1830 – 1839

2.6       1830-1839  

Richard Siddins was now 60 years old and after an illness in February, returned to work as a pilot.

He was fortunate to survive when; “On Friday afternoon, while Mr. Siddons the Pilot was endeavoring to board the Elizabeth at the heads, the boat capsized, and one of the crew was ‘unfortunately drowned, Mr. S. was swimming for near half an hour before he was picked up; the body of the drowned man has not yet been found”                                                                          Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 – 1838), Saturday 24 April 1830, page 2

and

“On Friday last, the boat in which Mr. Siddons, the pilot, proceeded on board the Elisabeth near the sow and pigs, suddenly swamped under the bow of the ship, just as Mr. Siddons had got on deck. Two men, one of them a native black were in her at the time. The native was unfortunately drowned, but the other men, by swimming and the assistance received from the ship, were picked up shortly after.”                                                                                                         Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Tuesday 20 April 1830, page 2

His name was often mis-spelt “Siddons”

This was at a time when the pilots had small boats rowed by a crew of two, usually assigned convicts, and no mention is made of the other crew member. One or the other was most likely Nicholas Bullock who was recorded as being his “waterman” in the 1828 census.

Coincidentally, however not so fortunate several years later, was a crew member of the Elizabeth, Thomas Morgan.  His body was found in a well. It appeared that he had been intoxicated on the previous evening, and had fallen in. The Coronial Verdict—Accidentally drowned.

He was barely back at work when the schooner Liberty was wrecked on North Head. It was the now fairly common story that while trying to sail out through the heads in a storm, the ship “missed stays”.  While they dropped one anchor, it was insufficient to stop the ship being driven on to the rocks.  Two of the crew and two passengers were lowered in a boat with the intent to row another anchor out to drop further out.  Instead, the two passengers seized the oars and rowed away, abandoning all on board.  Fortunately, no one was killed, however the ship and cargo were lost and by the time Richard and his two crewmen arrived, there was nothing they could do.

Thomas Watson was called upon to stop a ship leaving the harbour in 1830.  He only played a minor role; however the story is interesting for the light it shines on maritime law.  William Cuthbert had been transported to Sydney Cove in 1817.  He was 23 years old, had been convicted of forgery and sentenced to 14 years.

In 1824, Cuthbert was granted permission to marry and was assigned a convict (possibly his wife) and in 1825 was granted a provisional pardon.  By 1826, they were living and operating a business in York Street.  Within two years he had built a substantial coaching business and two years later in 1830, bough a brig call “Bee”. This was when Thomas Watson became involved.

At eleven o’clock at night, Thomas was woken by Mr. Pearson from Sydney who claimed that William Cuthbert owed him a considerable amount of money (somewhere between 50 and 100 pounds). Pearson told Watson that the Bee was anchored off Camp Cove near the Sow and Pigs and that he had a “paragraph” and the “Silver Oar” and that they needed to board the ship before it could leave the harbour. 

Watson and Pearson boarded the Bee at five o’clock the next morning and confronted Cuthbert with the “paragraph” and “silver oar”.  The “paragraph” was a legal document and the “silver oar”, actually a miniature silver oar.  The “silver oar” was a ceremonial mace that had been introduced by the admiralty in the 1459.  It gave permission to the holder to board any British vessel and had been primarily used to capture pirates, including Captain William Kidd in 1701.

Pearson demanded that Cuthbert settle his debs before he would be allowed to leave the harbour.  All of the details are in an addendum at the end of this chapter. 

Cuthbert did leave for Hobart, with a cargo of his horses to sell.  He left his wife behind, boarding her with a family in Sydney.  When he returned many months later, it is recorded that he arrived with his wife. This perhaps explains why several years later, he was charged with bigamy in Hobart. 

Back in Sydney, Pearson took him to court to retrieve money he had spent in restraining him at Camp Cove.  All for a verdict of 40 shillings.  Cuthbert in turn sued the editor of the Sydney Gazette for slander and damage to his reputation as a merchant and received a verdict of 40 shillings.  In Hobart, he also sued a minister, the Reverend Mr. Mansfield for libel and received a verdict of 40 shillings.

Cuthbert began trading with the “Society Islands” (Tahiti) and the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and the Bee was attacked by Tahitians after her crew had “abused” local women. 

Finally, in Hobart he was to be charged with bigamy, when he escaped in the company of the court officer sent to seize him.  He put his crew ashore completely naked and sailed off with a crew of four convicts.  They arrived in the Sandwich Islands where local officials had already been notified of his crimes.  Before they could arrest him, he sold the goods on board Bee and bought another ship on which they escaped.  They were last known be sailing to Spanish California.

The “Bee” was returned to Sydney with two of the escaped convicts and a cargo of salt.  It had black broad arrows painted on her side to identify that she carried convicts. The “Bee” was sold to pay Cuthbert’s debts. 

Throughout the convict era, the families of Watsons Bay and Vaucluse were assigned convicts as house servants and to work at the lighthouse, signal station and as pilot boat crew.  They also were regularly reported as attempting to escape.

PIRACY.

A report was current throughout town on Sunday and yesterday, that the schooner Schnapper and one of the pilot boats had been piratically seized and taken to sea by a party of prisoners; we have made enquiries on the subject, and the following may be relied on as the facts of the case. Four men, two of them attached to the light house on South Head, and the other two belonging to Mr. Siddons, the pilot, having contrived to possess themselves of one of Mr. Watson’s boats, put to sea therewith between the hours of two and four on Sunday morning, carrying with them ten oars, and a complete set of sails. The Schnapper was lying in Watson’s Bay, and boarded by Noble so late as ten o’clock on Saturday night, who reports that she was to sail at an early hour in the morning ; and therefore, although a conjecture exists that she may have been boarded and carried off by the boat’s crew, the more probable result is, that she proceeded, as was intended, for her destination.                                                                         The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842)Tuesday 19 July 1831

As usual, sailing ships were still at the mercy of wind direction when entering and leaving the harbour.  In February the “Lord Liverpool” was forced to wait in Watsons Bay for a change in wind direction.  Captain Livingstone offered a regular passenger service between Sydney and the Hunter River and had a reputation for offering “kindly attention” to his passengers.  Rather than wait on board, many of the passengers were rowed to shore during the day.  It wasn’t reported what they did to amuse themselves, but it was apparently more comfortable than remaining on board.

Just eighteen months later there seemed to be a solution when Thomas Watson testified to a potential solution.

9 August

WHILE our steam-vessels are rendering such essential service to the inland and coastwise conveyance of the colony, they are also of great occasional use to our larger commerce, by towing ships of heavy burthen in and out of harbour. This extra advantage has hitherto been supposed to attach to the Sophia Jane alone, but it is now proved that even the little Surprise can at times afford very seasonable assistance to our shipping. On Sunday last, Mr. SMITH, the proprietor of the Parramatta packet, handsomely volunteered her services to tow out the Duckenfield, which was becalmed; and we have much pleasure in publishing the subjoined testimonials to the efficient manner in which she performed her task :—

On board the “Duckenfield”, at sea,

7th August, 1831.

” I beg leave to return my most grateful acknowledgments to Mr. Smith, of the “Surprise” steamer, for his kindness and urbanity in voluntarily towing my ship, the “Duckenfield”, 368 tons register, and drawing 13 feet water, from Sydney to sea, which she effected with ease, in a calm, at the rate of four and a half miles an hour ; and should strongly recommend the “Surprise” as a vessel well adapted for a tug-boat to ships becalmed or wind-bound.

” ADAM RIDDELL,

” Master of the Duckenfield.” —————— ” Watson’s Bay, August 7, 1831.

” With reference to the accompanying letter of Capt. Riddell, I have only to testify the correctness of his statements ; and to add, that the voluntary services rendered the Duckenfield entitles the owners of the Surprise to great praise. The voyage from Neutral Bay to the Heads occupied only one hour and a quarter.

” THOMAS WATSON, Pilot.”                                                                                                     Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Tuesday 9 August 1831, page 2

There is no evidence that the use of steam vessels to tow sailing ships out through the heads was ever offered as a regular service.

As late in the year as December, Southern right whales were still commonly seen migrating off the coast of Sydney and whaling had become a significant industry, with ships operating out of Mosman Bay.

Archibald Mosman built a complete refitting establishment for whaling vessels on the land at Great Sirius Cove. A heaving-down wharf with deep water alongside sufficient for large ships, a two-story stone warehouse 50 meters long with a sail loft in the upper floor, and cottages to accommodate the crews.

The “Cape Packet” was a whaler, whose crew had been catching and boiling down oil in southern waters.  Almost all whaling ships had “tryworks” mounted on their decks.  These were big iron pots set in a brick stove.  With the fires lit, blubber was shoveled into the post and boiled to extract the oil which was then cooled and stored in barrels.  On shore, the oil was strained and bleached, and then sold primarily as lamp oil. Immigrants who kept diaries of their voyage across the southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans described seeing the fires on the decks of whalers from a great distance at night.

As the “Cape Packet” returned to Sydney, the captain sighted two whales and sent two boats out to capture them.  When a storm blew up, one boat made it back to the ship and the other was lost to sight.  The crew of one of the boats, “In this painful and hazardous situation they made for Sydney, which, after two days’ privation and toiling at the oar under a hot sun, they reached in safety”.  Two days later when Richard Siddins boarding the ship as she entered the Heads, he advised the master that his people, had arrived before him.

1831 was also a year in which Major Thomas Mitchell began to survey a new road to connect South Head with Sydney Town.  He had recently been appointed Surveyor General and spent much of the decade exploring inland New South Wales.

The first section of the road was the most difficult to build.  It involved extending the road from Park St through the sand hills to Rushcutters Bay.  It also involved litigation when the crown alleged that a Mr West had taken an additional 5 acres of land adjoining his grant.

The South Head Road party are at present cutting through a hill of sand, to form a junction between the piece of road made by Mr. Underwood’s men, and the already finished part of the road. Those who preach about transportation being no punishment, would do well to take a ride, or a walk, and look at these men, labouring under a hot sun, drawing between four or six of them, a horse load of heavy sand, the wheels sinking up to the axles in the ground. The spectator if on foot, will find it a labour to walk a few minutes among it, and if he rides, his horse will soon manifest tokens of fatigue.

Mr. Burne, the Superintendent of Hyde Park Barracks, receiving information on Friday morning that several bad characters who had absconded from the roads were lurking about Sydney, despatched Driscol, the barrack overseer, with instructions not to return if possible without thein. Driscol accordingly proceeded on his own and succeeded by Saturday evening, in apprehending no less than six. Two of them, who are notorious bush-rangers, and made a desperate resistance, are suspected of some recent highway robberies, as also of that on Mr.Pamington.                                                                                                                                       Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Tuesday 25 March 1834, page 2

In April 1832, Richard Siddins resigned as pilot due to ill health and he was immediately appointed as the Lighthouse keeper.  He offered his property at Watsons Bay for Sale or Lease as the family was provided with accommodation at the lighthouse. The advertisement read:  “The House contains six Rooms, with Kitchen, Coach house, Stabling, several dry Cellars, an excellent Well of Water, Storehouses, a Wharf frontage to the Harbour, Paddocks, a fine Garden, and every convenience for a Family of the first respectability. There is also a good Carriage Road from the South Head.” ….”The above delightful Residence will be disposed of for about one-third of the cost for building, or let at a moderate Rental.”

While there were regular instances of convicts assigned to the flagstaff at South Head running away, the government built new flagstaffs at Gladesville and Dundas.  They introduced a new code of signal flags, and the message was now sent from South Head to Observatory Hill, Gladesville and Dundas and finally to the governor’s residence at Paramatta.

With Thomas Wealand leaving the lighthouse to take on one of the pilot positions, he applied for a land grant.  John Foreman also applied for land however he died before taking up any position at Watsons Bay.  He sold his barque “Denmark Hill” because of ill health in 1831, and his wife Elizabeth died at their home “Denmark Cottage” at Paramatta in 1836.  John died 11 months later, he was 62 year sold and she 42.

WATSON’S BAY.

Allotment No. 9, containing one rood and eight perches ; bounded on the South by

Siddons ; and on the West by Foreman’s allotment. Applied for by John Foreman.

9. Allotment No. 2, containing one rood and five perches ;bounded on the North by Siddons. Applied for by Thomas Wealand.

The purchaser of either of these allotments will also be required to enter into an engagement to complete a dwelling-house and garden, within two years.                                                                 Wed 29^th August   1833

When his health began to fail in 1832, Richard Siddins sold the farm and moved from the position of Pilot to the Lighthouse keeper, and in December 1838 reported that “Ryan Martin,19, Tipperary, farm boy, 5 feet 3¼ inches, brown comp., brown hair, hazel eyes, scar back of left side of head, cross inside lower right arm” had been missing for three days and assumed escaped. He had previously escaped from Port Macquarie in 1827 and received 50 lashes.

With Richard moving to the lighthouse, Thomas Watson was assigned an additional three convicts to make up his crew. Seamen Henry Blow, Peter and John Brown all having arrived on the ship Portland, were assigned to him in August 1832.

Thomas remained as the pilot until 1837 when he returned to the sea as a ships captain and merchant.  He leased his house at Watsons Bay to Hannibal H Macarthur, John Macarthur’s nephew, and sold it to him in 1840. It was then that the house was named “Clovelly”. 

With around 160 ships entering and leaving Port Jackson each year, the government thought to reduce the cost of providing a pilot service by making it compulsory that all ships use the pilots and pay them directly. Over the next thirty years this number would increase to 1,330 arrivals per year and the tonnage from 34,000 tons to 366,236 tons. 

In September 1832, the government published the rules and regulations applying to all shipping into and out of all ports in New South Wales and the rates for pilots entering and leaving those ports.  Local trading vessels were exempt, however if they had to use a pilot, the same rates applied as to all vessels arriving from the sealing and whaling grounds to the south and from foreign ports such as the Indian ports.  Trade was still controlled by the East India Company, so almost all foreign shipping passed through Indian ports.

The new system was introduced in 1833, with pilots having to be registered by the Harbour Master.  They then had to compete with each other for every job.  The pilots had to provide their own boats and equipment, maintain a crew and cover all costs. On a signal from the flagstaff that a ship was in sight, the pilots would race each other to be first on board and secure the job.

It was only now that Thomas Watson and Richard Siddins land grants were formalized.  Just in time for Thomas to sell his property and move on.

Catherine and Partick Humphries continued to live at Watsons Bay and made regular visits to their children living at his land grant at Kincumber.  Their son Michael had married Sarah Ann Hence in 1829 and they had their first daughter Louisa born that year. They settled at Watsons Bay, initially living in the cave at the back of Gibsons Beach.  During the 1830s, Michael made a living as a fisherman and Sarah, as well as helping Michael make fishing nets and making the pilots and their crews clothing, gave birth to and raised a large family; Michael in1831, Catherine in 1832 and Elizabeth in 1835.

Thomas may not have been employed as a pilot or in any government capacity, however before the introduction of a rescue boat service, he filled that need when required.  Thomas was a fisherman, however he was also entitled to make a profit from salvage operations.  Following the wreck of the “Charlotte”, he salvaged the large timber saws and offered them to the owners for a reward.  One of the owners of the “Charlotte” remained on her upturned hull so that neither Thomas nor Thomas Watson could claim the wreck as salvage.  His wife Sarah provided comfort to the survivors.

When due credit didn’t come his way, he often wrote to the newspapers to correct the record. Following are two reports of the wreck of the “Charlotte”

UPSET OF THE “CHARLOTTE.”-

About two o’clock on Monday last, as a fisherman named Humphreys was seeking

bait outside the Heads, he saw a sloop which was making for the port capsize, and turn

bottom upwards. He immediately gave an alarm ashore, when Mr. Winch, the pilot,

and his boatmen put off to the assistance of the crew, who were seen swimming about

in the sea. Mr. Watson stepped into Humphrey’s boat, and the parties made for the

sloop : on reaching her, several persons had saved themselves by getting on to her

bottom, and were crying out for assistance.

The wind was blowing.very hard at the time, and the sea running high, but they

succeeded in saving the whole of the men, eight in number, from a watery grave. A

female passenger, in the sloop, was however missing, and her cries were faintly

heard underneath the vessel. Mr. Winch proposed to get the poor woman out by cutting

a hole in her bows, and axes were immediately brought from the shore for that

purpose. After about half an hour’s labour, they succeeded in coming to the spot from

whence the cries proceeded, and with great difficulty extricated the woman from her

perilous situation. The woman was under the boat about an hour and a-half, was

nearly exhausted for want of air, and had received some severe contusions from the

 timber in the vessel. She was brought ashore to one of the pilot’s houses and very

 kindly treated, and afterwards came to Sydney.

The sloop, which turned out to be the Charlotte, from Illawarra, was towed into

Camp Cove for the night ; the vessel belongs to Mr. Steele, of Darling Harbour.

Too much praise cannot be awarded to the pilots and fisherman whose commendable

exertions on this melancholy occasion were the means of rescuing so many individuals

from a watery grave.                                                                                                                  Thursday 24 July The Sydney Herald

UPSET OF THE ” CHARLOTTE.’

We are requested by the fisherman, Humphreys, who was chiefly instrumental in relieving

the men from eminent risk of drowning, and afterwards saved the woman by cutting a hole in the bottom of the vessel, to state, that the account in the Herald of Thursday last, is extremely partial.

The following is a correct statement :-While the vessel was standing in for Watson’s Bay, Humpreys and a person named Brown were at Glass Bay. They observed the vessel safe, and making her way for the Harbour. In a few minutes she was seen with her bottom upwards.

They instantly rowed to the men who were discovered holding by the keel and sides of the vessel. Having secured them from danger, the screams of a woman were distinctly heard. Humpreys had only a shingling hammer, but this was so blunted, that it could make no impression on the planks. A boat in the meantime anchored to the leeward, with a person named Richardson in her.  He was unable to lend any assistance, and Humphreys having landed the crew, with the exception of one who insisted upon staying on the bottom, in order to secure the vessel being claimed as a wreck, he ran to Mr. Watson’s, where he detailed the catastrophe and procured the loan of some axes.

Mr. Watson instantly came to his aid, as well as Captain Rideout, when they, with Humpreys, and the man who had been left on the vessel, dragged the female out. Mr. Winch the pilot, who is said in the Herald to have done such wonders, stood with arms clasped in the stern sheets of his boat, while Captain Rideout manfully exerted himself to keep the water from entering in the hole cut to preserve the woman. Mr. Winch jocularly remarking, leaving Mr. Watson to save the vessel by dragging her into Camp Cove, in the best way he could, which Mr. W. succeeded in doing.

The female, in a state of extreme exhaustion, was taken to Mr. Humphrey’s house, where she received the kindest attention from the family, and was so far recovered as to be able to walk to Sydney the next day.                                                                                                                                       Tuesday 29^th July The Sydney gazette and New South Wales Advertiser 1834

Mrs or Miss Campbell had a long walk to Sydney rather than wait for a boat to take her there.

June 1834 a brief advertisement in the newspaper announced that a Mr Wynch who had been the chief officer of the government schooner “Isabella” had been appointed to be the fourth pilot for Port Jackson.  Other notices also named a Mr Brazell and Mr Wayling as pilots granted licences.  Mr Wynch’s name was often spelt “Winch” and Mr Brazell as “Brazel”, however they don’t appear to have had long careers as pilots.

They had barely settled into their positions when they were involved in the first major wreck of a ship inside the harbour. The “Edward Lombe” was on a voyage from London to Sydney via Hobart with a captain unfamiliar with Port Jackson.

SHIPWRECK.

The Ship Edward Lombe from London, via Hobart Town, consigned to the house of Messrs. J. B. Montefiore and Co. of Sydney, was wrecked off the middle head during the hurricane of Monday night.

From the information we have been enabled to glean on the subject, it appears that the vessel was off the land in the afternoon, and beating up for the port. A little before the wind rose to its awful height, she got abreast of the heads, and the officers found that they must either suffer shipwreck on a lee shore, or push into the heads in order to find shelter from the gale. The sea was running mountains high, and the white surf on the beach, indicated the channel for the harbour. At 10 o’clock they cast anchor, expecting that they could keep the ship steady until the wind abated. The gale however increased in violence, and the rain full in torrents. In the midst of these perplexities, both anchors failed, and the ship drifted to the middle head, where she struck and became a wreck.

No signal of distress was fired, and the pilots on the opposite beach knew nothing of the dreadful catastrophe until the morning shewed the vessel dashed to pieces, fragments of the wreck floating about, and some of the surviving crew at that moment rescued from the sea. Here they might have remained for some time longer, and perhaps by the breaking up of the poop have all perished, had not Captain Swan, of the Venus, belonging to Mr. Mackie, of George-street, discovered the wreck while making from Spring Cove to Sydney.

His boats were instantly lowered, and sixteen men and a woman were providentially saved from a watery grave. It appears that twenty-nine human beings were in the Edward Lombe when she struck upon the head. Of these, twelve have perished. The female, a Mrs. Jones, whose husband and brother (lost by the wreck) were members of the legal profession, was sent on shore by the pilot boat, in a state of nudity, and it is feared that her agonizing grief will bereave her of her senses. Up to last night she was in the house of Mr. Whalen, the pilot, and scarcely a minute free from hysterical fits. “Ladies of Sydney.– Here is an object worthy of your tenderest sympathy ; a female torn by the waves from a husband’s embrace,– that husband with her brother lie beneath the waters, while she, utterly destitute, is thrown upon the wide world without one friend to solace her in affliction, and perhaps deprived of everything that could support existence.

Had the master steered to the right of the north head, instead of to the “sow and pigs,” the vessel might have been saved. That error becomes accounted for, when it is known that the Captain was a stranger and not familiar with the localities of the port. The present catastrophe will now convince the Government, that a beacon, instead of a tar barrel, ought to be placed upon the “sow and pigs”.

It is admitted by all hands, that the master, being on a lee shore, was justified in running into harbour. The Government, the moment the wreck was announced, ordered the Revenue Cutter to proceed to the spot, and boats were, on Tuesday and yesterday, actively employed in saving all that was floating from the wreck. Four of the men saved were partially bruised. The others were landed at the King’s Wharf, by the Venus, on Tuesday morning. The following list furnished by the agents, will shew the people lost and saved :—

Lost—Stewart Stroyan, master ; George Norman, second mate ; and William Sebbett, third mate, Richard Acasy, James Starkey, and John Kemp, seamen. Thomas Gibbs, surgeon, Francis Jones, William Willinsen, Austin Knight, and Thomas Greenhill, passengers.

Saved—Thomas Marshall, chief officer. Henry Tebbutt, Richard Young, Joseph Terrence, Andrew Anderson, Henry Sutherland, Edward Bryant, Ro-bert Pratt, and William Wilson, seamen. Henry Younghusband, William Crainstow, and Henry Weatherhead, boys ; and Mrs. Jones, wife of Fran-

cis Jones.

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Thursday 28 August 1834, page 2

Typically, with the Sydney press, there was criticism made of the pilots of Watsons Bay, however the Chief Mate Thomas Marshall set the record straight.

EDWARD LOMBE.

The Sydney Gazette of September l8, has some very uncalled for remarks upon

the conduct of the Pilots’ station at the Heads, at the time of the unfortunate affair of the Edward Lombe. The following certificate from the surviving Officer of this ill-fated vessel, will show that no blame can be attached to the Pilots :-

” I do hereby certify, that it was not more than one hour and a half from the time that the Venus first came to the wreck of the Edward Lombe, before Mrs. Jones, myself, and several of the crew, were brought by Mr. Wealands to his house, and every, nourishment afforded that was ne-cessary, and Mr. Winch, the other Pilot,

put the remainder of the crew on board of the Venus.

” I further certify, that owing to the dark-ness of the night, and the heavy rain that fell, it was impossible for anyone to see the ship when she came into harbour, and if they had, the gale was so strong, that no boat could have got alongside, to render

the least assistance.

THOMAS MARSHALL,

Late Chief Mate.”

18th Sept. 1834.

Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), Monday 22 September 1834, page 1

In 1824, the Harbour Master John Nicholson had arranged for an iron beacon to be erected on the Sow and Pigs.  It was ten feet above the water and painted white. By 1828 it was described as an empty water butt on top of a staff, and there had been numerous wrecks of small coastal vessels. 

By 1831, the owners of these smaller coastal trading boats that required no Pilot were calling for the government to erect a fire basket on the reef and to have a manned boat moored there at night to feed the fire.

Just months before the wreck of the “Edward Lombe”, the Sydney Herald with tongue in cheek wrote “We are happy to observe that the hint given respecting the beacon having been washed from the Sow and Pigs has been attended to ; and that this splendid piece of architecture and mechanism (a tar barrel on a mop-stick) once more rears its aspiring head”

A month after the wreck, there were calls to spend three or four thousand ponds on a beacon, and by late 1836, a boat with lanterns hanging from poles was moored beside the reef.  “A nice little craft, named the Rose, intended for the light vessel to be stationed rear the Sow and Pigs, was launched from the Yard of Messrs Summerbell and Phillips, on Wednesday last and has been taken to the Dockyard to have the lights fitted; they are being manufactured by Messrs. Castle and Dawson. It is said she will be fitted by the 1st of June”.                                            Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 – 1838), Saturday 7 May 1836, page 2

In October 1834, the ship David Scott sailed in through the heads with pilot Wynch on board.  As he stood on the poop deck with the officers, a fight broke out.  The David Scott was one of the first of the female immigration ships. It became government policy to encourage single women to emigrate to the colony, and despite claims by the commission that the women should meet strict physical and moral criteria, John Dunmore Lang the presbyterian minister wrote:

“A few facts will serve to open the eyes of people of common understanding in England, as to the real character and tendency of the female emigration system. The David Scott, a female emigrant ship, chartered and loaded with merchandize on his own private account by Mr. John Marshall, agent of the London Board, arrived in Sydney about the beginning of November, 1834. Sixty of the females who formed part of her cargo were common prostitutes; forty of whom were so thoroughly vile, that my informant, a respectable free emigrant, who arrived in the colony as a cabin-passenger by that vessel, assured me, ” he did not believe they could be matched in England.” The captain’s authority was accordingly set at defiance by the crew, and the vessel converted into a scene of the most abandoned licentiousness during the whole voyage. The ship Layton, which had arrived some time previous, had been similarly circumstanced; and the consequence was, that although a considerable number of reputable females emigrated by both vessels, many were ruined for ever, from the vile society into which they were thus thrown. The Canton, which arrived rather more than a year after the David Scott, was at first reported to have brought out a much better cargo: it was ascertained, however, that within three days after the females by that vessel were landed in Sydney, forty of them were regularly domiciled in houses of bad repute in the colonial capital.”

Charges were brough against:

Mr. Joseph Bradley and Mr. Frederick William Horne, the former chief, and the latter second officer of the ship David Scott, were brought before the Magistrates, by the commander of that vessel, charged with endeavoring to incite the crew to a revolt. The transaction arose out of an attack by the accused on the person of Captain Owen, as the ship was entering the port, in which the captain ordering his officers to their cabins, they called the crew aft to protect them. The more serious part of the charge was dismissed, but the defendants we held to bail to answer the assault at the Quarter Sessions. The complainant was attended by Mr. Wentworth, and the defendants by Mr. Sydney Stephen.

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Tuesday 28 October 1834, page 3

A detailed account of the trial appeared in the press followed this initial item and concluded that there had been a misunderstanding and no one was guilty.  Pilot Wynch gave evidence that he wasn’t involved in the fight but witnessed an argument with women who had been ordered to go below decks and punches thrown by various officers and crew members. 

The entire incident had been due to the fact that the ship didn’t have a flag to indicate that she carried female emigrants on board.  They did have a flag to denote single female prisoners and one of the officers instructed Wynch to have that flag flown.  Other officers regarded it as an insult to the women to fly such a flag, particularly given the attitude of people such as Lang. They thought the reputations of these free women would be damaged forever.  By all accounts, many of the women did in fact go on to practice their trade as prostitutes.

A number of convicts assigned to work for W.C. Wentworth, James Siddins at the lighthouse, and Mr Wynch and Mr Wayling as pilot crew managed to hatch a plot to escape from the colony.  They seized Wentworth’s cutter the “Alice” and headed north. At Port Stevens, Wentworth’s master of the boat, a Mr Ross who was also an assigned convict, managed to escape.  He had tried to leave the boat before they left Watsons Bay and now he made his escape.  He walked to Newcastle and reported that the “Alice” was heading north.  The government “Revenue Cutter” was sent in pursuit, caught and returned them to Sydney for trial.

“James Kay, John Williams, James Brennan, William Brennan, James Hanson, Joseph Hudson,     Thomas Ford, John Hobart alias Stoddart, and Thomas Newell. Stood indicted for, that they on the 15th October last, piratically and feloniously took forcible posession of a small Cutter called the Alice, the property of Mr. W. C. Wentworth, then lying in Vaucluse Bay, Port Jackson………..    

Mr. Solicitor General in stating the case said, the Prisoners at the Bar were persons who had been transported to this Colony, Brennan and Stockwell were employed at the Light House, and one was in the service of Mr. Wynch, the others in the service of Mr. Wentworth. They went on board the Alice, Ross and Hanson (two free men), and Williams (a prisoner for life) being then in charge of her, when Ross heard the others come on board, he attempted to get on deck, and requested to be put on shore, he asked Williams if he had joined with the others, he said he had. Mr. Solicitor then said he was aware that being a case of piracy, it must be tried under a certain jurisdiction, and the question would be whether the Court had a right to try such a case ….”

 The Sydney Monitor Wednesday 18 November 1835 – Page 2

Richard Siddons found that the Macquarie Light-tower was in poor condition.  Built from soft sandstone and exposed to the elements on the cliff the stonework required major repairs

In 1836, pilots Wynch and Wayling were in trouble.

THE PILOTS.-At the instance of the Commander of the Moffatt Prison Ship, which was so nearly lost at the entrance of the Harbour on Tuesday week, an investigation into the conduct of Pilots Wynch and Wayling on that occasion was entered into yesterday, before Captain Nicholson, R. N., Harbour Master, Mr. Pope, master of H. M. S. Rattlesnake, and J.F. Church, Esq., merchant. The report of the Commission of Enquiry, which we are informed on good authority, attaches much blame to the conduct of both the Pilots, will, we understand, be laid before His Excellency the Governor in the course of today, we shall therefore abstain at present from any remarks which might be deemed prejudicial to the parties accused. When the signals of distress were telegraphed from the South Head, Captain Nicholson immediately proceeded on board, taking with him Mr. Watson the Pilot, and leaving him to render such assistance as was practicable, returned to H. M. S. Rattlesnake, to obtain an anchor and cable from that ship. Having effected this, Captain. N. returned to the Moffat, accompanied by the First Lieutenant of the Rattlesnake, with whose assistance, and that of Mr. Gray, the cable was attached to the ship, and the anchor dropt in such a position as effectually to secure the vessel from destruction.                                                                   Colonist (Sydney, NSW : 1835 – 1840), Thursday 8 September 1836, page 3

Wynch’s licence was withdrawn as a result of the enquiry, however Wayling was much more adventurous in having a cutter built for himself and a partner named Brazell.  A cutter was substantially larger than a whale boat, and fitted with spars and rigging it sounds like they intended to out run the whaleboats of the other pilots using sails.  This cutter was launched in October and it is unknown if it was ever used for piloting or if Wayling also had his commission withdrawn.

Occasionally Watsons Bay was inundated with visitors.

“The gullibility of the good folks of Sydney, appear to equal that of the inhabitants of the modern BabyIon. On Sunday, the old road, and the new road to South Head, were covered with vehicles of all descriptions–equestrians, and pedestrians, hurrying towards Camp Cove, to take a peep at the Leviatlhan of the deep, which had been captured by Mr.Geen’s boat a day or two pervious, and having gazed at the fish with evident marks of admiration, they tacked and stood towards home. The Sydney tribe of blacks had congregated, like vultures over a battlefield, thinking the occasion highly auspicious, and intending to luxuriate upon the rich banquet which the flesh of the Liviathan offered. On that day another fish was struck by Mr. Green’s boat, but they were obliged to cut, in consequence of the whale towing them too far outside the Heads.”

Wed 8^th August The Sydney Monitor

The South Head presented more the appearance of a fair than a quiet little watering place on Sunday, owing to a whale having been caught by one of the parties who have taken up their station at Camp Cove. Boats of all sorts and sizes, manned by crews of all ages, were hourly pouring down from Sydney, all with eager eyes to see the whale cut up. Pic Nic parties were to be seen at every turn discussing the important point of how much oil she would turn out, and at the same time turning out themselves various bottles, containing wines etc. Poulterers and pastry cooks, publicans and whaling gents out of births, were to he seen on the road, all eager alike to see and congratulate the fortunate fellow that struck the fish, and brought it in a prize. A worthy Barrister who resides in the neighbourhood was in the early part of the day busily employed catching sharks, who, like similar animals on the land, were ready to have a bite at a fallen enemy. Those who are good judges agree in saying that, the whale will turn out about 35 barrels of oil. Whales were in view on Sunday, and it was a beautiful sight to see the boats outside pulling in various directions, with the hope that they might fall across one of them, but they returned one after the other unsuccessful.

Wed 8 Aug,  Commercial Journal and Advertiser and also in The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston, Tas.) on Saturday 15^th September.

At this time, a future resident of Watsons Bay arrived as a convict at Hobart.  Manuel Jacinto who was later known as Emanuel Jesson was a nineteen year old Portuguese from Madeira.  As an eighteen year old, he was in Jamaica and prosecuted for stealing a watch and money.  Found not guilty, he was soon after prosecuted by a Frenchman for “house breaking and stealing money”.  Found guilty this time, he was shipped to England, imprisoned briefly in a hulk and then transported on the “Coromandel” in 1838.  His record states that he was repeatedly guilty of “insubordination, refusing to work, absconding and indecent behaviour”  His sentenced was increased from seven to eight years in 1839.

James and Anne Smith who would later settle in Watsons Bay gave birth to a son James in 1838 and in 1835 William Newton married Ann Brown. In 1836 their son, William John Newton was born they would move to Watsons Bay in the 1840s.

Richard Siddins and his young wife Jane also contributed to the population of Watsons Bay and Vaucluse, when they moved to the lighthouse in 1832.  With six children already born before the move to the lighthouse, Jane gave birth to Thomas in 1831, Elizabeth in 1834, Ellen in 1836 and Maria in1839.

You will recall that following his final sealing voyage, Richard had held a church service for seamen and had called for a permanent floating church to be established in Port Jackson.  Now in his old age, he and a Congregational minister, John Saunders raised the money to build the first Congregational Church in the colony.  In 1839, the foundation stone was laid, and construction begun on a corrugated iron church with living quarters in the rear with a stove and chimney.  It was designed by John Bibb, built opposite the Lighthouse Reserve and stood for over sixty years.

In 1837, Richard finally managed to sell his estate at Watson Bay to Pieter Lauren Campbell.  Campbell arrived in the colony from the Cape Colony in 1832 and as a supporter of Governor Bourke was promoted to various positions including Colonial Treasurer in 1839.  He married Barbara Isabella McLeay, daughter of Alexander McLeay, in1834.  The Campbells bought the Siddins property and had a new Maritime Villa built and named Zandoliet or Zandvliet.

The Campbells were only at Watsosn Bay long enough for them to have one child before the estate was subdivided into 17 lots for auction in 1841. Like Siddins, he struggled to sell and unsold lots were auctioned in 1847.

Following are detailed newspaper articles about the wreck of the Edward Lombe, the introduction of Port Regulations and the proposed sale of much of W.C. Wentworth’s estate.

Trumpeter General (Hobart, Tas. : 1833 – 1834), Friday 26 September 1834, page 2

Sydney News.

WRECK OF THE EDWARD LOMBE.

We are under the painful necessity of recording a melancholy event, the first of the kind that has occurred in the Harbour of Port Jackson—the total wreck of the ship Edward Lombe, which happened on the night of Monday last, during a heavy gale from the South-east. Since the catastrophe of the Ann Jamison, we know of no circumstance that has caused so much excitement, both on account of the loss of twelve of our fellowmen, (some of whom are respectably connected in New South Wales), but also for the destruction of property. The following particulars may be depended upon for their authenticity, having received the account from the mouths of those who knew too truly the whole of the melancholy tale—the persons saved from the wreck.

On Sunday, the 17th instant, the Edward Lombe, Captain Stroyan, of 370 ton, sailed from Hobart Town for Sydney, having on board a quantity of spirits, ale, salt, and other merchandise ;—Passengers, Mr. Greenhill, (brother of Mr. Greenhill, of Sydney), Mr. Knight, a hairdresser, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Mr. Kemp, Mr. Wilkinson, and Mr. Gibbs, a surgeon.

After leaving Hobart Town, they were becalmed for about three days, and on Saturday last, a breeze sprung from the east-south-east, and compelled the Captain to sail under close reef top-sails ; the coursers and mizen were also obliged to be reefed ; the gale having continued and blew violently. On Monday, the ship was off the land, but on account of the weather being hazy, could not make out Port Jackson Heads. The gale increased, and Captain Stroyan endeavoured to keep off the coast, as much as possible, and for that purpose tacked about first to the northward and eastward, and again to the southward. About eight o’clock at night, they carried away their fore-top mast stay-sail, and the fore-top mast back-stay ; and about the same time saw the light from South Head, Captain Stroyan now found it impossible to keep the vessel off the coast, and steered for the Heads, which they entered somewhere about half past nine o’clock.

The wind continuing to blow with the greatest fury, and no pilot being on board, thought it advisable to let go an anchor within about two ship’s length of the Sow and Pigs ; this anchor is supposed to have parted from the cable immediately, such was the violence of the gale, and another was let go, but which only checked the course of the vessel for a few minutes, and she commenced drifting. The Edward Lombe was almost immediately afterwards dashed stern first upon the bold rocks called the Middle Head, while the Captain was giving orders to sheet home the top-sails, for the purpose of sailing the vessel into a more secure situation.— Everything was now in confusion ; Captain Stroyan called out to know if Mrs. Jones, the female passenger, was secure, and desired the men to fetch her up from below. Some hands went down to Mr. and Mrs. Jones, who were in their beds, and succeeded in dragging them out in a state of nudity, and brought them on deck. A man named Knight, a passenger, was also apprised of his danger, but not believing what was told, remained in his bed, and was not afterwards seen.

At this time the seamen and passengers were running about the ship panic struck, some in the shrouds, and others in different parts of the vessel. The Captain and two seamen, with a passenger named Wilkinson, were engaged in cutting away the launch, for the purpose of endeavouring to save all hands, when a tremendous sea came and swept away Captain Stroyan, and the three other persons—boat and all, neither of whom was afterwards heard of ; this sea also carried away the cudey, the larboard-bow having been stove in on the rocks. The next sea that came over the vessel, took away the bowsprit and foremost, and stove in part of her broadside.

At this time, a lad who had been confined on account of a bad leg, contrived in a most miraculous manner, to scramble along the main-chains, and reach the poop of the ship, where most of the people were hanging on. While bringing along Mr. Jones and his wife, the husband was washed from midships, and not seen afterwards. Another dreadful sea succeeded the former one, and carried away the main and mizen-masts, and the cargo of the vessel was seen coming out of her broadside.

Just as most of the seamen got on to the stern of the ship, the ship broke asunder quite close to the poop, which was left wedged in between the rocks. The fore part of the ship drifted with great violence about thirty yards from the stern, and went nearly to pieces, and had not the chain cable kept her bows in that situation, no traces of that part of the vessel would have remained until morning. The rigging had all fallen into one mass of ruin and destruction, and principally lay between the two parts of the vessel.

The whole of the persons alive, were holding on to the stern of the vessel, the female passenger being in the centre of them, for the purpose of protecting her from the waves as much as possible, she being almost naked, and severely bruised ; but such was the dreadful state of the weather, that every sea that came washed over the whole of them, and none expected to survive the night. The surgeon and second mate endeavoured to save themselves by a rope from the stern, but were shortly afterwards drowned. A seaman, named Anderson, went down by the spanker-boom, but was so much exhausted by the violence of the sea, that he was obliged to let go the rope, and was dashed on the rocks ; another sea came and took him off again, when he caught hold of the cable, and got on to the bows of the wreck, and after much difficulty he succeeded in climbing on the top of a high rock, where he remained until morning.

About 3 o’clock, Mr. Marshall, the chief officer, made several attempts to get ashore, for the purpose of rescuing all hands from the stern of the vessel, but he was driven back by the sea. About day light, they saw a schooner and a sloop at some distance, and made signals with their shirts, etc.. ; shortly after, the Venus sloop came up, and put off a boat to them, but could not get near on account of the breakers.

Captain Swan, of the Venus, after putting off his boat, sailed across to Watson’s Bay, in his vessel, and fired three guns, for the purpose of calling the attention of the Pilots to the wreck, and also hoisted the Union Jack, reversed. He then came over again to the Edward Lombe, but could not get sufficiently near to take any of the men from the wreck. The Venus and her crew then went round to a contiguous bay, and after mooring the sloop, went over the rocks to the assistance of the wretched persons on the wreck

Captain Swan, and his crew were now engaged in bringing the survivors ashore by ropes ; one man, named Jones, acted in a most praiseworthy manner towards the unfortunate seamen, and several times risked his life in their behalf. By this time the Pilots’ boats put off and were seen making for the wreck. Mrs. Jones was almost lifeless with being in the wet and cold all night, having only one thin garment on, just as she left her bed ; after being wrapped up with jackets and other things, she was conveyed to one of the Pilot’s houses, where she was treated with great kindness, and we are happy to hear is fast recovering. The remainder of the unfortunate persons were brought up to Sydney as soon as possible, and have been temporarily provided for by the Agent of the Edward Lombe.

About 10 o’clock in the morning, news reached the town of the Catastrophe, and immediately afterwards, Captain Lambert and a boat’s crew, the Harbour Master and his crew, Captain Roche, with the Revenue Cutter, Mr. Jeffreys, the Surveyor of Customs, with his boat’s crew, besides several other boats, with officers from the Alligator, started to Middle Head, for the purpose of rendering their assistance to save what property they could, and succeeded in collecting a considerable part of the cargo which was floating about in all directions, but in the most damaged condition.

The different bays and the harbours as high as Bradley’s Head, were literally strewed with pieces of the vessel and merchandise. We never witnessed so complete a wreck as that of the Edward Lombe, now lying on the Middle Head of Port Jackson.

In the course of Tuesday, a mail was found marked No. 1, which is supposed to have been the principal one, and yesterday another small mail was picked up, which will be distributed today. Mr. Raymond has offered liberal rewards for any other mails or letters that may be found. The Captain’s desk was also discovered yesterday, but emptied of its contents ; it is said by the crew, that the Captain had three hundred sovereigns in it. Up to yesterday, none of the bodies had been found. The following persons are missing, and must have perished :—Captain Stroyan, Mr. Norman, the second mate, Mr. Tibbett, third mate, Mr. Gibbs, surgeon, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kemp, Mr. Greenhill, Mr. Wilkinson, and Mr. Knight, passengers ; the steward, and two seamen. The following persons were saved from the wreck :—Mr. Thomas Marshall, the first officer, Mr. Henry Tibbett, and Mrs. Jones, passengers ; Henry Lawson, carpenter ; Andrew Anderson, Henry Wenherhead, Joseph Tnlena, Henry Sutherland, Richard Young, Thomas Lake, William Wilson, Henry Younghusband, William Cranston, Thomas Lang, Robert Pratt, Thomas Taylor, and John Howlett. The whole of the unfortunate persons who were rescued from the wreck, having lost their clothes and every article belonging to them, besides being thrown pennyless upon the world, it is hoped the humane will step forward to alleviate their distresses.

The surplus Hibernia funds, so ungraciously demanded a short time ago, in the hands of the Emigrants’ Friends Society, might be distributed amongst the sufferers. A subscription list will for the present lie at the Herald Office, and the contributions will be published in future numbers.

Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), Monday 24 September 1832, page 4

---

SCHEDULE A.

Port Regulations to be observed by all Masters and Commanders of Ships or Vessels In Port Jackson.

I. All ships or vessels arriving in the harbour of Port Jackson, having Gunpowder on board, exceeding the quantity necessary as stores for their use, are to hoist an Union Jack at their Main, and shall not proceed higher up the harbour than Neutral Bay until the gunpowder on board be landed according to law : And all ships or vessels taking gunpowder on board shall not be permitted to do so higher up than Neutral! Bay and it any master or commander of any ship or vessel shall offend against either of these-regulations, he shall for fell and pay the sum of ten pounds.

II. Every ship or vessel arriving in the harbour of Port Jackson, importing any goods or merchandize, shall be allowed twenty-one working days to discharge her cargo, after which period, should she not be discharged, the master or commander thereof shall pay to the tide waiter on board the same, at the rate of 6. sterling per day until the whole of the cargo shall have been finally discharged.

III. No vessel or boat shall be hauled on shore for the purpose of repairs or otherwise, nor shall any casks, spurs, anchors, guns, timber, or other articles landed at the eastern side of Sydney Cove, nor lit the King’s Wharf, without permission being first had and obtained from the Collector or Controller of Customs, and the Harbour Master.

IV. All masters and commanders of ships in Sydney Cove and Darling Harbour, shall get their spritsail yards fore and aft, and shall rig in their jib and driver booms, when thereto required by the Harbour Master or his Assistant.

V. No master or commander of any ship or vessel is to unmoor or quit the anchorage in Sydney Cove or Darling Hat beer, without giving previous notice in writing, to the Harbour Master; no. having unmoored and set sail, with the intention of going to sea, shall he again come to anchor, within the heads of Port Jackson, unless compelled so to do by stress of weather or other unavoidable cause and in such latter case he is not to fall, on demand, to deposit his clear and with the clearing officer, or master of the revenue cutter, until about to sail, nor shall again weigh anchor without permission from the Officers of the Customs.

VI- And to prevent the escape of convicts, The master or commander of every ship or vessel about to sail from Port Jackson, and to leave the Colony, shall heave to, to the westward of Bradley’s Head, for examination and search and having sailed therefrom, shall not bring up afterwards within the heads of Port Jackson, unless compelled by weather, nor suffer his ship a vessel to be afterwards boarded by any boat or vessel whatever, excepting the boats of the Customs and pilots.

VII. When any persons shall die on board of any ship or vessel lying in Port Jackson, the master or commander of such ship or vessel shall cause the body of such deceased person to be brought on shore and interred.

VIII. All vessels under 100 tons, at the King’s wharf, ate to discharge their cargoes at the north end thereof and to be allowed three days only for that purpose ; And all vessels above 100 tons, are to be allowed to lie at the front of the Wharf the following number of days, Sundays not included ;

Vessels from 100 to 200 tons, 6 Days ; 200 to 300 tons, 8 days ; 300 to 400 tons, ten days; 400 to 500 tons, twelve days; 500 to 600 tons, 14 days.

Vessels discharging cargo, to have preference to the wharf,

IX. All vessels entering Port Jackson are to anchor their guns, before they come higher up than Neutral Bay. No great guns are to be fired from any ship or vessel in Sydney Cove or Darling Harbour.

TABLES REFERRED TO.

B.

TABLE OF PILOTAGE RATES.

A Table of the Rates of Pilotage, payable to licensed Pilots on Ships and Vessels from India To distance of two leagues out at sea into and out of any Port or Harbour in New South Wales, for which a Pilot shall be appointed ; Vessels registered in Sydney, not exceeding 50 tons, or while employed in the coasting to rule, us in one Port of New South Wales to another, and steam Vessels while so employed, excepted, unless the assistance of the Pilot be required and received for every Vessel drawing 7 feet or under, £4,  8 feet and under 9 feet, at £4 5s. 9 feet and under 10 feet, £4 10s.; 10 feet and under 11 feet, £5 ; 11 feet and under 12 feet, at £5 10s. ; 12 feet and under 13 feet, £6 ; 11 feet and under 14 feet, £6 10s.; 14 feet and under 15 feet, £7; 15 feet and under 16 feet, £7 10s.; 16 feet and under 17 feet, £8 ; 17 feet and under 18 feet, £8 10. 18 feet and under 19 feet, £9 ; 19 feet and under 20 feet, £9 10s,; 20 feet and under 21 feet, £10; 21 feet and under 22 feet, £11 ; 22 feet and under 23 feet, £12., and so on One Pound for every additional foot.

C.

TABLE OF HARBOUR DUES.

A Table of the Dues and charges, payable to the Harbour Master, for repairing on board and appointing the place of anchorage of Ships and Vessels, entering any Port or Harbour in New South Wales ; or, for the removal of the same from one place of anchor-age or mooring to another, not being for the purpose of leaving the Port ; Vessels registered in Sydney, under fifty Tons, or while employed in the Coasting Trade from one Port of New South Wales to another, excepted.

For every vessel under 100 tons, 5s. ; 100 tons and under 300 tons, 10s. ; 200 Tons and under 300 tons, 15s.; 300 tons and under 400 tons, £1;  400 tons and under 500 tons, £1 5s.; 500 tons and upwards, £1 10s.

TABLE OF CUSTOMS’ CHARGES.

A Table of Charges, payable to the Collector or other Officer of Customs, for the entry inwards or clearance outwards of Ships and Vessels of any Port or Harbour of New South Wales, where an Officer of Customs is stationed ; Vessels under 50 tons, registered in Sydney, excepted ; vii –

For every Steam Vessel employed in the Coasting Trade from one part of New South Wales to another, Is. 3d. entry. Is. 3d. clearance ; For every Vessel registered in Sydney, and so employed, as above 50 SS not exceeding 100 tons, 4s. entry, 4s. clearance ; For every such vessel so employed, if above 100 tons, 10s. entry, 10s clearance ; For every other Ship or Vessel 15. entry , or clearance

E.

TABLE OF LIGHT-HOUSE DUES.

A Table of the Rates, payable to the Collector of  Customs, Sydney, on Ships and Vessels above Fifty Tons, arriving at Port Jackson, towards the Maintenance of the Light House, at the entrance thereof,

viz 1st

On every Ship or Vessel above Fifty, and not exceeding One hundred tons, employed in the Conning Trade, from one port of New South Wales to another, 2s on every Steam Vessel The ton register measurement, and on every other ship or Vessel the ton register measurement, 2d

TABLE OF WHARFAGE RATES.

A Table of the Rates of Wharfage, payable to the Collector of Customs, on articles landed at the King’s Wharf, Sydney.

For even Ton Butt, is. a Pipe or Puncheon, Is.; Hogshead, Old.; Bailey, Cd.; cask or keg of smaller size, 3d. ; Crude, Cask, or disc of Hardware, Earthenware or Ironmongery, 9d ; Bale, Case, and Box, not exceeding half a ton measurement fld. ; Ditto, exceed-ing half a ton, Is. ; Chest of Tea, 3d. Half-Chests or BOK of Ten. led. ; Bag of Sugar, Ijd.; Rag of Coffee, Led.; Package of rice. and Basket of Tobacco, 3d ; Bag of Hope, Is. ; Pocket of Hope, 6d. ; Bushel of Gerald.; Dozen of Oars, 2d. ; One hundred of Deals, 9s 0d ; One hundred of Staves, Is.; Dozen of Spades and Shovels, Id.; Ton of linen, Steel, Lead, or other Metal, including Shot, 2s. 6d. ; Turn of Salt, Is. 6d. , Ton of grain. Is. ; Ton of Cordage, 8s. 6d- ; Ton of Potatoes, Is. 6d.; Bottle of Paint, Oil, and Turpentine, and, ; Mill stone, 2s; Four Wheeled Carriage, 5s.; Two Wheeled Carnage, 3s. j Small package not otherwise enumerated, 3d ; Ton of heavy Goods, not otherwise enumerated, 2s 6d.

Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 – 1838), Friday 8 June 1838, page 3

SALES BY AUCTION. NINETY-FOUR ALLOTMENTS OF THE CELEBRATED ESTATE OP VAUCLUSE,

THE PROPERTY OF W. C. WENTWORTH, ESQ.

A. POLACK,

With reference to a former Advertisement, has now the honour to announce to the Inhabitants of the Colony at large, that the Surveyor having now completed his survey,; the Sale of the above portion of that splendid and unequalled’ Marine Estate, known as Vaucluse, the Property of W. C. ‘Wentworth, Esq,’ is finally fixed to take. place at Eleven o’clock precisely,

ON MONDAY, 9^th. JULY, ‘1838.

AT HIS BAZAAR.

THESE ALLOTMENTS have been so marked out, that each has a considerable frontage to the SOUTH HEAD NEW and OLD ROADS, the VAUCLUSE VILLAGE, and other convenient branch reserved Roads, and varying in contents from one to five Acres, or more, agreeably to locality and quality.

Twenty-five of these Allotments

Front the South Head “Old Road, commencing at Haydon’s northeast corner, and extending to within two hundred yards of the

FLAG STAFF,

Some of them consequently facing

THE LIGHTHOUSE.

THITY-FOUR ALLOTMENTS :

Have frontages on” each side of the

SOUTH HEAD NEW ROAD,

 From the Domain of Mr. Haydon’s house, the residence, of J.- Haslingden, ‘Esq., to its junction with the old Road, exceeding a mile in distance. The remaining Allotments front;

VAUCLUSE.. VILLAGE,

and other convenient reserved Roads, all of which’ have their junction with the main Roads. Thirteen of those are bounded on their, west sides by ROSE BAY, Immediately opposite the Marine Village of

POINT PIPER,

The’ residence of Colonel Gibbes, and extend from thence, in east direction, to the new South Head and Vaucluse Roads, having the Bridle Road, as originally. made by Captain. Piper, running through them from Rose Bay..

AFTER WHICH,

A. P. will dispose of the northern-most portion of the Estate adjoining the Government Village of

WATSON’S BAY,

The residence ‘of the Hon. H. H. Macarthur, M. C’, M. ‘W. Lewis, Esq , Colonial Architect, &c. &c.,’ which said Piece of Land has been marked out, in conformity with the system adopted by the Crown, as

A MARINE ‘VILLAGE,

Which has been named

THE VILLAGE OF VAUCLUSE,

AND CONSISTS AT PRESENT OF FIFTY.FOUR ALLOTMENTS,

Containing half an acre and upwards each, laid out at right angles with each other. They have frontage, to

VICTORIA OBELISK,

recently erected by Government, to Petrarch and Laura streets, and Watson and Parsley Bays, with a convenient reserved Road, named

THE VILLAGE ROAD,

leading to the South Head Road, which it intersects about two, hundred yards from the Light House., Too high eulogium cannot possibly be passed on the very many and superior advantages this most beautiful Estate possesses. In the first place, it, is no more than a walking distance from the business part of the Capital of New South Wales, being only about four miles, alone good and lively Roads, and also a pleasant excursion by water, so that conveyances of various descriptions are at all seasons easily, practicable, a desideratum of great importance, as Gentlemen in public offices, (particularly those possessed of families) might live here both conveniently and economically for water, firing, and stone for building, will cost nothing, and vegetables, poultry,etc., a mere trifle, and the formation of the country being of sandstone, water can easily be obtained by digging on all the Allotments; and with a view of meeting the wishes of all parties, he has reserved several spots for building Churches of the several denominations. The Views, also, from almost every part of the Estate, are grand and picturesque in the extreme, embracing the whole of the east side of Sydney, with the Blue Mountain Range bounding the western horizon, on the west side; the district of Botany Bay. and Illawarra Mountains, on the south side; the romantic Harbour of Port Jackson, with its various headlands, bays, and inlets, North and Middle Harbours, and Parramatta Riser, on the north side; and the South Pacific Ocean on the eastern side, so that no ship or vessel can possibly enter or go out, without being seen, so that it may justly be compared to the fashionable watering place at the mouth of the River Thames, well-known as

SOUTHEND.

For the site of an Establishment for the accommodation of Officers on leave of absence, or Invalids from India, such another spot cannot be found, as

Sea-bathing,

so requisite for such persons, may be here enjoyed at all hours with privacy; and the amusement of’ BOATING, FISHING, SHOOTING,

etc. is always at command.

To Wealthy Graziers ,

Residing in the Interior, this Property holds out numerous advantages for their comfort; as here they may enjoy all the pleasures of the most fashionable watering places, so much desired and sought after In the mother-country. Any praise emanating from the Auctioneer may be considered superfluous, who, however, cannot refrain from stating his firm belief, that, in a few years, VAUCIUSE will rival  Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, etc.

To the Retired Tradesman,

those in easy circumstances, such another opportunity may perhaps never again offer itself, as various spots on this Estate have been, for a series of years past, considered by the citizens, favourite ones for ‘ PIC NIC PARTlES,

and for health cannot possibly be surpassed; indeed it would be difficult to find such a combination of  beauty, variety, and. usefulness.

Ship and Boat Builders

would also find some of these Allotments particularly eligible for their avocations, as a bold shore and . deep water bounds ‘a great number of them, in some places sufficient for a

SEVENTY-FOUR GUN 5UIP,

to float alongside.

THE CAPITALIST AND MAN OF FAMILY

would also do well to bear in mind, that at no very distant period back, the celebrated SURRY HILLS were considered as far off from Sydney as Vaucluse is now from the eastern boundary thereof.  As the whole of these Allotments have been distinctly marked out by Mr. P. L.  Bemi, the Surveyor, each corner thereof having a batten, on which is painted the number, A. Polack therefore invites the inhabitants to inspect the same personally, prior to the day of Sale, as he is confident they will bear the strictest scrutiny. In the meantime

A LARGE PLAN,

shewing the rises and falls of land, water-course., and other localities, is now ready for public exhibition, at the Bazaar. Calalogues will be ready in a few day. Terms liberal, made known at the time of Sale and a LIthographio Plan. will be given to each Purchaser gratis,

William Cuthbert

1827                                                                                                                                               The first notable event which distinguished the hour of morn was, the debut of Cuthbert’s Paramatta conveyance THE MONITOR COACH, with a full                             cargo inside and out of holiday folks, who, escaping’ from the monotony of                                Sydney, sought refuge in the more rusticated scenes of Parramatta.

24th Aug 1830                                                                                                                           Arrivals                                                                                                                                             From Launceston, the same day, the brig Bee, Captain Anlaler. Lading, wheat.         Passengers, Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert Mr. Barker, Mr. Hamilton and Thomas Hughes.

Sydney Monitor (NSW : 1828 – 1838), Saturday 25 September 1830, page 2

Supreme Court, WEDNESDAY.–. Civil Side. -Before Mr; Justice Dowling and the following Special Jury. Messrs. Bunn, (Foreman) Cobb, Marsden, Kinghorne, Lord, Walker, James, Farmer, Lawson, Johnstone, Mitchell, and Raine. Cuthbert v. Mansfield. This was an action of trespass on the case, to recover compensation for injury sustained by plaintiff, in his character as a merchant: The damages were laid at £1000. Plea, the General Issue and a Justification. Mr. Wentworth, Mr. Therry, and Mr. Moore, appeared for plaintiff. Dr. Wardell and Mr. Allen for defendant. Mr. Moore opened the pleadings, and Mr. Wentworth after addressing the Jury, called the following plaintiff: I knew him as coach proprietor for about a year; I heard he had commenced business in a mercantile way, (paper put into his hand) “Cuthbert, the late coach proprietor, has decamped on the back of his Bee;” I have no doubt that refers to the present plaintiff. E. Byers– I am a clerk in the Custom House; I have known plaintiff four years; he was a coach proprietor, and kept horses and chaises ; he appeared in a considerable way of business till about twelve months ago; I know he became owner of the brig Bee; I know she left this port to go to Hobart Town, Van Dieman’s Land; she had a general cargo, but principally horses; the greater part of the cargo belonged to Mr. Cuthbert. By a Juror-The cargo was shipped by Cuthbert. Edward Franks – I have known Cuthbert ten years; about two years ago he was a stage-coach proprietor, and owner of gigs for hire ; he had been so 18 months or two years; he relinquished the business eight or ten months ago; I was present when he bought the brig Bee; he was to pay 1800L- after which she was to leave this port; she was going to Hobart Town; he asked me to go with him ; he said he should be back in six weeks or two months (Gazette produced). I should consider this paragraph applied to Mr. Cuthbert ; I was on board the Bee the Sunday before she sailed. Cross-examined – I can make the paragraph out; I have heard the paragraph read frequently ; I and Cuthbert are not cronies ; he kept a shop at the wharf at one time ; I never knew him live out of Sydney ; I and Cuthbert are friends; I was on board the vessel to see her; she was lying alongside the wharf; I don’t know if he took any horses on board. The Clerk of the Court here read the libel. CUTHBERT. —The late “coach-proprietor has suddenly decamped on the back of his Bee, the vessel he lately purchased, leaving his creditors in the lurch. He owes large sums to several gentlemen in Sydney, and about £500, to a worthy Magistrate up country. – Mr Pearson, of Market-street, who had a claim for £30, took out a writ on Saturday, and after a close hunt from morning to night, at length discovered that he was secreted in his own house ; but so well had he fortified his castle against the expected besiegers, ‘that he showed himself at one of the windows, and set Mr. P. and the bailiffs at open defiance : they tried every means they could think of to effect an entrance, but in vain ; and when the clock had struck 12, he impudently sallied forth into his verandah, and triumphed in the legal impunity of the Sabbath. Early on Sunday morning he weighed anchor, and made for sea, but the wind being unfavourable, Mr. Pearson learnt in the eventing that at sunset the vessel had anchored below the sow and pigs. Away went the undaunted creditor, and by the help of eight good oars, reached the house of Mr. Watson, the pilot, at about half past eleven, with whom it was concerted, that at day-break, if she still remained within side the Heads, operations should be briskly commenced. Accordingly, at 5 o’clock yesterday morning, Watson boarded her, and was instantly followed by the Sydney party. Mr. P. having provided himself with the Sheriff’s “silver oar”, which gives the right of entering any British vessel, and holding also a Judge’s writ for Cuthbert’s apprehension, insisted that the money due him together with the expenses incurred by his chase; should be paid down instanter, or the vessel forcibly taken back to Sydney by the pilot. After a good deal of altercation, Cuthbert wisely chose the least of the evils, and handed over to Mr. P. £50, being £20 more than his debt.

The runaway coaches appeared to abound in sovereigns ; there is no doubt he has feathered his nest well, to the cost of his unlucky creditors. He has left his wife without the smallest provision – not even shilling. His destination is Hobart Town, where we hope this statement may reach time enough to put the people there upon their guard. Dr. Wardell addressed the Court at considerable length and called the following witnesses to justify the libel. Mr. Cox.-I know the plaintiff; I had dealings with him; in the early part of December I sold four horses to him for 120L., for which he gave me a note of hand at four months; a few days after I sold him six more at 150L. ; he paid me by a check on the bank, for 50L., and the other was a note; when he left the Colony he made no provision for the notes; they were paid at the Derwent ; I have been a magistrate 20 years. Cross-examined – The paragraph was the cause of my sending the notes to the Derwent: I transmitted the notes through Mr. Gore; I should not have sent them down unless I had not been told he was not coming back; 220L. was paid into the Bank by Mr. Gore, who acted as agent for me; Cuthbert owed me nothing at the time he left except the notes; no one can doubt this paragraph would do him an injury; but I don’t know that it has. By a Juror – I should have had no doubt of the bill being paid, unless I had seen the paragraph. Richard Jones – I know the plaintiff; I have had dealings with him ; about the end of February I held a promissory note of his for 172L. 18s ; heard of his having purchased the Bee, and shipping goods in her; there were reports that he intended to leave the Colony, and cheat all his creditors, who could not immediately come upon him; in consequence of which, I sent repeatedly for him to call at my office, but he did not; I met him one day, and told him it was currently reported, and I had been told by several parties that he was going to leave Sydney in the Bee, which he had just before purchased, without paying any of those persons whose bills he could not be sued on ; he assured me in the most solemn manner he had no intention of leaving the Colony in that vessel; the vessel was going to Hobart Town, he said, on a mere speculation; he had entrusted it to other hands, and should not go himself; it was about the middle of the day on Saturday, as she sailed on the Sunday morning; I have no doubt he went in that vessel; I told him if he was going to leave the Colony, to come and pay his bill, and I would allow him the discount for the time it had to run; when I became uneasy I enquired at the Bank of New South Wales, and found he had drawn out in fifty pound notes, that morning, between seven and eight hundred pounds; he took some casks that belonged to us ; the general feeling was, when he went away, that he did not mean to return.

Mr. Wentworth objected to this course of examination. Judge Dowling — I am surprised objections have not been made to half this evidence. Cross-examined-The conversation took place the Saturday before he left; I have heard people say, when they were going on a speculative trip, they were not going; I sent the bill to Hobart Town, when it arrived at maturity, and it was paid; in the common course of communication between this and Hobart Town, he might have remitted funds to retire these bills; no time was mentioned when the casks were to be returned; he delivered them to my agent at Hobart Town ; I charged Cuthbert with being about to leave the Colony; and he said if he meant to turn ?????? not ???? Botany Bay for so small a sum as he owed ; but of all things, he would not cheat us; I trusted his circumstances.; solemnly on my oath, he told me he was not going – as true as I stand here.               Re-examined – I would not have trusted him when his money was gone. By the Court–It was notorious that he was going to leave the Colony. By a Juror – I preferred running the risk of losing the bill, than to his sending the money up. By the Court–We had another transaction with him, and he paid us; I think the paragraph would injure him at Hobart Town. Roger Murphy–A short time previously to plaintiff leaving Sydney, I saw him ; it was on the Friday before he sailed; in consequence of something I heard, I had some conversation with him ; I said, ” You are going, are you;” he said no ; he had just left his vessel, and she was under weigh. Cross-examined–I understand she sailed on the following Sunday; I had no acquaintance with him. C. Prout–I am Under-Sheriff ; I know Cuthbert ; I have seen the name of F. E. Forbes in our, office; we had a Ca. Sa. against Cuthbert on the 25th August, for 144L.; we have had two against him. Mr. Wentworth objected to the question. Judge Dowling–That answer was very unnecessary Sir ; confine yourself to the question. Examination continued-The Bee was seized by me at the suit of Mr. Bodenham, on the 8th May, shortly after her arrival. Michael Hyam – I had dealings with Cuthbert in January last, to the amount of 35L. ; he drew a bill for the amount, payable in three months, which fell due on the third of April; it was paid before it arrived at maturity, in Hobart Town; I was not aware of his going away; when the bill became due, it would, have been paid at the Bank of New South Wales, By the Court – What I saw in the Sydney Gazette., had an effect on my mind ; which caused me to send the bill down, it was payed before it was due. J. Pearson – I know Mr. Cuthbert; I had a good deal of trouble in February last ; he owned me thirty pounds odd; it was about three weeks or a month before he sailed ; it was to be a cash account and not a credit one, the things were to be paid for on delivery; three days after I applied for payment, he said he would call the following day; he did not; from several persons on the Thursday previously to his sailing I heard he was going to Hobart Town; I sent my clerk to him and he brought me word back, Cuthbert would pay at a particular hour next morning, I sent but he was not at home ; in the course of an hour I sent again ; I met Cuthbert the Saturday morning previously to his sailing, I asked him to favour me with the account between us, he said he had no money but two fifty pound notes, and if I would send my clerk on my return home, with the difference, he would pay it; I did so but it was not paid ; I told him I heard he was going in the Bee; he said that was impossible for the Bee had sailed; finding my clerk could not get the money, I went to the Custom-house to enquire if the Bee had sailed, but found it had not; I then went to Mr. Norton’s and took out a writ; I went to his house with the bailiffs about six or seven in the evening, we knocked at the door, and asked if Mr. Cuthbert was at home? the bailiffs said they wanted to see him ; he said call to-morrow; shortly after he came out on the verandah and threatened to shoot any person, who should come on his premises ; he was there a few minutes when he came down, I or the bailiff knocked at the door; he called for his pistols first, and likewise murder, thieves, watch. The moment the watchman called twelve o’clock, he and wife followed in the same train, and hurried away saying he was a free man, and did not care for any b– in Sydney. Dr. Wardell – I suppose you walked off then as Spectators. *On the Sunday morning, I went into the domain and saw the brig going down the steam ; I thought she could not get out, in the afternoon I went to Fort Phillip and asked the signal man to tell me where the Bee was ? he said she was inside the heads; I took a boat and went with several persons to Watson’s Bay ; the following morning I went on board the Bee, I had a writ and silver oar ; the moment I saw Cuthbert he said this was a pretty business, coming on board his vessel in this way; what authority had I.  I showed him the silver oar, and read the writ to him; he supposed money would settle it ?   I told him yes, by paying debt and expenses?  he asked how much the expenses were; I told him I did not know, but that if he paid me more than enough, I would give the remainder to his wife; he offered me £40. I told him that would not be enough ; I then went into the cabin, he opened a chest and took out a roll of notes, out of which he pulled two fifty pounds ; he said you are a pretty fellow to come after me, you see I have more money than will buy the whole of you. He gave me two fifties and I left the vessel; but he followed me in another boat; I gave him one back, and he gave me some sovereigns, and some doubloons. I gave him a promissory note payable on demand to his wife any balance due to him; he gave it up again, and said he would not send her a farthing. When in the cabin, he said if he had had another hour’s fair wind, I should never have seen him again when I came off he put his hands on my shoulder, and said ” now Mr. Pearson I’ve acted like a man of honour to you, and if you meet any boats coming from Sydney, try to procure their return, by saying, you have not seen me; and keep the silver oar in your possession till after three o’clock, when I shall have sailed. Cross-examined.- I saw Mr. Mansfield that day, and had a conversation with him about Cuthbert going away ; I did not think my boarding the vessel was a subject to go down to aftertimes ; I sued the writ out between 11 and 12 o’clock ; I am not positive the writ was not issued before Saturday morning ; I gave him a receipt when he gave me the two fifty pound notes ; I don’t know whether it was cancelled ; we had pistols, but we did not present them, nor was any threatening used ; I paid over the surplus to his wife after I received a lawyer’s letter ; I think I paid her between £9 and £10; my clerk acted as bailiff by a copy of the writ being placed in his hands ; Cuthbert said I was imposing on him, and he told me he would go back to Sydney ; I told him he must my debt and expenses, or go back to Sydney; I have had transactions with Cuthbert, and he always paid me in ready money, which excited my suspicions on this occasion; I have given Mr. Mansfield no indemnification for the consequences of this action. J. Smithers –This witness corroborated Mr. Pearson. To rebut the justification were called –T. Oliver. – I. Attended the clearing out of the brig Bee; it was two or three days before she sailed; Cuthbert was mentioned as owner and passenger ; any person might have seen it at the Custom-house, the cargo was ????? horses ?????? stock are on board vessels, they are anxious to sail ; I was on board the Bee when she was going down to the Sow and Pigs; and on the Monday, morning when she cleared the heads; she could not go to sea on Sunday for the swell; she was bound for Hobart Town; Sunday was a wet day; and I was anxious she should clear the Heads ; she was in danger of going ashore ; the Captain was drunk ; Cuthbert said he would go back and get another Captain ; I persuaded him from it, in consequence of the time it would take to put his name on the register; and he went on. John. Ring – I am a coachman ; previous to Cuthbert’s going to Hobart Town, in the beginning of February, I engaged to go with him and his horses and to return ; I understood he was going ; I went to’ the Derwent with him, and remained there about ten weeks; nine out of the ten horses, were sold at the Derwent ; I heard about the paragraph ; it was all over Hobart Town, that Cuthbert had run away with the brig, cargo, &c. No person would give him credit. Cross-examined.– never heard Cuthbert deny he meant to go ; my agreement was to come back in the brig ; if she had not come back I could have stopped there; I believe she was cleared for Circular Head and Sydney ; she did not go there; I believe it was because the captain was not competent. W. S. Henningen. – l am acquainted with Mr Cuthbert ; I knew him and his wife before he went to the Derwent; I know in what circum-stances his wife was left, a few days before he went he applied to me for his wife to board and lodge at my house; I told him it would be a pound a week ; on the Monday Cuthbert sailed, she came to live in my house; the same morning she handed me over eight five pound notes, saying, that was what Mr. C. had left her for her support till his return; she had beside some silver and a sovereign; she showed me a bill on Mr. Hart for sixteen pounds, due that day, ; I received the money for her, and put it with the other she had given me; it was drawn in favour of Cuthbert; Mrs. C. was amply provided for during her husband’s absence. Cross-examined.–I have known Cuthbert for ten years, in all his prosperity and adversity; when. I first knew him he kept a shop at the King’s Wharf.; when Mrs..C. read the Sydney Gazette, it put her in consternation ; she thought she had lost her husband ; I never told Mr. Cooper a lamentable story about her, but that she had money although not so much as when Cuthbert married her. This was the case for the prosecution.

Dr. Wardell having, addressed the jury, Mr Wentworth replied ; and the learned Judge, at a late hour in the evening, commenced summing up minutely recapitulating the evidence, and putting the whole case into the hand of the jury, who, after half an hour’s absence, returned a verdict for the plaint of –Damages Forty Shillings.

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Saturday 5 October 1833, page 2

We have frequently reprobated the system of appointing convicts as constables in the towns, and a recent case fully bears us out in our assertion that such appointments are injudicious and improper. Mr. Cuthbert, master end owner of the brig Bee, was charged with bigamy, and a warrant issued for his apprehension, which warrant was placed in the hands of a convict constable, named Holding, to execute. On falling in with Mr. Cuthbert, and informing him of his errand, Holding was induced to go into a boat with his prisoner, who stated that he wanted to get some papers from the vessel. When afloat, it seems that Cuthbert had a better plan in view than cutting a figure at the Police Office on so serious a charge, which plan was submitted, we understand, to the notice of his companion, in the shape of a hundred sovereigns and an escape from the Colony, in lieu of taking his prisoner before a Magistrate ! ! ! This was a temptation not to be withstood by a man looking for liberty ; and accordingly Holding consented to go with Cuthbert, and off they went very lovingly together. The brig had at this time ” put to sea,” and in order to cut off all chance of Cuthbert’s escaping in his boat to her, the Isabella followed her pretty close, and watched her fair off, thinking everything was secure ; but Cuthbert was too knowing to put after the vessel direct; “so shaped his course” to East bay Neck, where, finding some difficulty in getting his boat over, application was made to Captain Spottiswood for assistance, Holding producing his warrant, and representing his companions to a party of constables on duly. With these credentials, he succeeded on imposing upon the Captain, so far as to obtain from him the assistance of men to get the boat over-which being done, away went Messrs, Cuthbert, Holding, and Co., and have never since been heard of. It is supposed that Cuthbert, suspecting something, had pre-concerted that the brig should to all appearance go out to sea, but instead of doing so to whip round to Maria Island, and thereabouts pickup the boat, in the event of Cuthbert succeeding in ” gammoning” the constable, which it appears he did to a miracle’ Now had this said constable been free, Cuthbert might have offered money in vain ; but, being in bondage, the chance of escape was a bribe of the first magnitude; for this he was as anxious as his prisoner, or he must have been devoid of common feelings, and therefore he connived with a man charged with a serious offence, together. Can anything be a plainer proof of the inconsistency of putting such men in office as constables? There is man such an instinctive desire for liberty, that it is not one in one thousand, placed as Holding was, who would not have acted precisely as he as done Why, therefore, will the local Authorities place such facilities for escape in the hands of these men t un-less indeed that it be wished to get rid of them, and the trouble of taking care of them, as soon and with as much case as possible.

Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 – 1842), Saturday 25 January 1834, page 2

A curious tale has reached the colony respecting CUTHBERT and the brig Bee. He had, it seems, been last seen in Cloudy Bay, whence he sailed for the Sandwich Islands. The Monitor of yesterday states that the mate of the Bee bas come up to Sydney by the Harriet, and tells a strange story about his having been driven ashore, with others of the crew, by Cuthbert, without clothes or provisions. He has on board several runaway convicts, and a constable belonging to Hobart Town. Report also adds, that the vessel was about to proceed on a speculative trip to the Spanish Main.  We do not mean to say these things are true-part we have heard, and part we have seen in print.

Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), Monday 21 April 1834, page 2

The Kaliopapa, (named after the King of the Sandwich Islands), which arrived yesterday, from the Sandwich Islands, has brought up intelligence of the seizure of the brig Bee, belonging to Cuthbert, and the detention of the Captain and several runaway prisoners of the Crown, by the British Consul at Wahoa. The Bee, with the broad-arrow on her, was to be sent up to the Sydney authorities, with the prisoners, to be disposed of. 

Sydney Herald (NSW : 1831 – 1842), Monday 5 May 1834, page 2

SANDWICH ISLANDS.

Extract of a Letter from Oahu, Sandwich Islands, dated March 3, 1834.

“The brig Bee, sails in a few days for your place, under seizure by the British Consul at these Islands for her illegal clearance, and for bringing away Prisoners of the Crown ; her owner, Cuthbert, arrived in her, sold the cargo, got hold of all the funds he could muster, and took his departure by privately procuring a small vessel, and taking his exit a few nights ago ; said to be gone to the Coast of California. 

May 1834

The brig Bee has been seized under a writ of foreign attachment. She will be sold to pay the debts of Cuthbert in Sydney.

Maureen Withey on 12th August, 2020 wrote:

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 12 August 2020), December 1815, trial of WILLIAM CUTHBERT (t18151206-11).

WILLIAM CUTHBERT, Royal Offences > coining offences, 6th December 1815.
11. WILLIAM CUTHBERT was indicted for uttering and putting away several forged and counterfeit notes, purporting to be the notes of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , with intent to defraud the said Governor and Company .
He was also indicted for forging the same, with the like intent.
Mr. Reynolds stated this case to the Jury, and informed them that the latter of these indictments was a capital one; and that the prisoner had pleaded guilty to the former; and the Bank, with the usual clemency which marked all their proceedings, had instructed him not to offer any evidence upon the capital charge. He therefore should not trouble them with any evidence.
GUILTY, aged 23,
Of uttering, knowing to be forged.
Transported for Fourteen Years .
First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder.

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Colonial Secretary Index.

CUTHBERT, William. Per “Sir William Bensley”, 1817.

1817 Mar 21 – On list of convicts disembarked from the “Sir William Bensley” and forwarded to Parramatta for distribution (Reel 6005; 4/3496 p.79)
1823 Jul 19 – On return of convicts discharged from the Establishment, Emu Plains; to Sydney (Reel 6028; 2/8283 p.147) – 1824 May 14 – Re permission to marry at Sydney (Reel 6013; 4/3511 p.70)
1825 Nov – To be granted a conditional pardon (Fiche 3292; 4/6974.1 pp.48, 75)

Another entry which may refer too him:

CUTHBERT, William. Of York Street.

1824 Jul 14 – On list of persons receiving an assigned convict (Fiche 3290; 4/4570D p.70)

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1828 NSW Census Index.
William Cuthbert, age 30, T.L., Sir Wm. Bensley, 1816, 14 years, protestant, Coach proprietor, York Street, Sydney.
Martha Cuthbert, age 30, C.F., Northampton, 1815,

————————————————————————— Sydney Gazette, 23 Jul 1829.
CONDITIONAL PARDONS respectively dated 27th May, 1828, and granted to the undermentioned Individuals, viz.
W. Cuthbert, per Ship Sir Wm. Bensley