Richard Barrett Tried, Convicted, Transported

RICHARDI BARRETT was born in 1797 to George Barrett and Anne Barrett.

By all the evidence it would appear that Richardi was the black sheep of the family. Sentenced for burglary and gaoled for several months he appears to have left gaol after a few short months sentencing and continued a life of crime.

Arrested and brought to court he was  originally sentenced to 7 years servitude in the Australian colonies (as they where then), a further 7 years was added a few days later when he was tried for another burglary. 

On the day of his first sentence and on the day his brother George was acquitted of domestic disturbances with his wife, I read of over half a dozen poor souls sentenced to death for crimes seemingly on par with Richardis'. Never the less I also read of the word 'death' alongside Richardis' original sentence and it would seem it was changed to transportation at a later date.

Sentencing began on the 15th June 1829 when charged that he stole a pig from George his brother. A second sentence on 4th July for Burglary ensured his transportation.

Sent on the 12th May 1830 to New South Wales Australia.

Boarding the Nithsdale.

It all seems so cold and so cruel to send someone to Australia for stealing,  the hardships endured would have been tremendous. The Nithsdale and other ships where regularly condemned for the treatment of the convicts and for the many deaths from Cholera, Dysentery and sundry other awful diseases. One ship is recorded as having lost a third of the convicts during the actual transportation. Half rations where common and starvation , scurvy and lice where events that the poor souls endured, along with mice and rat infestations all of which combined to kill many of the luckless souls transported during those times.

Even though I deplore that Richardi stole from his own brother and that the act itself was committed when George was already mourning the deaths of two of his children, I can see desperation, I can see fear and Richardi genuinely did face the possibility of being hung for his crimes.

On arriving in Australia Richardi was given over to Mr McArthur as almost i suppose what would be seen as a 'slave' in these modern times. He would work his 14 year sentence off in Mr McArthurs overseership.Richardi settled with Mr McArthur and having carried out his sentence there, he also stayed with Mr McArthurs' son after sentencing was completed and to all accounts continued to live on the property of his benefactor. He began a life of servitude and ended with being part of a memorial.

Transcribed from the Camden website is the following description:-

Located in Menangle Road, the park is a small part of John Macarthur's last grant, called his ‘North Camden' grant, covering 5,400 acres and granted to him in 1825, only 8 years before his death, when the whole Estate was about 33,000 acres. The park was a gift to the people of Camden by the last Mrs Elizabeth Macarthur-Onslow, a grand daughter of John Macarthur. In those days Camden was really a ‘rural' village with virtually no residential blocks beyond Murray Street. Menangle Road was a dirt track winding out past the park and Hospital towards the Camden Park dairy homestead and the Estate itself. In accepting the gift, the Council of the day decided to name the area ‘Macarthur Park' in honour of James Macarthur, the donor's father. The gift was made on 8 June 1905, and its original areas was 6 acres.

It has since become a visitors park with memorabilia and the like incorporated , but its original conception, the buildings created the fencing and the gates where created during Richardis' sentencing and its benefits have endured throughout time.

In the end Richardi was part of restoration, comfort and shelter for many people. His family endured and there are many descendants of he and his lady 'Nanny'. There is a record showing that a private burial plot was granted to Richardi on his death which was on the land he had worked for much of his life, granted by his employer.

That in itself is a high compliment and shows he had restored himself in the eyes of his peers and in the regard of his employer. That is a fitting end to a sad story of loss and theft and hurt and disruption.....to finally be welcomed even in death to a land he had grown to love and cherish throughout his working life.

  

I will never, as a descendant of George, be able to understand how brother could steal from brother, and at such a sad time in Georges life, but I can and do celebrate that Richardi eventually 'made good', I only hope, as time and research continues that any additional information of Richardi eventually shows him to have learned and to have loved and to have lived a better and more fulfilling life.

 Richardi died '8th December 1856' in Camden New South Wales Australia. He was buried in St Johns C of E Cemetery. Camden.

Richardi's early life is unrecorded except for details of his life of crime, on other websites I discovered stories of him which I can only accept as being part of his descendants knowledge through family stories handed down through generations.

It is believed that Richardi had been married and his wife had died, there was a child and it is possible the child survived but on leaving Forden Richardi begins a new adventure and has the 7 year law in Australia which allows him to marry whether he was married in England before or not.

 After serving his sentence in New South Wales Richard stayed in Australia and settled with Mr Macathur in Camden Park.The McCathur family estate was his original destination under sentence his remaining years he lived with a lady known as Nanny. There are children from this relationship.

Some of their descendents contacted me and it is good to know that Richardi not only married his lady Nanyginga but that they had a large and healthy family. During an uprising both these souls helped to defend property and people and received medals from the government for their heroic actions. 

I also discovered that several of their descendents are creative people who are renowned artists in their own right and it has genuinely touched me as to how generous those good people have been as we exchange e mails occasionally and the odd bit of information. In Georges line too, artists abound ....which is all to the good.

Susan Morrison Jones

Great Grandaughter x6 of George Barret