Indians in Australia - European Settlement

Many Indians came to Australia as Hawkers, traders, banana growers, sugar cane farmers. The first Muslim Indian landed in Tasmania in 1813. The first Hindus came as indentured labourer in 1816. The first Sikhs landed in Brisbane in 1844.

The Begum Shaw ship is the second most important ship to enter Australian waters. It was later known as a Sydney Cove ship. It sailed from Calcutta in 1796 with a crew of 42 Indian sailors, known as Lascars, and seven Anglo-Indians. It was shipwrecked in 1797 at what is now Preservation Island, north-east of Tasmania.

Indians and Anglo Indians were the first people to sail across Bass Strait in 1797 and discover the southern coast of Victoria.  They formed the first inland expedition when their life boat was swamped and they set out on the Ninety Mile Beach in Victoria and attempted to walk to Sydney, a distance of over 700 Kilometres.

The Church of England (now known as the Anglican Church) was the only Christian Minister sent with the First Fleet. He was under the control of the Archbishop of Calcutta.

In 1792, when the Colony was in crisis and on the point of starvation, Governor Phillips successfully turned to India for help in supplying food and other supplies. As a result, the Home Secretary in London ordered that all supplies including animals should be purchased from India if they could not be purchased cheaper elsewhere. This was a momentous decision because after that time most food and animals were purchased from India. And from that time on all horse, cattle and sheep had strong bloodlines going back to India.

Four of the first five Governors of NSW had served in India. This was the first injection of technological transfer that later extended to most branches of the Public Service, including the Judiciary.

Most of the inland exploring and other work performed by cameleers was performed by Indians working with camels imported from India. Credit for their excellent work exploring and opening up the inland of Australia has wrongly been attributed to the Afghans.

In the early days of Settlement the convicts felt sorry for the Indian lascars on ships visiting Sydney. When the “Shar of Hormus” landed in Sydney the convicts gave them cloths and blankets and were severely punished for their charity.

Indians were the largest self-funded migrants who were not of European descent.  Self-funded Indians formed a large trading network along the east coast of Australia. They also moved out into and were working in rural areas e.g. cutting cane in Northern Australia. 

Australia horses were also exported to India.  The first exports commenced in the 1820’s and continued to the start of the Second World War.  During that time well over 400,000 horsed and 50,000 horse handlers travelled to Indian.

While exploring the avenues of Australian History, in the early days of settlement, wonderful contribution made by Indians, domestic animals and goods imported into Australia from India. This was a milestone in the establishment of a normal society in New South Wales. 

 Indians formed the largest self-funded migration of people who were not of European descent.  These self-funded Indians formed a large trading network along the east coast of Australia, as well as branching out into other forms of rural work including cutting cane in Northern Australia. 

India’s untold story in Australia

Let’s look back and explore the centuries old contributions of Indians to the development of Australia. Australia’s multicultural phenomenon is not the recent one. During 19^th and 20^th century people from Britain, Europe, China, India, Egypt and Turkey came to Australia by boats to discover the opportunities or to conduct a business or to start a new life.

British Naval and Merchant Ships had Indian Sailors on board. The nine merchant vessels on the First Fleet were owned or under lease to the English East India Trading Company. There is no doubt that most of the seamen on board were Indians. Even on Captain Cook’s Endeavour in 1788 may have had Indian Sailors. 

Many Indians came to Australia as Hawkers, traders, banana growers, sugar cane farmers. The first Muslim Indian landed in Tasmania in 1813. The first Hindus came as indentured labourer in 1816. The first Sikhs landed in Brisbane in 1844.

The Begum Shaw ship is the second most important ship to enter Australian waters. It was later known as a Sydney Cove ship. It sailed from Calcutta in 1796 with a crew of 42 Indian sailors, known as Lascars, and seven Anglo-Indians. It was shipwrecked in 1797 at what is now Preservation Island, north-east of Tasmania.

The Church of England (now known as the Anglican Church) was the only Christian Minister sent with the First Fleet. He was under the control of the Archbishop of Calcutta.

In 1792, when the Colony was in crisis and on the point of starvation, Governor Phillips successfully turned to India for help in supplying food and other supplies. As a result, the Home Secretary in London ordered that all supplies including animals should be purchased from India if they could not be purchased cheaper elsewhere. This was a momentous decision because after that time most food and animals were purchased from India. And from that time on all horse, cattle and sheep had strong bloodlines going back to India.

Four of the first five Governors of NSW had served in India. This was the first injection of technological transfer that later extended to most branches of the Public Service, including the Judiciary.

Most of the inland exploring and other work performed by cameleers was performed by Indians working with camels imported from India. Credit for their excellent work exploring and opening up the inland of Australia has wrongly been attributed to the Afghans.

In the early days of Settlement the convicts felt sorry for the Indian lascars on ships visiting Sydney. When the “Shar of Hormus” landed in Sydney the convicts gave them cloths and blankets and were severely punished for their charity.

 

India’s untold story in Australia

Let’s look back and explore the centuries old contributions of Indians to the development of Australia. Australia’s multicultural phenomenon is not the recent one. During 19^th and 20^th century people from Britain, Europe, China, India, Egypt and Turkey came to Australia by boats to discover the opportunities or to conduct a business or to start a new life.

British Naval and Merchant Ships had Indian Sailors on board. The nine merchant vessels on the First Fleet were owned or under lease to the English East India Trading Company. There is no doubt that most of the seamen on board were Indians. Even on Captain Cook’s Endeavour in 1788 may have had Indian Sailors. 

Many Indians came to Australia as Hawkers, traders, banana growers, sugar cane farmers. The first Muslim Indian landed in Tasmania in 1813. The first Hindus came as indentured labourer in 1816. The first Sikhs landed in Brisbane in 1844.

The Begum Shaw ship is the second most important ship to enter Australian waters. It was later known as a Sydney Cove ship. It sailed from Calcutta in 1796 with a crew of 42 Indian sailors, known as Lascars, and seven Anglo-Indians. It was shipwrecked in 1797 at what is now Preservation Island, north-east of Tasmania.

The Church of England (now known as the Anglican Church) was the only Christian Minister sent with the First Fleet. He was under the control of the Archbishop of Calcutta.

In 1792, when the Colony was in crisis and on the point of starvation, Governor Phillips successfully turned to India for help in supplying food and other supplies. As a result, the Home Secretary in London ordered that all supplies including animals should be purchased from India if they could not be purchased cheaper elsewhere. This was a momentous decision because after that time most food and animals were purchased from India. And from that time on all horse, cattle and sheep had strong bloodlines going back to India.

Four of the first five Governors of NSW had served in India. This was the first injection of technological transfer that later extended to most branches of the Public Service, including the Judiciary.

Most of the inland exploring and other work performed by cameleers was performed by Indians working with camels imported from India. Credit for their excellent work exploring and opening up the inland of Australia has wrongly been attributed to the Afghans.

In the early days of Settlement the convicts felt sorry for the Indian lascars on ships visiting Sydney. When the “Shar of Hormus” landed in Sydney the convicts gave them cloths and blankets and were severely punished for their charity.

A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

26 January 1788 The first colonists come ashore at Port Jackson
17 February 1788 Thomas Barrett is the first person to be hanged in Australia
1790 A second fleet arrives
1791 A third fleet arrives
1793 The first free settlers arrive. The first church is built in Sydney.
1794 The first theater is built in Sydney
1804 A stone bridge is built over the Tank Stream
1807 The first wool is exported from Australia to England
1808 The Rum Rebellion takes place
1809 A post office opens in Lower George Street
1815-1816 Cadman's Cottage is built
1816 The Botanic Garden begins
1819 Hyde Park Barracks is built
1824 St James Church is built
1827 The Australian Museum is founded
1830 Hackney carriages begin to run in the streets of Sydney
1831 A newspaper called the Sydney Herald begins publication
1842 Sydney is incorporated
1845 Government House is built
1850 Sydney University is founded
1855-57 Fort Denison is built to protect Sydney
1858 Sydney Observatory is built
1861 The population of Sydney is 56,000. Horse drawn trams begin running in the streets.
1868 St Andrews Cathedral is consecrated
1881 The population of Sydney is 221,000
1885 Customs House is built
1888 Centennial Park is laid out
1892 Strand Arcade opens
1898 The Queen Victoria building is erected
1900 Bubonic plague kills 103 people in Sydney
1901 The population of Sydney is 481,000
1905 St Marys Cathedral is consecrated
1916 Taronga Zoo opens
1920 Sydney Airport is founded
1923 The first radio station in Sydney begins broadcasting
1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge opens. Archibald Fountain is erected in Hyde Park.
1934 The Anzac War Memorial is built
1942 Three Japanese midget submarines enter Sydney Harbour
1954 The population of Sydney is 1.8 million
1961 Trams in Sydney stop running
1973 Sydney Opera House opens
1976 Strand Arcade is badly damaged by a fire
1981 Sydney Tower is built
1988 Powerhouse Museum opens. The Chinese Garden of Friendship opens.
1991 On 21 January Northern Sydney is badly damaged by a storm
1992 Sydney Jewish Museum opens. Sydney Harbour Tunnel is built.
1994 Governor Phillip and Governor Macquarie Towers open.
1995 The Museum of Sydney opens
1996 The Anzac Bridge opens
2000 The Olympic Games are held in Sydney
2005 Rocks Discovery Museum opens
2007 Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre opens. Sydney Opera House is made a World Heritage Site.


Source: http://www.localhistories.org/sydneytime.html

A TIMELINE OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

c. 40,000 BC Indigenous Australians arrive in Australia
1642 Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania
1688 William Dampier sails to Western Australia
1770 Captain Cook claims New South Wales for Britain
1787 A fleet of 11 ships sets sail from Portsmouth to Australia
1788 The first colony is founded in Australia
1790 A second fleet arrives
1791 A third fleet arrives
1793 The first church in Australia is built
1797 Merino sheep are brought to Australia
1803 The first Europeans land in Tasmania. The first Australian newspaper is printed.
1804
A settlement is founded at Newcastle
Convicts rebel at Castle Hill
Hobart is founded
1808 The Rum Rebellion takes place
1813 A pass is discovered through the Blue Mountains
1817 The first bank in Australia opens
1824 The name Australia is officially adopted by the British Admiralty
1825 Brisbane is founded
1828 The first census is taken in Australia. There are 20,870 free settlers and 15,728 convicts.
1829
Berrima is founded
Swan River colony is founded
1833 Bathurst and Goulburn are founded
1835 Melbourne is founded
1836 A colony is begun at Port Adelaide
1840 Transportation to New South Wales ends
1850 Sydney University is founded
1851
Victoria is made a separate state from New South Wales
There is a gold rush in Victoria
1852 Transportation to Tasmania ends
1853 Melbourne University is founded
1854 The Eureka rebellion takes place
1860 Burke and Wills attempt to cross Australia
1861 The population of Australia reaches 1.2 million
1868 Transportation to Australia ends completely
1878 The first telephone call in Australia is made
1880 Ned Kelly is hanged
<1892 Gold is found in Western Australia
1900 The population of New South Wales is about 1.4 million.
1901 The Commonwealth of Australia is formed
1904 The first car race in Australia is held
1914-1918 The Anzacs fight in World War I
1917 A transcontinental railway is completed
1922 Queensland is the first state of Australia to abolish capital punishment
1927 Canberra becomes the capital of Australia
1928 The Commonwealth flying doctor service begins
1939-1945 The Anzacs fight in the Second World War
1948 Clothes rationing in Australia ends
1950 Petrol rationing in Australia ends
1951 Jean Lee is the last woman hanged in Australia
1954 Queen Elizabeth II is the first reigning monarch to visit Australia
1955 Eastern Australia is hit by floods
1956
Television begins in Australia
The Olympic Games are held in Melbourne
1958 The first nuclear reactor in Australia opens
1962 Indigenous Australians are allowed to vote
1964 The last hanging in South Australia takes place
1966 Decimal coins are introduced in Australia
1967 The last execution in Australia takes place
1975 The Governor-General dismisses the Australian government
1992 The Mabo Judgement is made. Unemployment in Australia stands at 11.3%
1993 The Wik Judgement is made
2000
Over 250,000 people walk across Sydney Harbour Bridge as a symbol of reconciliation
The Olympic Games are held in Sydney
2006 The Commonwealth Games are held in Melbourne


Source: http://www.localhistories.org/aussietime.html

Australia and Convict History

1718-1783	About 50,000 British criminals were transported to colonies in America.
1775-1783	AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE - hostilities with Britain brought transportation to a halt.
1783-1787	British prisons and hulks began to over-flow.
1786	The colony of New South Wales was proclaimed by King George III
23/01/1787	British parliament informed that Lord Sydney had agreed to send convicts to New South Wales.
13/05/1787	The 11 ships of the FIRST FLEET left Portsmouth under the command of Capt Arthur Phillip. Different accounts give varying numbers of passengers but the fleet consisted of at least 1,350 souls of whom 780 were convicts and 570 were freemen, women and children and the number included four companies of marines. About 20% of the convicts were women and the oldest convict was 82. About 50% of the convicts had been tried in Middlesex and most of the rest were tried in the county assizes of Devon, Kent and Sussex.
18/01/1788	The fleet arrived in Botany Bay but the landing party was not impressed with the site, and moved the fleet to Port Jackson and settled in Sydney Cove on 26/01/1788.
1790	SECOND FLEET of convicts arrived.
1791	THIRD FLEET of convicts arrived.
1793	First free settlers arrived.
14/06/1825	The colony of VAN DIEMEN'S LAND was established in its own right and its name was officially changed to TASMANIA on 01/01/1856. The first settlement was made at Risdon on 11/09/1803 when Lieut John Bowen landed with about 50 settlers, crew, soldiers and convicts. The site proved unsuitable and was abandoned in August 1804. Lieut-Col David Collins finally established a successful settlement at Hobart in February 1804 with a party of about 260 people, including 178 convicts. (Collins had previously attempted a settlement in Victoria.) Convict ships were sent from England directly to the colony from 1812-1853 and over the 50 years from 1803-1853 around 67,000 convicts were transported to Tasmania. About 14,492 were Irish but many of them had been sentenced in English and Scottish courts. Some were also tried locally in other Australian colonies. The "Indefatigable" brought the first convicts direct from England on 19/10/1812 and by 1820 there were about 2,500 convicts in the colony. By the end of 1833 the number had increased to 14,900 convicts of whom 1864 were females. About 1,448 held Tickets of Leave, 6,573 were assigned to settlers and 275 were recorded as "absconded or missing". In 1835 there were over 800 convicts working in chain-gangs at the dreaded penal station at Port Arthur which operated from 1830-1877. Convicts were transferred to Van Diemen's Land from Sydney and, in later years, from 1841-1847, from Melbourne. Between 1826-1840 there were at least 19 ship loads of convicts sent from Van Diemen's Land to Norfolk Island and at other times they were sent from Norfolk Island to Van Diemen's Land.
21/01/1827	WESTERN AUSTRALIA was established when a small British settlement was established at King George's Sound (Albany) by Major Edmund Lockyer who was to provide a deterrent to the French presence in the area. On 18/06/1829 the new Swan River Colony was officially proclaimed with Captain James Stirling as the first Governor. Except for the settlement at King George's Sound, the colony was never really a part of NSW. King George's Sound was handed over in 1831. In 1849 the colony was proclaimed a British penal settlement and the first convicts arrived in 1850. Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, became the colony's convict settlement in 1838 and was used for local colonial offenders. Around 9,720 British convicts were sent directly to the colony in 43 ships between1850-1868. The convicts were sought by local settlers because of the shortage of labour needed to develop the region. On January 9, 1868, Australia's last convict ship, the "Hougoumont" brought its final cargo of 269 convicts. Convicts sent to Western Australia were sentenced to terms of 6, 7, 10, 14 and 15 years and some reports suggest that their literacy rate was around 75% as opposed to 50% for those sent to NSW and Tasmania. About a third of the convicts left the Swan River Colony after serving their time.
28/12/1836	The British province of SOUTH AUSTRALIA was established. In 1842 it became a crown colony and on 22/07/1861 its area was extended westwards to its present boundary and more area was taken from New South Wales. South Australia was never a British convict colony and between 1836-1840 about 13,400 immigrants arrived in the area. 24,900 more arrived between 1841-1850. Some escaped convicts did settle in the area and no doubt a number of ex-convicts moved there from other colonies. There were also South Australian convicts who were convicted of colonial offences.
1841	NEW ZEALAND separated from New South Wales.
1851	VICTORIA separated from New South Wales (formerly known as the Port Phillip District of NSW. Apart from castaways and runaway convicts in the 1790s, the first attempt at settlement was made on 13/10/1803 by Lieut David Collins and his party of soldiers and convicts. Harsh conditions convinced him to abandon the settlement in January 1804. He moved on to Tasmania and it was not until the Henty brothers landed in Portland Bay on 19/11/1834 and John Batman settled on the site of Melbourne that the Port Phillip District was officially sanctioned on 10/04/1837. The first immigrant ships arrived at Port Phillip in 1839. Apart from those involved in early attempts at settlement in 1803 and 1826, the only convicts sent directly to Victoria from Britain were about 1,750 convicts known as the "Exiles" and they arrived between 1844-1849. They were sometimes called the "Pentonvillians" because most of them came from Pentonville Probationary Prison in England. Many ex-convicts and convicts on Tickets of Leave and Conditional Pardons also moved to Port Phillip from Van Diemen's Land.
10/12/1859	QUEENSLAND separated from New South Wales. In 1824 the explorer Lieut. John Oxley took a party of 30 convicts and established a penal colony at Redcliffe. Known as the Moreton Bay Settlement, this later moved to the site now called Brisbane. The name Brisbane Town was in use by 1825 and the main inhabitants in the area were the convicts of the Moreton Bay Penal Station until it was closed in 1839. Around 2,280 convicts were sent to the settlement between 1824-1839 and at the end of 1836 the convict population numbered 337. The first free settlers moved to the district in 1838 and others followed in 1840. On 23/12/1862 the area of QUEENSLAND was increased.
1863	In 1825 the area occupied today by the NORTHERN TERRITORY was incorporated into the colony of New South Wales. It was first settled by Europeans in 1824 at Fort Dundas, Port Essington. In 1863 control of the area was given to the Province, and later the State, of South Australia. Its capital city, Darwin, was established in 1869 and was originally known as Palmerston. On January 1, 1912, the NORTHERN TERRITORY as we know it today, was separated from South Australia and became part of the Commonwealth of Australia.
1901	The FEDERATION of Australian States took place.
1911	The AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY was established.

Source: Tracing your family history in Australia: a guide to sources

Nick Vine Hall, 1944

Australia - 1851 Gold Rush

In 1851 there was a gold rush in Victoria. The result was a huge influx of new settlers into Australia. From 430,000 in 1851 the population of Australia rose to 1.2 million in 1861. In 1861 Melbourne was the largest city with a population of about 125,000. Sydney had about 100,000 people.

Australia and Merino Sheep

 

In 1797 Merino sheep were brought to Australia. The number of sheep in Australia quickly boomed. There was a huge demand for their wool in England. By 1820 there 100,000 sheep in Australia. By 1830 the figure had reached 1 million. There were 1 million sheep in Tasmania. By 1850 there were 13 million sheep in New South Wales. By 1850 half of all wool woven in Britain came from Australia.

Convicts and Australia

 

During the 17th century and 18th century European explorers reached Australia. In 1770 Captain Cook claimed eastern Australia for Britain. He called it New South Wales.

Life was hard for ordinary people in the 18th century and punishments for even minor crimes were severe. In England you could be hanged for more than 200 different offences. However as an alternative to hanging prisoners were sometimes sentenced to transportation. In the 18th century convicts were transported to Virginia and Maryland in what is now the USA. Transportation was a relatively humane punishment. At any rate it was better than hanging!

However after the American War of Independence (1775-1783) this was no longer possible and the government began looking for a new destination for transportees. In 1786 it was decided to send them to Botany Bay.

Getting rid of undesirable members of society may not have been the sole motive for founding a colony in Australia. The British may have hoped to found a naval base in the Pacific. They also hoped Australia would be a source of timber and flax.

At any rate on 13 May 1787 a fleet of 11 ships set sail from Portsmouth. On board were 759 convicts, most of them men with sailors and marines to guard the prisoners. Captain Arthur Philip commanded them. With them they took seeds, farm implements, livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses and chickens and 2 years supply of food. The first colonists came ashore at Port Jackson on 26 January 1788.

At first things were difficult for the colonists and food was short although Phillip sent a ship to South Africa for more provisions which returned in May 1789. Food was rationed and the rations were anything but generous. However things gradually improved. A second fleet arrived in 1790 and a third fleet came in 1791. At first the settlers lived in simple wooden huts but later convicts made bricks for houses.

Captain Phillip left Australia in December 1792. When he returned to England he took samples of Australian plants and animals. He also took two indigenous people.

At first convicts worked on government land for provisions but from 1793 those who behaved well were freed and given grants of land. Also the first free settlers arrived in 1793. Although hopes of growing flax in Australia came to nothing but whales were hunted in the Pacific and seals were hunted in the Bass Strait.

Samual Pyers - Convict

 

Samual Pyers was born in 1771.  was tried on 13 Sep 1790 at Middlesex. He was sentenced to 7 yrs transportation. He arrived at Port Jackson on board the 'Active' (3rd fleet) on 26 Sep 1791. On 25th of October 1797, Sarah was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey. She was 14 years old at that time. Sarah Johnson was living with Samuel Pyers in 1801. On 2nd November 1801, Samual and Sarah were married by Rev Henry Fulton. In 1802 Samual's occupation was listed as a constable and later as a farmer. In 1805 Samual was listed as a land holder on Norfolk Island, holding 14 acres of land, 10¾ of which were in crops. On this land Samual had two dwelling houses as well as two outhouses. When it was decided to abandon the settlement on Norfolk Island the people were deported to Van Diemen's Land.

Samaual and Sarah and their three children: Richard, Mary and Sarah were removed to Hobart (5th embarkation) arriving there 1 Oct 1808. Samual was granted 30 acres of land in 1811 (in lieu of the land he had held on Norfolk Island) at New Town. In 1823 he received a grant of 50 acres in the district of Morvin, and 30 arces at Glenorchy. Samual and Sarah had another 5 children in Tasmania - Maria, Hanna, Samual, Susannah and George. They sold their 30 acres in Newtown in 1840 and moved to the Hamilton area where Sarah died 11 May 1840 from inflammation of lungs. She was 61 years old. Samual died at Fairydale on the 13 Aug 1850 at the age of 79. Both, Sarah and Samual are buried at St. Peter’s Hamilton.  

Four of his children were amongst the first settlers in Victoria. Richard, the eldest, along with his wife and two children settled at Portland in October 1839, Susannah and her husband, James Cook, at Gleneg River (Casterton)in 1839/40, George arrived in 1840 and lived at Buninyong before becoming a squatter in the Donald area. Samual also farmed in the Merino area and later in the Charlton District.

Australia

 

Australia is estimated to be 7,692,024 square Kilometres. It is the sixth largest nation after Brazil, Canada, China, Russia and the United States of America. However, Australia has a relatively small population. As of 3^rd July 2015 it is 23,819,381.

Australia is the only nation to govern an entire continent and its outlying islands. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth. Its interior has one of the lowest rainfalls in the world. Its fertile areas are well-watered.

The Australian federation consists of six States and two Territories. Most inland borders follow lines of longitude and latitude. The largest State, Western Australia, is about the same size as Western Europe. Six Australian States are - New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. And two Territories are – Australian Capital Territory and northern Territory.

Australia’s culturally diverse society includes its Indigenous peoples who arrived more than 50,000 years ago, and settlers from countries all around the world. Immigration is an important feature of Australian society. Over six million people from 200 countries have come to Australia as new settlers. Migrants have made a major contribution to shaping modern Australia. People born overseas make up almost one quarter of the total population.