John Townson
Encyclopedia
John Townson was an army officer and settler in the colony of New South Wales
. He entered the 18th Regiment in 1779 and was part of the Gibraltar
garrison. He transferred to the New South Wales Corps
in October 1789, and arrived in Sydney on the Second Fleet
ship Scarborough
in June 1790.
Townson spent most of his military service in the colony at Norfolk Island
where he was stationed for six years and received a twenty acre (81,000 m²) lease. In 1794 he was a member of the court of inquiry investigating Lieutenant Governor King
's actions during the 1793 mutiny on the island. He was promoted and captain, and from September 1796 to November 1799 acted as lieutenant-governor of Norfolk Island while King was absent in England.
His administration was generally efficient and he seems to have had a steadying influence on the population of convicts and settlers. During his regime the only ship built on the island, the sloop Norfolk
, used by Matthew Flinders
to circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land
, was constructed in 1798. He lacked confidence in Governor Hunter
and his complaints to England played a part in Hunter's recall.
Townson left Norfolk Island in 1800 and returned to England, where through illness he retired and sold his commission in July 1803.
He returned to Sydney in 1806, and after come controversy was granted 2000 acres (8 km²) in the Bexley
and Hurstville
districts. He sold these in 1812 and developed further grants on the Tamar River in Van Diemen's Land. Townson died in Sydney on 8 July 1835, leaving an estate worth £5,000.
Townson is described by his biographer as "an efficient, if unspectacular, administrator." Unlike many of his fellow New South Wales Corps officers, he does not seem to have been involved in the rum
traffic. He was generally well liked by his contemporaries but, because of ill-health and deafness, did not take an active part in public life, and earned him a reputation in his later years "of being unsettled and querulous."
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He entered the 18th Regiment in 1779 and was part of the Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
garrison. He transferred to the New South Wales Corps
New South Wales Corps
The New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
in October 1789, and arrived in Sydney on the Second Fleet
Second Fleet (Australia)
The Second Fleet is the name of the second fleet of ships sent with settlers, convicts and supplies to colony at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, Australia. The fleet comprised six ships: one Royal Navy escort, four convict ships, and a supply ship....
ship Scarborough
Scarborough (ship)
'Scarborough' was a transport ship of 430 tons, built at Scarborough in 1782. She formed part of the First Fleet, which commenced European settlement of Australia in 1788....
in June 1790.
Townson spent most of his military service in the colony at Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
where he was stationed for six years and received a twenty acre (81,000 m²) lease. In 1794 he was a member of the court of inquiry investigating Lieutenant Governor King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
's actions during the 1793 mutiny on the island. He was promoted and captain, and from September 1796 to November 1799 acted as lieutenant-governor of Norfolk Island while King was absent in England.
His administration was generally efficient and he seems to have had a steadying influence on the population of convicts and settlers. During his regime the only ship built on the island, the sloop Norfolk
Norfolk (sloop)
The Colonial sloop Norfolk: “The necessity of a vessel to keep up a more frequent intercourse with Norfolk Island, …having been much felt by the want of various stores …occasioned Captain Townson, the Commanding officer, to construct a small decked boat, sloop rigged, in which he sent His letters...
, used by Matthew Flinders
Matthew Flinders
Captain Matthew Flinders RN was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his age. In a career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that name for the continent, which had previously been...
to circumnavigate Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
, was constructed in 1798. He lacked confidence in Governor Hunter
John Hunter (New South Wales)
Vice-Admiral John Hunter, RN was a British naval officer, explorer, naturalist and colonial administrator who succeeded Arthur Phillip as the second governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1795 to 1800.-Overview:...
and his complaints to England played a part in Hunter's recall.
Townson left Norfolk Island in 1800 and returned to England, where through illness he retired and sold his commission in July 1803.
He returned to Sydney in 1806, and after come controversy was granted 2000 acres (8 km²) in the Bexley
Bexley, New South Wales
Bexley is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bexley is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Rockdale and is part of the St George area.-History:...
and Hurstville
Hurstville, New South Wales
Hurstville is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hurstville is located 16 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. Hurstville is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of...
districts. He sold these in 1812 and developed further grants on the Tamar River in Van Diemen's Land. Townson died in Sydney on 8 July 1835, leaving an estate worth £5,000.
Townson is described by his biographer as "an efficient, if unspectacular, administrator." Unlike many of his fellow New South Wales Corps officers, he does not seem to have been involved in the rum
Rum Rebellion
The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's history. The Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, was deposed by the New South Wales Corps under the command of Major George Johnston, working closely with John Macarthur, on 26 January 1808, 20...
traffic. He was generally well liked by his contemporaries but, because of ill-health and deafness, did not take an active part in public life, and earned him a reputation in his later years "of being unsettled and querulous."