. 486
(29) D.F.
Branagan, Geology and coal mining in the hunter Valley 1791 - 1861,
Newcastle History Monographs No. 6. Newcastle Public Library, 1972, p19.
(30) Historical Records of New South
Wales . Vol IV. Hunter and King. 1800, 1801, 1802. Edited by F. M. Bladen. p. 414
- 415Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson
to Governor King (King Papers) 25 June 1801
(31) Historical
Records of Australia Series 1 vol. III, p. 172Lieutenant
Grant's Journal at Hunter River {Extract} Remarks &c.,
on board his Majesty's armed surveying vessel, Lady Nelson in Hunter's River
1801
(37) Sydney Gazette 31 December 1831
(40) Gollan, Robin, The Coalminers of New South
Wales., A History of the Union 1860 - 1960., Melbourne University Press,
1963
(42) Dungog Chronicle, Early Days of Port Stephens
- Extracts from Sir Edward Parry's Diary, Cambridge Press Pty. Limited,
(43) Bench of Magistrates, Newcastle & Hunter Region, 6th February 1838.
Archives Office of New South Wales Reel 2722.
(44) Commercial Journal and Advertiser 22 August
1840
(45) Turner, J.W. Coal Mining in Newcastle 1801 -
1900, Newcastle Region Public Library, 1982.
(50) Uebel,
Lesley, Port Jackson Convicts Anthology
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