Source: 19 Sep 1911 - THE FIRST FLEET. - Trove​​​​​

FIRST FLEETERS’ GRAVES.

WHO WAS THE LAST SURVIVOR?

Mr. G. R. Nichols writes:— In your issue of June 4, 1912, you published from me a list of the deaths of all I could

find of the pioneers of Australia who arrived in the First Fleet. I then invited the assistance of other students of our history to help, and Mr. Robert Harris the following week contributed a few more. Since then I have been able to nearly double my former list of names, some of which have been kindly sent along privately, by friends, and I forward it to you for publication.

A perusal of my list, which is in strict chronological order, will at once suggest that James Small, the last thereon, was the

final survivor of the famous fleet, but I am sure this is not so, as I believe I know of two who have died since he did. The first is the old man Michael Norton, who is mentioned in Bennett’s “History of Australian Discovery and Colonisation” as being alive in 1863. He lived somewhere in the Hawkesbury. Then, in Heaton’s “Dictionary of Dates” (page 192) is a statement that “John Whitehurst, who arrived in the First Fleet, died in 1875, aged 99 years.” I have, however never been able to verify the death of either of these men and would be glad it any of your numerous readers can throw any light on the subject. There are a few dates incomplete, and I should be glad if any student could fill the gaps.

The list is as follows: 

1788, February 16. George Nelson, cook of the transport The Prince of Wales, drowned while trying to swim ashore.

1788, February 28.—James Barrett, was executed for theft, and was the first criminal executed in the colony.

1788, July 10.—George Graves, the boatswain of H.M.S. Sirius, died and was buried in the first burial ground, situated at Dawes Point. He was 48 years of age, and his gravestone, believed to be the first erected in the colony, is preserved

in the Public Library.

1788, August.—Mr. James Cunningham, a midshipman of the Sirius, was accidentally drowned in a boat accident at Norfolk Island.

1788, October 26.—James Rogers, a marine, lost in the bush, and never seen again.

1788, November 10.—Thomas Bulmore, a marine, died from wounds received in a disturbance with some of his comrades.

1789, January.—James Magee, died at Parramatta, and his was the first burial entered in the Church Register at St. John’s Church.

1789, February 2.—Captain John Shea, in charge of one of the companies of marines, died in Sydney.

1789, November 6.—Francis Hill, midshipman of the Sirius, lost on the North Shore while going to his ship, then in Careening Cove.

1790, July 24.—James Ferguson, midshipman of the Sirius, James Bates, marine, and another marine were drowned near Bradley’s Head through a whale upsetting the boat from which they were fishing.

1790, August.—Andrew Miller, commissary, died on the passage home between Batavia and Mauritius.

1790, September.—Newton Fowell, second lieutenant of the Sirius, died on board the Supply at Batavia from fever.

1791, January 28.—Henry Edward Dodd, principal superintendent of agriculture, died at Parramatta.

1791, April 13.—Lieutenant George William Maxwell, of H.M.S. Sirius, died on the trip home in the Snow Waaksamheyd, near Batavia.

1791, June 30.—William Phillips, a seaman of the Sirius, died on the same trip home.

1791, October 22.—Terence Burne, a seaman of the Sirius, died on the same trip home.

1791, November 14.—Robert Henderson, a seaman of the Sirius, died on the same trip home.

1791, December 11.—Edward Moore, a seaman, of the Sirius, died on the same trip home.

1791, December 22.—William Bryant, the convict who, with others, stole a boat and made their way to Batavia, where Bryant died in the hospital.

1792.—John Jones, a marine, was also buried in the Dawes Point graveyard, but the date on the stone has been partly defaced.

1794, June 9.—Major Robert Ross, who came out in command of the marines, and Lieutenant-Governor, died at Ipswich, England, while recruiting.

1794, November 2.—Thomas Freeman came out as captain’s clerk on the Sirius, and afterwards held the position of Deputy Commissary, died in Sydney.

1795, September 3.—John Irvine, who came out as junior surgeon, died in Sydney.

1796, March.—Henry Brewer, the first provost-marshal of the colony, died in Sydney.

1803, November 17.—William Balmain, who arrived as the third assistant surgeon, died at King-street, Bloomsbury, England.

1804, March 21.—James Bloodsworth, for many years superintendent of buildings in the employ of the Government, died in Sydney.

1804, December 19.—Thomas Smyth came out as one of the marines, and rose to the  rank of sergeant, and was appointed provost-marshal on April 9, 1796, died in Sydney.

1805, December 22.—Jeannette Dundas, died in the old Government House, Sydney, top of Bridge-street. She was housekeeper to Governor King.

1808, September 3.—Phillip Gidley King came out as lieutenant of the Sirius, and was

the third Governor of the colony, died at Tooting, England, aged 49 years.

1809, October 13.—Robert Sidaway, died at his house, in Sydney, aged 52 years. He was the first man to build a theatre in Sydney.

1810, March 24.—David Collins, first Judge Advocate of the colony, died at Hobart

while holding the office of Lieutenant Governor of Van Dieman’s Land, aged 54 years.

1811, January.—Thomas Jamieson came out as surgeon’s mate on the Sirius, died in London while waiting to give evidence at Colonel Johnston’s trial.

1814, August 31.—Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of the colony, died at Bath, England, aged 75 years.

1815, January 9.—Augustus Theodore Henry Alt, the first Surveyor-General of the colony died, and was buried at Parramatta.

1817, December 27.—Matthew James Everingham, drowned in the Hawkesbury, at Wilberfore, aged 48 years.

1819.—Nathaniel Lucas, who was in charge of the carpenters, died at Liverpool while building St. Luke’s Church, and was buried in the graveyard there.

1810, April 14.—Lieutenant William Dawes came out with the marines, died at his residence in Grenada, in the West Indies.

1821, March 13.—John Hunter, then an admiral, died in London, aged 83 years. He came out in command of the Sirius, and was the second Governor of the colony.

1821, May 2.—Thomas Arndell, assistant surgeon, died at Cattai, on the Hawkesbury and buried In St. Matthew’s, Windsor, aged 68 years.

1821, July 20.—William Broughton, died at his residence, Lachlan Park, Appin, and was buried in St. Luke’s graveyard, Liverpool, aged 53 years. He was in the Commissariat Department for 33 years.

1822, May 16.—James Squire, died at Kissing Point, and was buried in Devonshirestreet Cemetery. He was the first to

grow hops and brew beer in the colony.

1823, January 5.—Colonel George Johnston, who came out with the Marines, and rose to the command of the New South Wales Corps, died at his house at Annandale, near Sydney, aged 58 years.

1823, May 2.—Thomas Davey, came out as a Lieutenant of Marines, and afterwards was appointed the second Lieutenant- Governor of Van Dieman’s Land, died in England.

1824, February 3.—Thomas Spencer, came out as a marine, and afterwards became a settler in the Hawkesbury, died on his farm near Richmond, aged 61 years.

1826.—William Field, who was one of the. first settlers on the Hawkesbury, died on his farm.

1826, November 6.—Sussannah Kable, formerly Holmes, wife of Henry Kable, died at Windsor, aged 62 years.

1827, March 13.—Richard Johnson, Australia’s first preacher, died in London, aged 74 years.

1831, January 24.—Mary, the widow of Richard Johnson, died in London, aged 78 years.

1833, September 27.—John Palmer, Commissary, came out as purser on the Sirius, died at Parramatta, aged 74 years.

1837, August 1.—Henry Wright, one of the Marines, died in Sydney, aged 89 years.

1837, September 5.—James Ruse, the first settler in New South Wales to hold land, died at Campbelltown, aged 77 years.

1839.—William Bond, who was the first baker, and was the inventor of the damper, died in, Pitt-street, aged 110.

1846, March 16.—Henry Kable, at one time the principal gaoler, died in Windsor, on the Hawkesbury, aged 84 years.

1847, September 1.—John Limeburner, died at Ashfield, aged 104 years.

1851.—James Small, one of the first batch of settlers at Kissing Point, died there, aged 86 years.