Part 23 (2/2)
Governor Darling was recalled to England three years after this adventure, to a promotion (to full general) and a knighthood. Less pleasing had been his farewell. W. C. Wentworth roasted an ox for a jubilant celebration and an illuminated sign in George Street spelled out, AWAY, YE DESPOT! An official English Parliamentary Inquiry cleared Darling of blame in the Sudds affair. As Captain Rossi foreshadowed correctly, the old lag Patrick Thompson had returned safely to Ireland and traveled to London to give evidence at the inquiry. Oddly, perhaps, he was never called. was recalled to England three years after this adventure, to a promotion (to full general) and a knighthood. Less pleasing had been his farewell. W. C. Wentworth roasted an ox for a jubilant celebration and an illuminated sign in George Street spelled out, AWAY, YE DESPOT! An official English Parliamentary Inquiry cleared Darling of blame in the Sudds affair. As Captain Rossi foreshadowed correctly, the old lag Patrick Thompson had returned safely to Ireland and traveled to London to give evidence at the inquiry. Oddly, perhaps, he was never called.
Dr. Laurence Hynes Halloran's newspaper, newspaper, The Gleaner The Gleaner, lasted for only a handful of issues, as the patterer accurately antic.i.p.ated. Halloran died in 1831.
Mr. W. C. Wentworth could look forward to a long and successful, if checkered, career, and to the start of a famous family line. His early, seemingly democratic leanings were to be compromised by his unrealized dream of creating a local hereditary peerage, dismissed derisively as a ”bunyip aristocracy.” He died in 1872. could look forward to a long and successful, if checkered, career, and to the start of a famous family line. His early, seemingly democratic leanings were to be compromised by his unrealized dream of creating a local hereditary peerage, dismissed derisively as a ”bunyip aristocracy.” He died in 1872.
Captain Crotty, like all old soldiers, faded away.
But Colonel Shadforth Colonel Shadforth, who died in 1862, became a leading light, literally, in the colony. He played a key role in the introduction of gas lighting in the town, as did our Gazette Gazette editor, the Reverend Ralph Mansfield. editor, the Reverend Ralph Mansfield.
The ”Die Hard” 57th Regiment 57th Regiment (to which our tale's rapists did not, of course, actually belong) and the (to which our tale's rapists did not, of course, actually belong) and the 39th 39th soon made way for relieving garrisons. The last British troops to march out of Sydney, in 1870, belonged to the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment. But there were no longer any new Irish prisoners to guard. Transportation to Sydney had been abolished in 1840. soon made way for relieving garrisons. The last British troops to march out of Sydney, in 1870, belonged to the 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment. But there were no longer any new Irish prisoners to guard. Transportation to Sydney had been abolished in 1840.
Editor and cleric-baiter Edward Smith Hall Edward Smith Hall, fined and jailed for his pugnacious publications, died in 1860, honored as a champion of the introduction of trial by jury and of freedom of the press.
Dr. Peter Cunningham, remembered for his medical successes and keen social eye, left the colony in 1830. His wanderl.u.s.t undiminished, he served on the Royal Navy's South American station, based in Rio de Janeiro.
Captain Francis Nicholas Rossi remained a leading figure on the Sydney crime and justice scene until his retirement in 1834. He died on his country estate in 1851. He never talked publicly about the case of Rachel Dormin or many other intriguing matters. remained a leading figure on the Sydney crime and justice scene until his retirement in 1834. He died on his country estate in 1851. He never talked publicly about the case of Rachel Dormin or many other intriguing matters.
”Old Commodore” Billy Blue sailed on until his death in 1834. He may have exaggerated his grand old age. London trial records gave his birth year as 1767-if so, he died at sixty-seven, not the eighty-six indicated by the census. And, to cloud the issue further, the Blue family bible entry claimed he died at a hundred! Murdering Point? The name became as forgotten as any crime there. It became, simply, Blue's Point. sailed on until his death in 1834. He may have exaggerated his grand old age. London trial records gave his birth year as 1767-if so, he died at sixty-seven, not the eighty-six indicated by the census. And, to cloud the issue further, the Blue family bible entry claimed he died at a hundred! Murdering Point? The name became as forgotten as any crime there. It became, simply, Blue's Point.
Sadly, his comrade in arms, Bungaree Bungaree, is largely forgotten. Death, speeded by drink, dethroned the ”king” at an indeterminate age, four years before Billy's pa.s.sing. Cora Gooseberry Cora Gooseberry lived for another twenty years. lived for another twenty years.
Alexander Harris lived in Australia until 1840, when he left for the United States, Canada and England. His legacy was his vibrant book of recollections, lived in Australia until 1840, when he left for the United States, Canada and England. His legacy was his vibrant book of recollections, Settlers and Convicts Settlers and Convicts (1847). He died in 1874. (1847). He died in 1874.
William Francis King, the Flying Pieman, continued his career of astounding athleticism, becoming more and more eccentric until his death in the mid-1870s.
Ernest, Duke of c.u.mberland, became ruler of Hanover and died in 1851.
Princess Sophia never married and died in 1848. never married and died in 1848.
There was was a convict named a convict named James Bond James Bond. From Lancas.h.i.+re, he arrived on the transport Albion Albion in February 1827, and went to Hyde Park Barracks. He was caught as a runaway on April 7, 1828-but soon disappeared again. His fate is unclear. That Dunne and Queen Cora's young attacker shared the same name is pure coincidence. Or a case of ident.i.ty theft? in February 1827, and went to Hyde Park Barracks. He was caught as a runaway on April 7, 1828-but soon disappeared again. His fate is unclear. That Dunne and Queen Cora's young attacker shared the same name is pure coincidence. Or a case of ident.i.ty theft?
Dr. Thomas Owens's name seems to have been removed from all colonial medical records-perhaps a transgression after the facts related in our story merited this. Certainly, his grasp of medicine may seem quaint and crude (even dangerous) by modern standards, but he was, after all, a man of his times. Nevertheless, his diagnosis, long after the event, of Joseph Sudds's condition was astute, as was his clever conclusion as to the cause of Madame Greene's death. name seems to have been removed from all colonial medical records-perhaps a transgression after the facts related in our story merited this. Certainly, his grasp of medicine may seem quaint and crude (even dangerous) by modern standards, but he was, after all, a man of his times. Nevertheless, his diagnosis, long after the event, of Joseph Sudds's condition was astute, as was his clever conclusion as to the cause of Madame Greene's death.
There were, no doubt, many Irishmen in the colony named either Brian Brian or or O'Bannion O'Bannion, or both, but our man seems to have slipped from officialdom's gaze. We do know that many convict records were incomplete to start with and also that many criminal records were lost in the great fire of 1882 that destroyed the wooden Sydney Exhibition Building, where they were stored.
Or, perhaps, Owens, O'Bannion Owens, O'Bannion and and Norah Robinson Norah Robinson simply lived quietly and productively-except on those occasions when they were inveigled into more mischief and mayhem by ... simply lived quietly and productively-except on those occasions when they were inveigled into more mischief and mayhem by ...
Nicodemus Dunne, who regularly found he could not keep out of trouble. He is last heard of-perhaps?-in the mid-1850s. A business directory then refers to a Nicodemus Dunn (sic), a maker of ginger beer and soda water. Were they one and the same person? For the Nicodemus we knew, it would have not been an inapt career change. The patterer would always have agreed with Lord Byron, who wrote in Don Juan Don Juan: Let us have wine and women, mirth and laughter, Sermons and soda-water the day after.
Some of the few physical reminders of the patterer's time are the Hyde Park Barracks (now a museum), parts of The Rocks, St. James Church and the nearby courts, part of the Rum Hospital (now inhabited by well-nourished State politicians) and a rebuilt replica of Macquarie's lighthouse. Rachel Dormin's beloved Goat Island, surrounded by millions of Sydneysiders, is today as silent as, well, the grave. It is little used and unloved.
The Squatters' Bank-and who robbed it? Ah, well. That's another story ...
SOME SOURCES.
Ashdown, Dulcie M., Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power, Sutton, Stroud, 1998.
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