Gentleman John Smith

Gentleman John Smith was an English man who was convicted and imprisoned for theft before being transported to Australia as a convict, twice.[1] In Australia he later became a police official, serving as chief constable of Newcastle in New South Wales.[1]

Early life

He was born in Manchester in 1787.[2] At 20, he was arrested for stealing stocking and sentenced to seven years transportation.[2] In 1809 he took the name John Sidebottom.[2]

Convict life

He was sent to prison hulks at Portsmouth on 18 December 1809.[2] He traveled on the ship Indian which arrived in Port Jackson on 16 December 1810.[2] On 16 December 1811 he was reported as absconding from Eber Bunker at Georges River.[2] He stole and then sold tobacco from a warehouse, but was found not guilty on the lesser charge of stealing from a warehouse.[2] In 1861, he was accused of lighting a fire to defraud Liverpool and London Fire and Life Insurance Company.[3]

He went to Newcastle for penal settlement.[2] He was sent on the Lady Nelson from Parramatta on 8 July 1815. In 1817 he was appointed Chief Constable of Newcastle.[2]

Maitland

In 1818 he was one of the first convicts to occupy a farm at Wallis Plains (East Maitland).[3] He owned various properties including a stream flour mill and the Black Horse Inn there.[3]

Personal life

On 11 July 1814 he married Mary Furber.[2] He became a father to Mary's three-year-old, George,[3] and together they had seven more children: James (1815), Sophia (1816), Eliza (1817), Mary Ann (1818), John Thomas (1819), Matilda (1820) and William Henry (1821).[4]

In 1838 he purchased 28 acres of land in the Fullerton Cove called Stanley Park to fulfill a contract from the military to supply beef.[5]

Smith died in 1870 and is buried in Christ Church burial ground.[2]

References
  1. Early Settlers of Wallis Plains: School Education Kit - Teacher's Manual. Maitland City Council. March 2015. pp. 14–15. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  2. "John Smith". www.jenwilletts.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  3. "HAA007 MAIN Gentleman John Smith | Our Family Past". www.ourfamilypast.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  4. "Ancestors of John Smith (James Sidebottom)". www.gransdenfamily.com. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  5. "History". Stanley Park. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
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