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Colonial Events

1837

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Drought continues in NSW  

 

 

 

 

 

First Chinese labourers arrived in Australia  

 

 

James Mudie's 'The Felonry of New South Wales' published in London  

 

 

 

 

 

Commencement of construction of Circular Quay, Sydney  

 

 

 

 

 

Breakwater at Newcastle strengthened  

 

 

 

 

 

28th regiment stationed in Newcastle

 

 

 

 

 

James Henry Crummer, Police Magistrate at Newcastle  

 

 

 

JANUARY 5

 

Arrival of convict transport St. Vincent from Cork.  

 

 

 

JANUARY

 

E. Deas Thomson appointed Colonial Secretary vice A. McLeay  

 

 

 

JANUARY

 

Sir John Franklin appointed governor of VDL

 

 

 

JANUARY

 

Joseph Weller vessel belonging to J. Peacock on shore at Port Stephens with large hole in the bottom  

 

 

 

JANUARY

 

Caernarvon vessel struck on a sand bank on entering Newcastle harbour

 
 

JANUARY 23

 

Brisbane Water settler Willoughby Bean arrested, put in irons and sent to Sydney on the Betsy. Later tried and acquitted of cattle stealing  

 

 

 

FEBRUARY

 

Rev. Wilton of Newcastle appointed by the Bishop of Australia as his Surrogate for granting marriage licenses

 
 

FEBRUARY 7

 

Arrival of the convict ship John  

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 12

 

Arrival of convict transport Norfolk from Portsmouth with 279 prisoners. Botanist Allan Cunningham passenger  

 

 

 

FEBRUARY 18

 

Arrival of the James Watt. Alexander Brown passenger on board  

 

 

 

MARCH

 

Approval of Town plan of Melbourne by Gov. Burke  

 

 

 

MARCH 15

 

Death of road builder William Cox  

 

 

 

APRIL 23

 

Death of land owner Archibald Bell  

 

 

 

APRIL 23

 

Arrival of convict transport Sarah and Elizabeth  

 

 

 

MAY 8

 

Arrival of Prince George convict transport  

 

 

 

MAY

 

J.T.Hughes, G. Porter, P. McIntyre, J.Eales, J.White, and
M. Goggs, convicted of conspiracy, in preventing Crown Lands from being
disposed of at a higher rate than the upset price.
 

 

 

 

MAY

 

Foundation stone of St. Andrew's Cathedral laid by governor Sir Richard Bourke  

 

 

 

MAY 26

 

Governor Bourke  directed to discontinue the assignment of convicts to free settlers in the colony.

 
 

MAY 30

 

Arrival of the convict ship Margaret  

 

 

 

JUNE

 

Issue of South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register  

 

 

 

JUNE

 

Busby's bore completed almost ten years after commencement.  
 

JUNE 1

 

First land - 100 allotments sold in Melbourne. Lowest price 7; highest price 95  

 

 

 

JUNE

 

First cargo of stone prepared at Goat Island by convicts arrives at Newcastle for construction of new barracks  

 

 

 

JULY 10

 

Arrival of convict ship Mangles

 

 

JULY 12

 

Arrival of convict ship Heber  

 

 

 

JULY

 

G.W. Jackson appointed pilot at Newcastle  

 

 

 

JULY 13

 

Permission granted by King William IV for South Australian capital to be named after Queen Adelaide  

 

 

 

JULY 17

 

Arrival of Lloyds convict transport

 

 

 

 

AUGUST 2

 

Earthquake at Newcastle  

 

 

 

AUGUST 2

 

Convicts working on the Newcastle breakwater seriously injured in an explosion  

 

 

 

AUGUST 5

 

Arrival of convict transport Calcutta  

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER

 

Australian Gas light Company formed in Sydney  

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER

 

Duke of York, Captain Morgan wrecked 800 miles north of Moreton Bay  

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER

 

Death of Architect Francis Greenway. Buried St. Peter's cemetery, East Maitland  

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 5

 

Death of pioneer farmer James Ruse  

 

 

 

OCTOBER

 

Edward Denny Day appointed Police Magistrate at Muswellbrook  

 

 

 

OCTOBER

 

News received in colony of the death of William the Fourth  

 

 

 

OCTOBER 9

 

Arrival of convict transport Charles Kerr  

 

 

 

OCTOBER 25

 

Bushrangers Sullivan, Bowser and Doolan Captured by mounted policeman George Colway in a gully at Weary's Creek, NSW  

 

 

 

OCTOBER 25

 

Arrival of convict ship James Pattison  

 

 

 

NOVEMBER

 

Resignation of Sir Richard Bourke accepted although successor not yet named. To depart on  the Samuel Winter after a levee at Government House  

 

 

 

DECEMBER 2

 

Arrival of Asia V convict transport  

 

 

 

DECEMBER 5

 

 

Governor Bourke departs from the Colony

 

 

 

DECEMBER

 

Steamer Tamar grounded at Reid's Mistake. Capain Mulhall  

 

 

 

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel K. Snodgrass (Lieutenant governor) from 6 December 1837 to 23 February  1838

 

 

DECEMBER

 

Arrival of ship Portland with passengers Dr. Lang (returning) and the following clergymen: Messrs. George McFie, George Anderson, John Gregor, James Forbes, Thomas Dugall, James Fullerton, H.R. Gilchrest, R. Blane, Cunningham Atkinson. John Goodwin Esq., surgeon. Total of 310 emigrants.  

 

 

 

DECEMBER

 

Sir George Gipps appointed Captain General and Governor in Chief of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land

 

 

 

 

DECEMBER

 

Departure of first overland mail  from Sydney to Melbourne  

 

 

 

DECEMBER 22

 

Arrival of convict transport Henry Wellesley  

 

 

 

DECEMBER

 

Loss of the vessel Vulcan of Nobbys reef  

 

 

 

DECEMBER 25

 

Arrival of Sir Charles Forbes convict transport  

 

 

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