William Hutchinson (Superintendent)
Encyclopedia
William Hutchinson was a British convict who was transported
to the Australian colonies, ultimately to become a successful public servant and businessman.
Hutchinson was by trade a butcher
in England. In June 1796, Hutchinson was convicted at the Old Bailey
of stealing £ 40 worth of goods, and was sentenced to death, though this was later commuted to transportation for seven years. After spending three years in London on board the prison hulk Newgate, Hutchinson was transported to Australia on the Hillsborough, sometimes referred to as the "Fever Ship" since some ninety-five of the three hundred convicts aboard died from typhoid fever
brought aboard from the prison hulks. Reaching Sydney in 1799, Hutchinson was again convicted of theft after stealing from the government stores in Sydney, and was transported to the penal settlement on Norfolk Island
.
Hutchinson soon gained employ in the administration of the settlement, becoming an overseer of government livestock. In June 1801, he married his first wife Mary Cooper (also known as Mary Chapman), a convict who had been transported from Surrey
, arriving on Norfolk Island in 1798; together they would have eight children, six of them born on Norfolk Island. In June 1803 he was appointed an acting superintendent of convicts on the island, and in 1805 he officially became an emancipist
. By 1809 he was made a superintendent proper. Hutchinson acquired significant land holdings on the island, and did a handsome trade selling pork to the government.
After 1803, there was a push for the settlement on Norfolk Island to be disbanded, mainly on the part of the then Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Lord Hobart
; the military presence there was ultimately withdrawn in 1813, and Hutchinson, along with the boat-builder Thomas Ransom, was among the last of the settlers to leave the island in February 1814.
Most of the Norfolk settlers were relocated to the recently founded Hobart Town
, in the colony of Tasmania
. However, Hutchinson had been recommended to the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie
, by the former Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Island, Joseph Foveaux
, and so Hutchinson instead returned to Sydney, where Macquarie appointed him the superintendent of convicts and public works, to succeed Isaac Nichols
from April 1814. Hutchinson gained much influence in this position, however after John Bigge
's reports into the transportation system in the Australian colonies, Hutchinson was replaced as superintendent by Frederick Hely in 1823. Hutchinson was to have been appointed chief wharfinger
in Sydney in 1817, though this appointment was never formally recognised by the British authorities.
Hutchinson's eighth child with his first wife Mary was born in 1817; Mary is thought to have returned to England in March 1819, and there was no record of her after that. On 21 June 1825 Hutchinson married his second wife, Jane Roberts, who was also a former convict (having been transported for seven years, arriving in 1803) and who was the widow of another former convict turned businessman. Though the marriage only lasted a short time, two of Jane's sons from her first marriage married two of Hutchinson's daughters from his first marriage.
Hutchinson became a significant businessman in Sydney, forming business partnerships with Edward Eagar
, William Redfern
and Samuel Terry
, among others; he also had extensive land holdings in Sydney, its suburbs and the surrounding towns, and also in Melbourne. His more rural holdings made him a successful pastoralist. He had participated in the 1816 founding of the Bank of New South Wales, and was a director
of the bank from January 1929 onwards. In 1835, he was elected to the board of directors of both the Marine Insurance Co and the Australian Wheat and Flour Co, and participated in the formation of the Australian Patriotic Association, and in 1840 he was one of the original directors of the Mutual Fire Insurance Association.
At his death, Hutchinson left goods worth £ 20,000; together with his land holdings, his estate was worth £ 220,000, or about A$1.77 billion in 2004 value. On this valuation, in 2004 William Rubinstein placed Hutchinson at 147th on his list of the two hundred richest Australians of all time.
Penal transportation
Transportation or penal transportation is the deporting of convicted criminals to a penal colony. Examples include transportation by France to Devil's Island and by the UK to its colonies in the Americas, from the 1610s through the American Revolution in the 1770s, and then to Australia between...
to the Australian colonies, ultimately to become a successful public servant and businessman.
Hutchinson was by trade a butcher
Butcher
A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
in England. In June 1796, Hutchinson was convicted at the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
of stealing £ 40 worth of goods, and was sentenced to death, though this was later commuted to transportation for seven years. After spending three years in London on board the prison hulk Newgate, Hutchinson was transported to Australia on the Hillsborough, sometimes referred to as the "Fever Ship" since some ninety-five of the three hundred convicts aboard died from typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
brought aboard from the prison hulks. Reaching Sydney in 1799, Hutchinson was again convicted of theft after stealing from the government stores in Sydney, and was transported to the penal settlement on 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...
.
Hutchinson soon gained employ in the administration of the settlement, becoming an overseer of government livestock. In June 1801, he married his first wife Mary Cooper (also known as Mary Chapman), a convict who had been transported from Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, arriving on Norfolk Island in 1798; together they would have eight children, six of them born on Norfolk Island. In June 1803 he was appointed an acting superintendent of convicts on the island, and in 1805 he officially became an emancipist
Emancipist
An emancipist was any of the convicts sentenced and transported under the convict system to Australia, who had been given conditional or absolute pardons...
. By 1809 he was made a superintendent proper. Hutchinson acquired significant land holdings on the island, and did a handsome trade selling pork to the government.
After 1803, there was a push for the settlement on Norfolk Island to be disbanded, mainly on the part of the then Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801...
Lord Hobart
Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire
Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire PC , styled Lord Hobart from 1793 to 1804, was a British Tory politician of the late 18th and early 19th century.-Background:...
; the military presence there was ultimately withdrawn in 1813, and Hutchinson, along with the boat-builder Thomas Ransom, was among the last of the settlers to leave the island in February 1814.
Most of the Norfolk settlers were relocated to the recently founded Hobart Town
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, in the colony of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. However, Hutchinson had been recommended to the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
, by the former Lieutenant-Governor of Norfolk Island, Joseph Foveaux
Joseph Foveaux
Joseph Foveaux was a soldier and convict settlement administrator in colonial New South Wales, Australia.Foveaux was baptised on 6 April 1767 at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, England, the sixth child of Joseph Foveaux and his wife Elizabeth, née Wheeler...
, and so Hutchinson instead returned to Sydney, where Macquarie appointed him the superintendent of convicts and public works, to succeed Isaac Nichols
Isaac Nichols
Isaac Nichols was a convict on the Third Fleetwho became a successful businessman and was appointed the first Postmaster of New South Wales in 1809. The mayhem that could occur when supply ships arrived, which was said to include unscrupulous people taking other people's mail and selling it back...
from April 1814. Hutchinson gained much influence in this position, however after John Bigge
John Bigge
John Thomas Bigge was an English judge and royal commissioner.Bigge was born at Benton House, Northumberland, England, the second son of Thomas Charles Bigge, High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1771...
's reports into the transportation system in the Australian colonies, Hutchinson was replaced as superintendent by Frederick Hely in 1823. Hutchinson was to have been appointed chief wharfinger
Wharfinger
Wharfinger is an archaic term for a person who is the keeper or owner of a wharf. The wharfinger took custody of and was responsible for goods delivered to the wharf, typically had an office on the wharf or dock, and was responsible for day-to-day activities including slipways, keeping tide tables...
in Sydney in 1817, though this appointment was never formally recognised by the British authorities.
Hutchinson's eighth child with his first wife Mary was born in 1817; Mary is thought to have returned to England in March 1819, and there was no record of her after that. On 21 June 1825 Hutchinson married his second wife, Jane Roberts, who was also a former convict (having been transported for seven years, arriving in 1803) and who was the widow of another former convict turned businessman. Though the marriage only lasted a short time, two of Jane's sons from her first marriage married two of Hutchinson's daughters from his first marriage.
Hutchinson became a significant businessman in Sydney, forming business partnerships with Edward Eagar
Edward Eagar
-Early life:Eagar was born in Killarney, Ireland. His parents were landed gentry so he was well educated. He trained as a solicitor and became an attorney to His Majesty's Courts in Ireland. In 1809 he was charged with forging a bill of exchange, and he was convicted and sentenced to death...
, William Redfern
William Redfern
William Redfern was a leading surgeon in early colonial New South Wales.-Early life:Redfern appears to have been born in Canada and raised in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England...
and Samuel Terry
Samuel Terry
Samuel Terry was transported to Australia as a criminal where he became a wealthy landowner, merchant and philanthropist. His extreme wealth made him by far the richest man in the colony and compared with the wealth of the richer in England...
, among others; he also had extensive land holdings in Sydney, its suburbs and the surrounding towns, and also in Melbourne. His more rural holdings made him a successful pastoralist. He had participated in the 1816 founding of the Bank of New South Wales, and was a director
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of the bank from January 1929 onwards. In 1835, he was elected to the board of directors of both the Marine Insurance Co and the Australian Wheat and Flour Co, and participated in the formation of the Australian Patriotic Association, and in 1840 he was one of the original directors of the Mutual Fire Insurance Association.
At his death, Hutchinson left goods worth £ 20,000; together with his land holdings, his estate was worth £ 220,000, or about A$1.77 billion in 2004 value. On this valuation, in 2004 William Rubinstein placed Hutchinson at 147th on his list of the two hundred richest Australians of all time.